Abstract
What begins as a promise of work and a better life in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) too often ends in silencing, fear and exploitation for temporary migrant workers (TMW). This dissertation examines whether the Accredited Employer Work Visa's (AEWV) employer-sponsorship settings align with the fundamental purposes of labour law and, if not, how the AEWV should be reformed to implement these principles in immigration policy. It concludes that there is a deficit in the application of labour law principles within the AEWV, creating an imbalanced employment relationship that facilitates migrant exploitation.