Plan of action implementation reports
The Plan of Action provides a high-level framework for the actions that government agencies will undertake over 5 years to 2025 to contribute to eliminating forced labour, people trafficking and slavery.
The Plan of Action is comprised of a mixture of activities that are already underway, and new policies and programmes. The Government has committed to annual public reporting on the Plan of Action’s progress, and below is information to guide you as you read these annual reports.
The Plan of Action structures government actions into 3 broad pillars:
- Actions that aim to prevent modern slavery;
- Actions that aim to protect victims; and
- Action related to enforcement
Prevention
Undertake awareness raising and training
Actions
1. Provide information resources and advice to vulnerable groups so that people in New Zealand know their rights.
2. Provide advice, information and training so people working in front-line roles better recognise people trafficking, forced labour and slavery, and take timely and appropriate action to identify and minimise harm.
3. Provide information resources and advice to employers to ensure they are aware of their employment and immigration obligations.
4. Develop risk indicators and associated information sharing agreements for forced labour, people trafficking and slavery in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific Region, to support onshore and offshore risk identification, disruption and investigation activities, and victim identification and rescue.
5. Improve accessibility of information so that anyone who experiences, sees or suspects exploitation knows where and how to report it.
Annual implementation Report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), New Zealand Police (NZP), Oranga Tamariki (OT)
Key achievements
- 'Tango i Te Kaupae Muri – Take The Next Step' conference delivered in March 2021, attended by 100-150 people representing business, civil society and government end modern slavery and worker exploitation within Aotearoa.
Tango i te kaupae muri - Take the next step conference(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
- New training modules on people trafficking completed by MBIE, and shared with NZP, OT, Customs and DIA. Specialised training for Airline Liaison Officers developed and rolled out. Police Specialist Child Protection Teams, all new detectives, and all District CIB Managers have received people trafficking training in 2021.
- Over 70 business and regulatory system and sector stakeholders engaged with by Employment NZ (ENZ) on ethical and sustainable work practice resources.
Ethical and sustainable work practices(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
- Immigration NZ (INZ) has held regular zoom meetings with community stakeholders, including leaders of the Muslim, South Asian, Filipino and Chinese communities throughout the year, regarding the protection of migrants and their rights in NZ.
- Employment NZ completed initial interviews with employers of migrant workers as part of research to improve communication channels.
Areas for further work
- Encourage other government agencies to deliver people trafficking training to relevant staff.
- December 2021 – Information about migrant exploitation published to MBIE website in 13 languages.
- December 2021 – MBIE’s people trafficking communications strategy reviewed by Reference Group and other stakeholders, and being used to inform communication activities.
- Quarter 1 2022 – Complete research programme into how best to deliver information to migrant workers and their employers.
- Quarter 2 2022 – Updated people trafficking training available to all MBIE staff (Delayed from 2021).
- Quarter 2 2022 – Consider designating additional government agencies as ‘child welfare and protection agencies’ to improve information sharing.
Information sharing provisions – child at the centre(external link) — Oranga Tamariki
- Quarter 3 2022 – Police plan to deliver awareness-raising training to all new Police recruits (Delayed from 2021).
Prevent exploitation from escalating through policy and operational responses
Actions
6. Consider and progress opportunities to prevent and disrupt lower-level offending, such as breaches of employment standards, which can escalate into more extreme forms of exploitation.
7. Consider opportunities to improve business oversight and practices by parties other than the direct employer, to ensure wider compliance with employment standards.
8. Implement changes to make it easier for migrant workers to leave exploitative employment, through the development of a new dedicated reporting and triaging function and new temporary visa, which will help to prevent exploitation from further escalating.
Annual implementation Report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
Key achievements
- Joint Immigration NZ (INZ)-Employment NZ (ENZ) Compliance and Enforcement Strategy, designed to improve collaboration to combat migrant exploitation, completed and being applied.
- Advice to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety on the possible policy direction of legislation to address modern slavery and worker exploitation across domestic and international operations and supply chains. This includes potential obligations to prevent breaches of employment standards in domestic operations and supply chains.
- ENZ ethical and sustainable work practices resources have been completed for directors and investors.
Director’s approach to assuring ethical and sustainable work practices(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
Investor’s approach to assuring ethical and sustainable work practices(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
- New migrant exploitation phone line and online reporting established on 1 July, with 356 complaints of migrant exploitation received by 31 October, of which 103 found to potentially be exploitation and referred for investigation.
Reporting Migrant exploitation form(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
- Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV) established on 1 July 2021, with 61 applications accepted, 56 approved and 2 declined (withdrawn) as at 1 Dec 2021.
Migrant exploitation protection visa(external link) — Immigration.govt.nz
Areas for further work
- None identified at this stage.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 1 2022 – Implementation of joint INZ-ENZ migrant exploitation allegation triage and reporting model (Delayed from July 2021).
- Quarter 2 2022 – Public consultation on proposals to address modern slavery and worker exploitation in operations and supply chains.
- Quarter 2 2022 – Migrant worker protection bill introduced, to give effect to legislative changes proposed under the Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation Review (Delayed from Q3 2021).
- Quarter 2 2022 – Review and refine migrant exploitation allegation triage processes.
- July 2022 – Accredited Employer Work Visa to be introduced (Delayed from 2021).
New employer accreditation and work visa(external link) — Immigration.govt.nz
- 2023 – MBIE will operationalise changes arising from the Migrant Worker Bill; including the new infringement regime, a broader stand-down list of employers and the disqualification of those convicted of migrant exploitation from managing/directing a company.
Enhance international prevention responses through regional co-operation
Actions
9. Leverage and build on bilateral and multilateral agreements and forums to enhance cross-border information sharing and work to prevent forced labour and people trafficking.
10. Develop and deliver bespoke training and capability building programmes with Asia-Pacific border and law enforcement agencies.
11. Identify mechanisms to assist in building greater child safeguarding measures in the Pacific.
12. Identify ways to strengthen capacity and capability of social services/agencies in the Pacific to respond to child protection issues such as child trafficking and exploitation.
Annual implementation Report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Oranga Tamariki (OT)
Key achievements
- Immigration NZ (INZ) has held virtual capacity-building sessions with Fiji immigration officials on topics including compliance and investigations.
- MFAT has established a NZD $8.2 million programme with Tearfund for 2021-2026 to connect community-based livelihoods work with an anti-trafficking programme. Implementation in Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Sri Lanka has begun.
- NZ is co-chairing the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime work-stream under the ASEAN Regional Forum until 2023.
ASEAN Regional Forum(external link)
- INZ Senior Irregular Migration Liaison Officer deployed to Southeast Asia July 2021.
- Capacity building modules on trafficking in persons, forced labour and slavery developed as part of the Hakili Matagi Immigration Core Elements Curriculum.
- Progression of negotiations between OT and [X] (Please note that the name of the country is being withheld due to sensitivity of the negotiations) towards a bilateral agreement to safeguard children being moved across borders, included a roundtable discussion in July 2021.
Areas for further work
- Pilot of modern slavery training modules for Pacific countries delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- Bespoke modern slavery capacity building with Pacific partners currently on hold due to closed borders.
- Bali Process Disruption of People Smuggling and Trafficking initiatives, including simulation based exercise and Joint Period of Action, on hold pending COVID-19 restrictions.
- Initiate discussions with at least one Pacific Island country (which are not signatories to the Hague Convention) about child safe-guarding practices when domestic adoptions are concluded in the child’s country of origin and recognised under s17 Adoption Act 1955 for immigration purposes.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 1 2022 – Bali Process Disruption of People Smuggling and Trafficking Working Group compendium of successful operations published (Delayed from Quarter 3-4 2021).
- Quarter 2 2022 – Network of four INZ Irregular Migration Liaison Officers deployed full time to South and South-East Asia (Delayed from Quarter 3 2021).
- 2023 – Implementation of Tearfund’s community based programme in Myanmar to commence.
Eliminate forced labour and people trafficking from supply chains
Actions
13. Improve government procurement practices so that government purchasing more effectively supports good employment and supply chain practices, including combating forced labour and people trafficking from supply chains.
14. Work with system and sector leaders, including business and union representatives, to develop and share tools, resources and information to support assurance of organisational and supply chain work practices, including recruitment processes.
15. Build greater consumer awareness of forced labour, people trafficking and slavery, and identify actions that enable individual consumers to support the human rights of workers.
16. Consider introducing legislation requiring businesses to report publicly on transparency in supply chains, to help eliminate practices of modern slavery.
17. Work towards implementing the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
Key achievements
- New government employment rule targeting quality employment outcomes for NZ workers came into force October 2021, supported by public guidance.
Rule 18A: Quality employment outcomes(external link) — Procurement.govt.nz
- Advice provided to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety on the possible policy direction of legislation to address modern slavery and worker exploitation across domestic and international operations and supply chains. Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group established, meeting four times in 2021. Includes representatives from business, unions, and civil society.
- Promoted important cases responding to serious non-compliance with employment law, including an Alcohol and Regulatory Licencing Authority decision to refuse a liquor licence due to poor employment practices.
ARLA decision tips power balance for exploited workers in liquor retail(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
Areas for further work
- Publish relevant cases of serious non-compliance with immigration law, to build greater consumer awareness of modern slavery.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 1 2022 – MBIE to brief the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs on the plan for developing NZ’s first National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which will include establishing a cross-government working group.
- Quarter 2 2022 – Public consultation on proposals to address modern slavery and worker exploitation in operations and supply chains.
- December 2022 – Webinar on ‘Modern Slavery in Supply Chains’ for Government procurement officials (Delayed from Q1 2021).
- December 2022 – Guidance to agencies on questions for suppliers on ‘Modern Slavery in Supply Chain’ issues and topics (Delayed from Q1 2021).
Protection
Provide for the effective and efficient delivery of support services to victims
Actions
18. Facilitate processes for the efficient delivery of support services to victims of people trafficking.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), Oranga Tamariki (OT)
Key achievements
- NZ Police (NZP) and OT Specialist Child Interviewers continued to hold consultations to strengthen techniques and skills when interviewing child victims.
- Screening tool questions to assist OT National Contact Centre and frontline social workers to identify child victims of trafficking were established in June 2021.
- 3 Principal Liaison Advisors established at MBIE to support survivors of migrant exploitation during the investigation of their exploitation allegation. This support includes facilitating contact with accommodation and welfare support providers, and supporting them through the visa process and any resulting court case.
Areas for further work
- Development of a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is being considered by Ministers. This will be a significant project with benefits for victim identification, support and the connection between government and non-government organisations.
- Development and piloting of new training on child victim interviewing.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 2 2022 – Preparatory work towards NRM to assess current capability and create support structures.
- Quarter 4 2022 – Develop and begin implementing improvements to system under current settings and constraints.
Improve information for victims of exploitation and vulnerable groups
Actions
19. Continue to develop information sources for migrants on their work rights and entitlements, including during the recruitment and placement process, and on where to seek support to protect themselves in exploitative situations.
20. Work with social sector agencies and non-governmental organisations to help inform exploitation victims of their rights, and opportunities to seek help and assistance.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
Key achievements
- Immigration NZ (INZ) review of employment rights information sent to migrants in visa approval letters.
- Employment NZ (ENZ) completed initial interviews with employers of migrant workers as part of research to improve communication channels.
- Refresh of people trafficking pages on INZ website, including new information about visas available to trafficking victims, and brochures translated into 9 languages.
Help for victims of people trafficking(external link) — Immigration.govt.nz
Areas for further work
- INZ has sent fewer letters with information on work rights this year than in previous years.
- Government agencies need to identify opportunities to improve information for victims of exploitation and other vulnerable groups.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 1 2022 – Complete research programme into how best to deliver information to migrant workers and their employers.
Improve our understanding of exploitation to enable better targeting of actions and measures
Actions
21. Undertake research and monitoring activity to better understand the nature and extent of forced labour, people trafficking and slavery in New Zealand.
N1*. Recognise and include victim or survivor experiences and expertise.
*New actions (added after the Plan of Action was published) have been numbered differently (i.e. ‘N1’, ‘N2’), to ensure our reporting still aligns with the Plan of Action numbering.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), Oranga Tamariki (OT)
Key achievements
- OT has begun collecting data on reports of concern (ROCs) which allege forced labour, child trafficking or slavery.
- Immigration NZ (INZ) completed initial research on international definitions and methodological measurements of people trafficking.
- Research on the impact and effectiveness of international modern slavery legislation completed.
Areas for further work
- New action identified to ‘Recognise and include victim or survivor experiences and expertise’ has not yet been progressed.
- Consider commissioning an assessment of the prevalence of forced marriage in New Zealand.
Upcoming milestones
- December 2021 – Report of concern (ROC) data will be analysed for relevance and usefulness.
- Quarter 1 2022 – Intelligence assessment, to establish baseline understanding of the people trafficking landscape in NZ, scheduled for completion. This assessment will be re-produced on an annual basis.
- Quarter 1 2022 – Maritime people smuggling and trafficking research product scheduled for release.
- Quarter 2 2022 – Commission a paper on best practice for including trafficking victims in NRMs.
- Quarter 3 2022 – INZ will complete comprehensive people trafficking investigation review (Delayed from Quarter 4 2021).
Enforcement
Strengthen operational, policy and legislative settings to enhance enforcement and align with international obligations
Actions
22. Continue to support victims to participate in the criminal justice process, including through the provision of appropriate support.
23. Review and amend, as appropriate, policy and legislative settings to ensure they are fit-for-purpose in enabling the disruption, prosecution, and recovery and confiscation of income derived through exploitation in its wider context.
24. Consider amending the Crimes Act 1961 to strengthen provisions for the criminalisation of trafficking in children (under 18 years of age).
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Oranga Tamariki (OT)
Key achievements
Many of the deliverables for this sub-pillar relate to ongoing activities by agencies to support victims to participate in the criminal justice process, including through the provision of appropriate support.
- The Ministry of Justice published the Communication Assistance Quality Framework in July 2021, which is a service available to assess participants’ communication abilities and advise the court on how to enable effective communication.
Communication assistance(external link) — Justice.govt.nz
Areas for further work
- Consider amending the Crimes Act 1961 to strengthen provisions for the criminalisation of trafficking in children.
- Review support available to migrant victims of people trafficking in New Zealand.
- OT to identify training needs of evidential interviewers and develop training material/access to existing training courses.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 2 2022 – Migrant Worker Protection bill introduced, to give effect to legislative changes proposed under the Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation Review (Delayed from Q3 2021).
- 2022 – Ministry of Justice to further develop the training framework for Communication Assistants and raise awareness to lawyers and police prosecutors of the Communication Assistance service.
Improve cooperation in investigations across government agencies
Actions
25. Strengthen cooperation between enforcement agencies to support efficient and effective responses to enquiries relating to forced labour, people trafficking and slavery.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
Key achievements
- Joint Immigration NZ (INZ)-Employment NZ (ENZ) Compliance and Enforcement Strategy completed.
- New migrant exploitation phone line and online reporting established on 1 July.
Report migrant exploitation form(external link) — Employment.govt.nz
- INZ and NZ Police (NZP) Investigations Protocol signed October 2021. The protocol provides a tangible guide on how INZ and NZP work in a collaborative, coordinated and cooperative way.
- The Trafficking in Persons Inter-Agency Operations Group has implemented a standardised approach to recording suspected cases of people trafficking.
Areas for further work
- None identified at this stage.
Upcoming milestones
- Quarter 1 2022 – The Operating Model to put the principles of the Joint ENZ-INZ Joint Enforcement Strategy into practice will be delivered.
- Quarter 2 2022 – Review and refine migrant exploitation allegation triage processes.
- 2022 – INZ will operationalise changes arising from the introduction of the Migrant Worker Protection Bill, specifically the new infringement regime and the establishment of a broader stand down list of employers.
Improve international cooperation and partnership
Actions
26. Action 26 has been incorporated into Action 9.(Continue to support and contribute to international efforts to address forced labour, people trafficking and slavery through ongoing engagement in multilateral forums.)
27. Continue engagement with agencies, organisations and forums working to address forced labour and people trafficking in the Pacific.
28. Continue capacity-building activities to support the disruption and prosecution of forced labour, people trafficking and slavery.
Annual implementation report 2021
Active agencies – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
Key achievements
- February 2021 Inter-Agency Operations Group completed training with US Department of Justice on trafficking investigations.
- Capacity building modules on trafficking in persons, forced labour and slavery developed as part of the Hakili Matagi Immigration Core Elements Curriculum.
- Immigration NZ (INZ) Investigations presentations at Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) and Bali Process Disruption Working Group.
Areas for further work
- The majority of offshore presentations are currently on hold due to closed borders (e.g. Fiji Police and Immigration workshop, Samoan Police awareness programme).
- Pilot of modern slavery training modules for Pacific countries delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Upcoming milestones
- None identified at this stage.
Last updated: 19 January 2022