Astha Pandey/VOIWORLD
Gaurav Batra, an Indian national and permanent resident of New Zealand,has been fined NZ$13,000 (₹7.1 lakh approx.) and ordered to repay NZ$27,660 (₹15 lakh) to two migrant workers after being convicted of immigration and employment breaches.
The Hamilton District Court on Monday, 18 August 2025 passed out the judgment after Batra pleaded guilty of allowing two migrants to take up jobs outside the legal scope of their visa.
Batra managed GSK Company Ltd, which operated kebab shops in Hamilton. Investigators found that two workers, legally employed for hospitality roles, were also made to carry out unauthorised cleaning work across multiple sites.
This additional work not only violated their visa conditions but also came with underpayment, lack of proper wage records, and excessive work hours. Authorities reported that the exploitation was deliberate and sustained for almost two years, not a one-time error.
Jason Perry, National Manager Investigations at New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), said the workers came seeking fair employment but were “denied even the basic protections”. He emphasised that the sentencing reinforces New Zealand’s strong stance: employers
who exploit migrants will be held accountable.
This judgment shows that authorities in New Zealand are serious about stopping worker exploitation and that migrants can be at risk when employers don’t follow visa rules.
Even though the money owed was paid back before sentencing, the case reminds everyone to stay vigilant for the welfare of workers and for people to follow local laws to avoid legal consequences.
India’s 18 million-strong diaspora, world’s largest. This includes thousands of temporary workers and students in New Zealand. This case highlights the risks migrant workers face and the duty of Indian-origin employers abroad to act fairly. Unlawful work puts migrants, especially students, at financial and emotional risk.
