Prolink NZ investigation: Manager previously jailed for tax evasion

A woman previously jailed for tax evasion and providing false information to immigration authorities has revealed herself to be the "operations manager" at a company embroiled in a migrant exploitation investigation.

Haiyan (Shirley) Luo was sent to jail in 2017 for using fake birth documents to bring a child over from China, and for evading $423,909 in taxes with regards to three companies.

RNZ has seen videos from January this year, showing Luo addressing dozens of workers at Auckland labour hire company Prolink NZ Ltd.

The company has been under investigation by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) since more than a year ago, following allegations of migrant exploitation.

At least 100 workers had accredited employer work visas (AEWV) with Prolink NZ Ltd, but some have been jobless, while others were not working enough hours to get by. Many claimed they had paid thousands of dollars for their visas.

In one of the videos provided to RNZ by a Prolink NZ Ltd worker, the woman said her name is Shirley, and that she was the operations manager at the company.

"The company is not mine, but I'm completely responsible for the company's operation, what I say is what counts, I can make the call on decisions," she told the workers.

Two former employees of Prolink NZ Ltd, who RNZ has agreed not to name, have confirmed the woman in the video is Haiyan (Shirley) Luo.

One video showed a worker interrogating Luo in an angry tone, asking her why he was being paid less than the hourly wage written on his contract.

Another video showed workers introducing themselves, with many saying that they had come to New Zealand with their spouses and children. Most say they arrived in the first half of 2023.

RNZ has spoken to several Chinese workers with visas tied to Prolink NZ Ltd, who say that they are still not getting full time work hours more than a year after INZ began investigating the company.

Prolink NZ Ltd would not answer RNZ's questions about Luo's role at the company and her meeting with the migrant workers earlier this year.

When RNZ asked Luo in a phone interview about her involvement in the company, she said "before the investigation concludes, we would not respond [to] any questions".

Luo confirmed the video was taken in January this year and more than 20 workers came in.

When RNZ asked if she was the operations manager in the company, she said did not answer directly and said "I'm in charge [of] the complaint at this stage".

RNZ has also sighted a contract between Prolink NZ Ltd and one of its clients, which was signed "Shirley Luo" on behalf of Prolink NZ Ltd.