Immigration New Zealand (INZ) welcomes the conviction of former Licensed Immigration Adviser Tzu Tong Ma (also known as Jane Ma and Zi Tong Ma), who was sentenced yesterday to 10 months home detention on 3 charges under the Immigration Act 2009.

Ma set up a scheme involving fabricated roles used to mislead migrants into believing employment awaited them in New Zealand.

In February 2023, Ma submitted 3 Accredited Employer Work Visa applications on behalf of 3 Chinese nationals. Each application relied on false employment information and fraudulent agreements claiming the migrants had construction jobs. All 3 migrants had paid substantial sums believing they were coming to real, available jobs. Upon arrival, they found that no such employment existed.

Steve Watson, General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, says the sentencing highlights both the seriousness of the harm and Immigration New Zealand's commitment to addressing job scams like Ma’s.

“This case reflects the real harm caused when individuals abuse their professional position and exploit migrants seeking opportunities in New Zealand,” Steve Watson says.

“We will not tolerate this kind of offending. Anyone who seeks to profit from vulnerable people or undermine the integrity of New Zealand’s immigration system will be held to account.”…