A man charged with human trafficking and migrant exploitation is accused of deceiving staff recruited from overseas by promising them they would be paid for all hours they worked.

One of the staff - who was recruited from India - is alleged to have been paid 36 hours per week despite working a minimum of 54 hours.

The man, listed as a company director, is also accused of failing to pay staff for working public holidays, inciting staff to breach conditions of work visas and altering employment agreements to reduce the pay rates.

 

It was earlier revealed a Christchurch man, who has interim name suppression, faced 35 charges under the Crimes Act and Immigration Act.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) earlier confirmed the charges, which relate to 11 complainants, include allegations of "trafficking in persons and migrant exploitation".

Court documents seen by RNZ reveal the man, aged in his 50s, faces three charges of arranging, organising or procuring the recruitment of a person into New Zealand "knowing that recruitment involved one or more acts of deception".

Two of the complainants were from India, and the third from Saudi Arabia.

The court documents say the defendant recruited them knowing that the terms and conditions of their employment would be "materially different" from what was promised verbally and in their individual employment agreement "namely that all hours he worked would be paid by the employer".

The man also faces charges of supplying information to an immigration officer knowing that it was false or misleading, inciting or procuring people to breach the conditions of their work visas, and failing to pay minimum wage.

He also faces two charges of obtaining by deception by altering the original terms of an employment agreement to reduce pay rates.

One court document says that between November 2020 and June 2022 the man is accused of employing at least five people before their visas were approved.

INZ national manager of investigations Jason Perry earlier told RNZ the charges related to the alleged exploitation of 11 people.

"Trafficking in persons and migrant exploitation are serious offences that can have a significant impact on victims. INZ is committed to identifying, investigating and prosecuting this offending where there is sufficient evidence to do so."

Perry said the charges followed a "complex investigation" by INZ's immigration compliance and investigations team.

"As the matter is now before the courts, we are unable to make any further comment on the allegations, evidence, or the defendant at this time.

"INZ encourages anyone who suspects migrant exploitation or trafficking in persons offences being committed to report it so it can be assessed and investigated.”