Over the past few months we have worked closely with two separate clients who are Accredited Employers, and who were both randomly selected by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for post-accreditation checks. Because we provide HR and payroll services to these companies, we had most of the information readily available, and were able to take care of pretty much the whole process for them; we thought it worth sharing the insights we gained through the process….
The request from INZ:
Came via email
Outlined that around 15% of Accredited Employers get checked each year
Was very clear and specific about the information required, with lists of requests broken into three sections (detailed below)
Gave 10 working days to gather and supply the information
Gave clear instructions about how to supply the information
The specific and consistent information requested:
1. Employee information
Personnel and organisation information such as staff lists, organisational charts, visa status of all staff, job titles, hours worked and reporting lines
Payroll information including evidence of PAYE deductions to the IRD for a defined period, evidence of payday filing, time and wage records, payslips
Details of any team members who have left since accreditation was granted, with reasons for leaving
2. Recruitment information
Hiring policies, how you advertise vacancies and how you recruit offshore
Criteria for selection
What due diligence you carry out to assess suitability
3. Settlement information
Evidence that both employer and employee modules (which were part of the AEWV commitment) have been completed
Examples of settlement support provided
In both instances, the information requested in sections one and two above was on file and/or known to those in the business, so could be gathered and submitted relatively easily, by working through a methodical process.
And in both instances, the required modules in section three were partially – but not fully – completed, but were able to be completed by all relevant parties within the 10 day period.
Submitting the information and outcome:
The biggest challenge in submitting the information was the size of the files, so it just meant sending the relevant attachments in three or four emails.
In both cases, within 48 hours of submitting the information, there was a response email from INZ confirming that their review was complete, there were no concerns, accreditation stands, no further action required.
Our reflection:
When the first request came through, it was a little daunting as the list of information required was a long one. But because there are robust record keeping systems and processes in place, all of the information was there – it was simply a matter of working through the requests methodically and tackling them one at a time. We thought the request from INZ was very clear, with great instructions. And of course we – and our clients! – were very pleased to get prompt and positive outcomes!
We would encourage all Accredited Employers to do a check in on their own processes and records to ensure that you are doing the right things, and that you are ready should you get selected for a random check in…and if you’re not sure, please get in touch with the team at No8HR, we’re happy to help!