Liberty Consulting Group Limited in Rosedale, Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Gill Bonnett
Immigration authorities have received four complaints against an immigration adviser. and multiple teams are investigating her husband's company, directors and staff.
RNZ reported on Tuesday a migrant recorded conversations with Heidi Castelucci in which she offered him a job and residence for $70,000.
Richard Wu had a five-year visa when he started work at Liberty Consulting Group in Auckland in May, but lost his job two months later. He says he had already paid $18,000 to Castelucci, also known as Qian Yu, for what he thought was a genuine job.
Her husband Toby Castelucci's company, listed as a migration consulting and service firm, remains accredited to recruit and employ migrants despite the complaints and investigations. He is its sole shareholder and director of Liberty Consulting Group.
Until recently, he and his wife were listed as shareholders and directors of the New Zealand Language Institute and Foreign Exchange Program, based at the same office in Rosedale.
He denied any wrongdoing in an emailed statement.
Qian Yu/Heidi Castelucci has a provisional licence. Photo: Immigration Advisers Authority
"Liberty Consulting disputes Wu's claims. It did not offer Wu any position after his employment ended, or to help him find a position with a different employer, in exchange for payment. It also did not receive any payment from Wu after his employment was terminated. Any such purportedly made to him was made without Liberty Consulting's knowledge or consent.
"As his concerns are the subject to formal complaints, it is not appropriate for Liberty Consulting to comment further at this time."
Immigration Advisers Authority registrar Duncan Connor said Yu was not now able to practise as a licensed immigration adviser.
"The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has various teams that are investigating the complaints regarding Liberty Consulting Limited, directors and staff.
"Ms Yu is currently unable to practise as a licensed immigration adviser as she holds a provisional licence and does not have a current supervisor or supervision agreement approved by the Registrar of the Immigration Advisers."
Of the four current complaints about Yu, one has been referred to the Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal for determination.
Separately, a complaint was made about Liberty Consulting Group to the Immigration Compliance and Investigations team, and an investigation was initiated.
"During the investigation, the complainant chose not to engage with this team about the complaint and as a result, the investigation was closed as there was no longer a complainant," Connor said.
"However, the Immigration Compliance and Investigations team shared the information with MBIE's Labour Inspectorate, which they will be investigating. The Inspectorate cannot comment further at this stage."
He urged anyone with further information or complaints about Liberty Consulting Group or Heidi Castelucci to email the IAA at iaa.investigations@mbie.govt.nz, Immigration Compliance and Investigation at INZ.ComplianceInvestigations@mbie.govt.nz or to call the Labour Inspectorate on 0800 200 088.
"The IAA, the Immigration Compliance and Investigations team and the Labour Inspectorate team all operate within MBIE,r and where appropriate these teams will share information and work together to investigate any allegations of migrant exploitation."
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