The Immigration Licensing Act 2007 is enforced today in New Zealand. It is good news for some and sad news for thousands of potential migrants in New Zealand. Imagine you paid NZ$10,000 or $15,000 fee to your unlicensed migration consultant a few months ago for processing your work visa or permit, business migration or skill-shortage migration; your agent cannot proceed to act for you regarding your application. Many are left with delima now and uncertain how to move on to the next step.This Act is shocker for the "amature" migration consultant; as there are about 171 licensed consultants out of the estimated 1,200 in New Zealand. This Act made it to the front page of New Zealand Herald newspaper, click here for the news. What does the Act says: * All NZ-based immigration advisers must be licensed from today. * Just 171 of the estimated 1200 advisers have so far got licences. * A licence costs $1995. * Unlicensed agents face fines up to $100,000, seven years' jail and reparations. * Overseas-based immigration advisers have until May 2010 to get licensed. You can verify more details information from New Zealand's government website http://www.immigration.govt.nz/ and it stated:
"From 4 May 2009 anyone who provides immigration advice in New Zealand must have a licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority, unless they are exempt from the requirement to hold a licence. From 4 May 2009, Immigration New Zealand will refuse to accept applications from unlicensed onshore advisers."
So, if you are planning to use a professional consultant with proper licensing, please check their names at official Immigration Adviser Authority website, you can searched for licensed consultant here.
If you are lost and need advice, please consult the guidelines on the New Zealand Immigration Service site for specific dettails. If you have more questions or doubt, click here for more information.
Some will claim that they are lincensed or even producing fake/forged licenses to hang on the wall. The one thing to make sure is check the consultant's legal name and verify it on the government IAA website.
Do not simply part with your money, put your faith and build your dream on those unlicensed consultant. Hey, to begin with, the consultant must be able to speak and fleunt English. Reputable and professional immigration consultant do not normall advertise on the media. They get tons of new clients from their success case.
Most noticeable of all are those chap who advertised on the etnic newspaper claimings absurd things like:
"No success, no fee. We standby our words"
"Largest migration consulting group in the world"
"We have helped thousands to get the PR (Permenant Residence)"
"The most trusted migration consultant in New Zealand"
"We the most reputable consultant and considered by many as the experts"
They can claim what they want, they are not legal and licensed consultant unless they real name is listed under the government website.
