459 Indian-origin truck drivers lose licences in New Zealand

NZTA spokesperson Shelley Milton told Newstalk ZB that the action followed a “thorough investigation” to safeguard road safety, with fines of up to NZ$750 (about Rs 40,000) possible for providing false information, though no criminal charges have been filed so far.

An Official Information Act request, as detailed by The Noticer, revealed that all foreign drivers in the cancellation list hailed from India, with 436 cases linked to UAE-issued documents, 18 from Australia, and five from Canada. None involved direct conversions from Indian licences, which require full testing under NZTA rules for non-exempt countries like India. Most of these drivers had got  supporting letters from Dubai providers, advertised online for fees between NZ$500 and NZ$1,000 (Rs 27,000–Rs 54,000)that were once accepted but are now deemed “non-verifiable or invalid.”

Many of the drivers, aged mostly between 30 and 35, had successfully passed NZTA’s theory and practical tests, underscoring their competence on Kiwi roads. “These are hardworking migrants who filled a vital gap in our transport workforce,” said Indian-origin MP Parmjeet Parmar in a letter to Transport Minister Simeon Brown, as reported by RNZ.

Parmar called for a “balanced resolution,” noting that revocations risk visa cancellations and remittances drying up for families back home.

At a rally on November 22, hundreds of Indian truck drivers and their families gathered at Auckland’s Takanini Gurdwara. The Noticer described the scene as one of “charged solidarity,” with chants for justice echoing through the temple grounds. Amritpal Singh, a father of two whose livelihood has evaporated, told RNZ: “NZTA has taken away our family’s only source of income, how will I feed my kids now?” Fellow driver Parminder Singh decried the fallout: “We can’t even pay rent. Our wives and children are being penalised for no fault of theirs.”

Transport operators joined the fray, with Navjot Sidhu and Ranjit Singh addressing the crowd. Sidhu, whose firm lost four drivers, highlighted the good-faith reliance on Dubai letters previously accepted by NZTA, while Ranjit warned of recruitment nightmares: “We’ve had TradeMe ads running for a year with no takers,training a new driver takes three months minimum,” he said, per The Noticer.

New Zealand’s trucking industry, plagued by chronic shortages, estimated at 3,449 drivers in 2022 by Transporting New Zealand, has relied heavily on Indian migrants since borders reopened in 2022. A 2025 Road Transport Workforce Report, cited by 1News, shows Asian drivers, predominantly Indian, now comprise nearly 20% of the sector, up 10% since 2013.