Photo source: ProLink NZ, Facebook
Auckland labour-hire company ProLink NZ has entered liquidation, resulting in the loss of approximately 190 jobs just before Christmas.
The appointed liquidator, Pritesh Patel of Patel & Co., informed workers via letters that “further employment is no longer available with the company.”
Patel indicated that multiple factors contributed to the company’s insolvency, notably the loss of a contract with My Food Bag.
ProLink NZ, located at 349 Dominion Rd, was established in 2018 and specialised in hiring Asian immigrants.
Patel stated that the company currently has approximately $75,000 remaining in its bank account, following an $80,000 withdrawal made by one of its directors two weeks ago.
He mentioned that he was investigating the circumstances surrounding that withdrawal, which he deemed unjustified.
Patel noted that the company owned four vehicles, including a Porsche and a Tesla, which were financed. He mentioned that the Porsche had been sold recently and that he was looking into the details of the sale, specifically investigating who the buyer was.
ProLink NZ has been the subject of an Immigration New Zealand (INZ) investigation that began in November 2023. This investigation was prompted by allegations from migrants who reported paying thousands of dollars for their visas but received minimal work opportunities in return.
At least 100 workers were reported to have held Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) and were promised employment with ProLink NZ, but much of that work never materialised, according to RNZ.
INZ announced that it suspended ProLink NZ Ltd’s accreditation in September 2023.
Many of the migrants faced challenges, including financial hardship and joblessness, as they were left with little to no work opportunities after paying amounts for their visas.
Liquidator Pritesh Patel was appointed by Haiyan Luo (Shirley), who now serves as co-director of ProLink NZ alongside Shaojun (Jerry) Han. As of late November 2024, Luo owns 100% of the company’s shares, having taken over from Han, who previously held all the shares.
Luo has a criminal history that includes jail time for tax evasion and providing false information to immigration authorities.
She was sentenced for using fake birth documents to bring a child from China into New Zealand and for evading taxes totalling $423,909 related to three companies.
Earlier this year, Luo introduced herself to workers as the “operations manager” at Prolink NZ, asserting that she was the decision-maker for the company.
In a previous video provided to RNZ by a ProLink NZ employee, Luo stated, “The company is not mine, but I’m completely responsible for the company’s operation; what I say is what counts.”