A Christchurch motel owner who made migrant workers work up to 98 hours a week while paying them for just 40 has been sentenced to seven and a half months’ home detention.

Jian Li, owner and operator of 315 Motel Riccarton, appeared in the Christchurch District Court after pleading guilty to seven migrant exploitation charges under the Immigration Act.

Four migrant workers employed as motel managers between February 2017 and December 2021 were required to live on site and staff reception from 7.30am until 9.30pm every day.

An Immigration New Zealand investigation found they were denied minimum wage payments, annual leave entitlements and time and a half for working on public holidays.

Li’s lawyer sought community detention, but the court rejected the submission because of the seriousness of the offending.

His company, Fei Huang Teng Da Ltd, was sentenced in May and ordered to pay $115,077.26 in reparations, which has since been paid to the four workers.

Immigration New Zealand Investigations National Manager Jason Perry said employers should not profit from exploitation.

“Employers shouldn’t be able to gain a financial advantage by cutting corners and exploiting their staff.”

Three of the workers remain in New Zealand on valid work visas, while the fourth has left the country.