News
Immigration agents must now be licensed
The New Zealand Government recently passed a new act which requires the mandatory licensing of all immigration advisers.
The Immigration Advisers Licensing Act aims to prevent the exploitation of migrants by a minority of unscrupulous agents. It provides stiff fines and imprisonment for all unlicensed advisors.
"The call for the regulation of immigration advisers came from migrants," said NZ Immigration Minister David Cunliffe. "Migrants who had been ripped off, who had been told lies, who had money and documents stolen after putting their trust in an agent and were then let down – often when their application or appeal was not lodged or important information from Immigration New Zealand was not passed on to them.
"These shonky operators also provide fraudulent documentation to immigration officials – often knowingly. Now they can either get out of business or face the consequences."
The law also encompasses offshore operators, who must obtain a license within one year of their New Zealand counterparts. Penalties for not conforming to the requirements extend to a fine of up to NZ$100,000 and seven years in jail.
However, what is currently unclear is the date by which advisers must be licensed. Reflecting this uncertainty, The Emigration Group's Geoff Taylor made the following comment: "It will be two years at least before NZ based agents need to be registered and likely at least three years before offshore agents need to comply likewise."
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08 June 2007