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Broadcaster Duncan Garner revealed claims from an immigration whistleblower warning the India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) deal will fundamentally weaken New Zealand’s control over immigration.
On his podcast, Garner said the agreement includes “unprecedented” provisions allowing uncapped numbers of Indian students into New Zealand, alongside guaranteed work rights and extended post-study visas. He argued this would place significant pressure on housing, rents, public services and the domestic job market.
“For the first time ever, we have agreed to let in uncapped numbers of Indian students,” Garner said. “We have given away our ability to control immigration numbers like this. It’s reckless and naive.”
Garner then read out an email from a person described as being “deeply connected to immigration control in New Zealand”, who claimed the Indian market poses greater challenges to Immigration New Zealand than any other country.
“I’ve worked on the immigration system for years and India poses huge challenges and costs to Immigration New Zealand compared to any other country,” the whistleblower wrote. “We see more fraud, corruption, dishonesty, and organised attempts to bring in cheap labour by Indian employers in New Zealand.”
According to the email, student visas are regarded internally as “the soft underbelly of the system”, with education providers and agents allegedly driving applications for financial gain. “India is the golden goose for them. It’s all about dollars,” the whistleblower said, questioning what benefit thousands of low-level business courses delivered by private training establishments actually provide to New Zealand.
The whistleblower alleged that student visas are routinely used as a pathway to work and residence, regardless of the field of study. “Study an easy course, get the same visa someone pays thousands for and completes a literal doctorate to get,” the email stated.
New Zealand was also now issuing long-term visas for low-skilled roles. “We are now issuing five-year visas for someone to travel from India to deliver pizza for Domino’s,” the whistleblower wrote, adding that similar visas are being granted for service station counter roles.
The email also alleged widespread ethnic hiring practices. “All of this interlinks with Indians hiring their own people. The requirements are weak and anyone can manipulate the system”.
Concerns were also raised about the impact on schools and public services, with the whistleblower claiming that work visa holders often bring partners and children, whose education is publicly funded. “You have our poor teachers seeing more and more students turning up, paying zero fees, having limited learning and no English language skills.”
Garner linked the immigration debate to domestic economic pressures, noting New Zealand’s youth unemployment rate sits above 15 per cent. “We’ve got 220,000 people on the dole,” he said. “We should be training them, not importing labour because we’re a soft touch.”
Critics pointed to countries such as the UK and Canada tightening migration settings after years of high intake. “One only needs to look at the UK or Canada. They’re tightening up after years of uncapped migration while Luxon desperately does the opposite.”
Former National Party minister Maurice Williamson said he had reviewed the India FTA details and agreed with concerns raised by New Zealand First. He claimed long-time National supporters were expressing anger over the deal. “I am constantly having people come up to me saying, ‘what’s wrong with your party?’ These people will vote for NZ First,” Williamson said.
The agreement text cited on the podcast states it will deliver “unprecedented student mobility and post-study opportunities”, remove numerical caps on Indian students, guarantee at least 20 hours of work per week during study, and allow post-study work for up to three years.
Garner said the deal now places pressure on opposition parties to decide whether to support or block it. “Do we want to control immigration, or hand it over to someone else to control our numbers?” he asked. “Never before have we handed over our sovereignty like this.”
This article was originally published by the Daily Telegraph New Zealand.
