Stopping people trafficking
People trafficking occurs worldwide and Immigration New Zealand works across government and international organisations to help stop this offending.
People trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person, using coercion or deception, for the purpose of exploitation. People trafficking does not have to involve crossing a border and often happens entirely within a country. Both migrants and citizens/residents can be impacted.
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More information is available on how to help victims of people trafficking.
People trafficking does not have to take place across borders and often happens entirely within a country. It does not happen just to migrants — citizens and residents can be victims too.
People trafficking in New Zealand
People trafficking is happening in New Zealand to both migrants and to New Zealand citizens/residents. People trafficking does not have to involve crossing a border and often happens entirely within a country.
New Zealand is committed to eliminating people trafficking of all kinds and takes a whole-of-government approach to prevent and combat trafficking. When an allegation of people trafficking is made, it is taken seriously by The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the allegation is assessed against several criteria to determine whether there are indications that trafficking may have occurred. If appropriate, relevant cases are referred to partner agencies to respond.
MBIE Investigators will use any and all tools available to them to hold offenders to account. Where there is sufficient evidence, and in line with the relevant legislation as set out in Section 98D of the Crimes Act 1961, MBIE will seek to charge offenders with trafficking as appropriate. In some cases, offenders may be prosecuted for related offences, including migrant exploitation.
MBIE cannot, and does not, do this alone. We need the help of community organisations and the public to eliminate people trafficking. MBIE works closely with government agencies, sector, and community groups to facilitate real-time insights into emerging risks such as those related to people trafficking and smuggling.
Our partnership approach recognises that prevention, detection and investigation, enforcement and compliance, as well as victim support and protection are critical elements of a comprehensive approach to addressing all forms of trafficking in persons.
Trafficking convictions
Since 2015 there have been 4 people trafficking prosecutions, with 2 of these resulting in convictions. However, given the hidden nature of the crime, this figure is likely to be significantly higher.
In September 2016, a man was convicted of 15 people trafficking charges and other Immigration Act 2009 offences, for offending related to 15 Fijian nationals he brought to New Zealand and exploited. He was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison and ordered to pay $28,000 in reparations to his victims. A second man was convicted of other immigration offences related to the same case and was sentenced to 1 year home detention and ordered to pay $55,000 in reparations to his victims. In addition to his criminal sentence, his house was seized in 2021 as some of the money he used to buy it was earned through exploiting the victims in this case.
In March 2020, a man was convicted of 8 people trafficking and 13 slavery charges. His offending related to 13 Samoan nationals that he arranged to bring to New Zealand and enslaved between 1994 and 2017. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, including a minimum non-parole period of 6.5 years, and ordered to pay $215,000 in reparations to his victims.
The New Zealand Police and MBIE investigate and respond to any allegations of people trafficking.
Penalties for people trafficking
People trafficking is criminalised under Section 98D of the Crimes Act 1961 and is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to NZD $500,000, or both.
Crimes Act 1961 — New Zealand Legislation
In addition to imprisonment, people traffickers can also have any profits from the trafficking taken away, property used for trafficking confiscated, and be made to pay compensation to victims. Migrant exploitation is also criminalised under section 351 of the Immigration Act 2009 and punishable with up to 7 years imprisonment, a fine of up NZD $100,000, or both.
The New Zealand Police and Immigration New Zealand will continue to investigate and respond to any allegations of people trafficking.
New Zealand's response to people trafficking
New Zealand’s response to people trafficking is set out in the plan of action against forced labour, people trafficking and slavery.
Plan of action against forced labour, people trafficking and slavery — MBIE
The plan of action is organised across 3 key pillars: Prevention, Protection, and Enforcement. These pillars are underpinned by a partnership approach, with effective partnerships across government agencies, civil society, business, unions, academia and internationally being critical to success.
The plan describes Government actions planned between 2020 – 2025. A wide range of key agencies are responsible for the government’s efforts to address forced labour, people trafficking and slavery, and their responsibilities are captured in the plan of action.
International cooperation
The New Zealand Government works with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond to combat people trafficking. This includes working with international counterparts on cross-border people trafficking cases, and people trafficking training.
The Bali Process
The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (The Bali Process) is a regional forum to support collaboration, dialogue and policy development relating to irregular migration in the in Asia-Pacific.
New Zealand is an active member of the Bali Process, which includes over 45 member states and international organisations who work together to fight people trafficking. New Zealand also co-chairs the Disruption Working Group which is focused on activities and improved co-ordination to disrupt criminal networks involved in people trafficking in the Asia-Pacific region.
Other forums
We also participate in other international forums, including:
- Pacific Immigration Directors Conference
- Migration Five
Pacific Immigration Development Community
New Zealand also works with international agencies, such as the International Organisation for Migration, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. We are also committed to building strong relationships with non-governmental organisations, both domestically and internationally.
New Zealand is ranked at Tier 2 in the 2024 United States Trafficking in Persons Report. This means the US determined that we are not fully compliant with their Trafficking Victims Protection Act, but are making significant efforts to do so. The report notes that the New Zealand Government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period.
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report — US Department of State
Migrant exploitation
As part of a wider Government initiative to combat all forms of exploitation, which is supported by NZD $50 million in funding, the Government has enacted measures to better protect migrants from exploitation. While not all victims of trafficking are migrants, and not all victims of trafficking will be exploited, migrants are particularly vulnerable to both trafficking and exploitation. The new measures include a visa to support migrants to leave exploitative situations quickly and remain lawfully in New Zealand, a dedicated 0800 number and web form to make it easier to report migrant worker exploitation.
Recognising and reporting people trafficking
Find out more about how to recognise trafficking, report trafficking and the support available for certified victims of people trafficking.