New Zealand authorities have revoked the licences of 459 Indian-born commercial truck drivers following an audit that uncovered fraudulent documentation. The drivers, who relied on letters from Dubai to verify overseas experience, now face financial hardship and potential visa issues. Protests have erupted among the affected community in Auckland.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) conducted a nationwide audit starting in July 2025, targeting irregularities in the conversion of overseas licences to local ones for heavy vehicles. Official data confirms that all 459 drivers affected by the revocations were born in India. Of these cases, 436 involved documents issued in the UAE, 18 from Australia, and five from Canada; none stemmed from direct conversions of Indian licences, which require full testing under NZTA rules.
Many drivers had paid fees of NZ$500 to NZ$1,000 (about Rs 27,000 to Rs 54,000) for supporting letters from Dubai providers, which were previously accepted but are now considered non-verifiable or invalid. Despite the issues, most drivers—aged between 30 and 35—had passed NZTA's theory and practical tests, demonstrating their road competence.
NZTA spokesperson Shelley Milton emphasized that the actions followed a thorough investigation to protect road safety, with possible fines up to NZ$750 (about Rs 40,000) for false information, though no criminal charges have been filed. Indian-origin MP Parmjeet Parmar urged Transport Minister Simeon Brown for a balanced resolution, highlighting the drivers' role in addressing workforce shortages. She noted in a letter that the revocations could lead to visa cancellations and disrupt remittances to families in India.
On November 22, hundreds gathered at Auckland's Takanini Gurdwara for a rally, chanting for justice. Affected driver Amritpal Singh, a father of two, shared his plight with RNZ: “NZTA has taken away our family’s only source of income, how will I feed my kids now?” Fellow driver Parminder Singh added: “We can’t even pay rent. Our wives and children are being penalised for no fault of theirs.”
Transport operators like Navjot Sidhu, whose firm lost four drivers, pointed to prior NZTA acceptance of the Dubai letters as evidence of good faith. Ranjit Singh warned of recruitment challenges, noting that training a new driver takes at least three months amid a shortage of 3,449 drivers reported in 2022. Asian drivers, mainly Indian, now make up nearly 20% of the sector, a rise of 10% since 2013.