• If you are looking for a specific decision with a forward slash in the title (eg, 123/2014), you will need to replace the forward slash with a space (eg, 123 2014), as the website cannot pick up on forward slashes (/) or any other characters.
  • If you are doing a keyword search (eg, sanction), please note that this search will only produce decisions where the keyword appears in the title or decision description. If you want to search the entire decision document for certain keywords, you will need to use full website search located in the top right hand corner of this page.

  • If you want to search for a specific section of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 or clause of the Code of Conduct 2014, you must search it as one word with no spaces or brackets. For example, if searching for section 44(2)(a) of the Act, you should enter ‘s442a’ into the keyword search and if searching for clause 19(k) of the Code of Conduct, you should enter ‘cl19k’.

If you want to search for a decision from a particular jurisdiction using the full website search, put both the jurisdiction name and the keyword in the search field (eg, Immigration Advisors Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal sanction).

Search results

852 items matching your search terms

  1. [2026] NZIACDT 05 - QX v Yu (03 February 2026) [PDF, 274 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2a, cl2e, cl8a, cl8c, cl13a, cl14, cl18a, cl22, cl26a, cl26b, cl26d / adviser dishonestly filed application on behalf of client for tourism or holiday visa rather than work visa sought by client / subsequently provided client a fabricated work visa decline letter from INZ / failed to provide client draft visa application for review / failed to respond to INZ’s request for further information, resulting in declined application / failed to act under direct supervision of supervisor under conditions of provisional licence / failed to inform complainant of being provisionally licensed and provide evidence of licence / failed to provide services agreement / failed to obtain and carry out client’s instructions, provide timely updates, and provide invoice / failed to maintain well-managed filing system / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  2. [2026] NZIACDT 04 - ZX v Yu (03 February 2026) [PDF, 272 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / dishonesty / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl8a, cl8c, cl13a, cl14, cl18a, cl26e / adviser dishonestly offered residency-qualifying job in exchange for substantial payment / client had already paid significant fees for visa and supposed employment agreement / discussions involved significant staged payments, inflated salary and structured costs to facilitate residence, indicating alleged job‑selling and immigration fraud / adviser knew advice to client was in contravention of immigration and employment legislation / provided no written service agreement / failed to act under direct supervision of supervisor under conditions of provisional licence / failed to inform client of being provisionally licensed and provide evidence of licence / complaint upheld / sanctions to follow
  3. [2026] NZIACDT 03 - XI v Shi & Sun (23 January 2026) [PDF, 370 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / rubber stamping / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl12c, cl17b, cl17c, cl18b, cl20a / complaint against adviser and supervisor / complainant did not give evidence / breach of cl1 and cl2e / adviser insufficiently personally engaged with complainant nor sent draft application for review / Tribunal rejects evidence about claimed discussion as untruthful / breach of cl17b and cl18b / did not explain professional responsibilities or significant matters in agreement / breach of 20a / professional fee of ~$7,200 for accredited employer work visa application unfair and unreasonable / uplift for urgency not confirmed with client / uplift for work on holiday, high workload not justified / breach of cl1 / supervisor allowed adviser to charge extravagant fee / complaint not trivial / sanctions to follow.
  4. [2026] NZIACDT 02 - NO v Ellis (15 January 2026) [PDF, 194 KB]

    Sanctions / dviser failed to confirm in writing discussions with client relating to incomplete financial evidence / adviser unprofessionally communicated with tertiary institute following decline of student visa, taking potentially damaging gratuitous ‘swipe’ at client once engagement was terminated / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl26c / two breaches of Code / adviser’s first appearance before Tribunal / low overall gravity of wrongdoing / adviser accepted disciplinary findings and has since introduced improvements in practice to record and confirm material discussions in writing / adviser cautioned and fined $1,000
  5. [2026] NZIACDT 01 - ZQ v Zhuang (14 January 2026) [PDF, 281 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl17b, cl18b, cl28c / alleged that adviser failed to properly explain financial requirements of visas / complainant provided out-of-date bank certificate for funds which no longer existed / evidence demonstrated adviser made considerable effort to explain financial criteria / no breach of cl1 / failed to verbally explain professional responsibilities / written summary insufficient / breaches of cl17b and cl18b / adviser failed to advise where to find assistance following termination / breach of cl28c / adviser engaged in additional work following provision of incorrect information by complainant / no refund warranted / no breach of cl24a and cl24c / complainant impliedly consented to third party knowing reasons for termination / no material breach in disclosure of information / no breach of cl4 / alternative negligence heads dismissed / sanctions to follow.
  6. [2025] NZIACDT 59 – Labour Inspectorate (Gardiner) v Jaspal (19 December 2025) [PDF, 202 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to disclose in writing to client a potential conflict of interest given familial connection to director of sponsor employer / familial connection risked compromising adviser’s ability to provide objective immigration advice / failed to provide written services agreement / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl5, cl6, cl18a, cl20c / four breaches of professional obligations / adviser’s failure to have written agreement and to properly disclose conflict and obtain client’s consent to continued representation are not minor matters / gravity of the wrongdoing at lower end of moderate spectrum / adviser’s failure to have agreement inadvertent / first appearance in nine years of practice / adviser has made improvements to practice / adviser censured / no training order required given rehabilitative efforts / adviser fined $2,000 
  7. [2025] NZIACDT 58 - NF v Wilson (9 December 2025) [PDF, 191 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to provide complainant’s police certificate to Immigration NZ in course of lodging visa application / lack of police certificate had significant impact on duration of complainant’s visa / adviser’s offer to apply for subsequent visa free of any service fee not an adequate solution, in breach of internal complaints procedure / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl24a, cl24c / three breaches of Code / first complaint against adviser / adviser declined to engage with Tribunal and expressed no remorse or apology / wrongdoing does not justify censure / adviser cautioned / low-level gravity of offending / adviser fined $1,000
  8. [2025] NZIACDT 57 – SH v McGarrigle (4 December 2025) [PDF, 233 KB]

    Sanctions / complainant engaged adviser to seek visa for adult daughter / adviser incorrectly advised complainant that the client was beyond the dependence age and could only apply for a visitor, student or work visa / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl5, cl6, cl19l, cl26f / five failures of five professional obligations / wrongdoing involved undisclosed eligibility for commission for acting as school’s agent / incorrect advice for resident visa eligibility had severe consequences for client / lack of diligence and due care / immaterial that complainant did not follow internal complaints procedure / first appearance / adviser has no insight into wrongdoing, no remorse, and offers no apology / adviser censured / no training order required as adviser relinquished licence / $1,500 financial penalty / adviser ordered to pay $9,145.25 in compensation, reflecting visa and tuition fees, and emotional harm to complainant and client 
  9. [2025] NZIACDT 56 – INZ (Watson) v Santos (2 December 2025) [PDF, 204 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to directly communicate or engage with client (‘rubber stamping’), resulting in eight breaches of seven obligations in the Code / four clients involved, three primarily affected / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s3, s50, s51 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17b, cl18b, cl26aiv, cl26b, cl26d / direct engagement a fundamental obligation of advisers / gravity of wrongdoing at upper end of moderate / adviser acknowledged wrongdoing but no apology offered / high workload no justification for failure to discharge professional obligations / adviser ordered to undergo training / adviser censured / ordered to pay $4,000 financial penalty
  10. [2025] NZIACDT 55 - NA v Wharekura (20 October 2025) [PDF, 125 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to lodge complainant’s work visa application and carelessly represented that it had been filed / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17a, cl17b, cl17c, cl19f, cl19g, cl19h / four heads of complaint involving breach of eight obligations in Code / adviser has acknowledged wrongdoing and made considerable efforts to improve practice / adviser’s medical circumstances provide some explanation but do not justify wrongdoing / third complaint upheld against adviser / adviser censured / no retraining, suspension or cancellation necessary in light of steps taken / adviser fined $2,500 financial penalty / adviser ordered to pay $2,281 in compensation, reflecting costs of visitor visa and emotional distress exacerbated by adviser’s misleading behaviour
  11. [2025] NZIACDT 54 - SC v Wharekura (15 October 2025) [PDF, 242 KB]

    Sanctions / widespread failings in communications with client and INZ / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17a, cl17b, cl17c, cl19e, cl19h, cl19i, cl19k, cl19l, cl19m, cl19n, cl22, cl26aiii, cl26aiv, cl26b, cl26c, cl26d / extensive wrongdoing, resulting in 12 breaches of 16 standards in the Code / moderate gravity of offending / most serious breaches involved grossly inadequate services agreement and failure to comply with client’s instruction to remove partner from residence application / adviser bears responsibility for decline of application notwithstanding INZ’s misapplication of policy / adviser acknowledged wrongdoing and made  considerable efforts to improve practice / adviser censured / no retraining necessary in light of steps taken / adviser fined $2,500 financial penalty / adviser ordered to pay $8,240.44 in compensation, reflecting costs of IPT appeal and relocation.
  12. [2025] NZIACDT 53 - LN v Rabuku (14 October 2025) [PDF, 199 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to respond to client’s text messages and was dilatory in filing visa application / visa application filed more than five months after ascertaining required information / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl22, cl24a, cl24b, cl24c, cl25a, cl25b, cl25e, cl25f, cl26a, cl26c, cl26d, cl26e, cl28a, cl28c / first appearance before Tribunal / adviser held provisional licence at time of wrongdoing / gravity of wrongdoing at high end of moderate level / unprofessional conduct aggravated by her failure to participate in the disciplinary process / breadth of wrongdoing and lack of participation in disciplinary process necessitate further professional training before return to profession / adviser censured / prevented from reapplying for licence prior to completion of professional development course / ordered to pay $5,000 financial penalty
  13. [2025] NZIACDT 52 - SH v McGarrigle (10 October 2025) [PDF, 152 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl5, cl6, cl19l, cl26f / complainant engaged adviser to seek visa for adult daughter / adviser incorrectly advised complainant that the client was beyond the dependence age and could only apply for a visitor, student or work visa / no evidence that client was unwilling to fund more expensive residence application / breach of cl1 / adviser failed to disclose entitlement to commission from private business school and obtain informed consent from complainant in writing / no eventual receipt of commission no defence / breaches of cl5 and cl6 / adviser failed to comply with complainant’s request for full client file / inappropriately required client to complete authority to send request for information to INZ / breaches of cl1 and cl26f / alternative negligence heads dismissed / sanctions to follow
  14. [2025] NZIACDT 51 - NO v Ellis (2 October 2025) [PDF, 257 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl26c / client engaged adviser to seek student visa / INZ declined application as it was not accepted he would be genuine student and his financial documentation was inadequate / evidence did not support allegation that adviser instructed client to create false narrative to explain gap in tertiary studies / dishonest or misleading behaviour not proven / evidence did not support allegation that adviser failed to properly review and update relevant financial documents before filing / adviser had alerted client of issues with documents on multiple occasions / however, adviser failed to confirm in writing discussions with client relating to incomplete financial evidence / breach of cl26c / adviser unprofessionally communicated with tertiary institute following decline of visa / breach of cl1 / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  15. [2025] NZIACDT 50 - NF v Wilson (22 September 2025) [PDF, 207 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl24a, cl24c / adviser failed to provide complainant’s police certificate to Immigration NZ in course of lodging visa application / lack of police certificate had significant impact on duration of complainant’s visa / breach of obligation to be professional and to exercise due care / adviser failed to promptly make fair and reasonable refund / adviser’s offer to apply for subsequent visa free of any service fee not an adequate solution, in breach of internal complaints procedure / breach compounded by failure to respond to complainant’s refund request within specified time frame / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow.
  16. [2025] NZIACDT 49 - CE v Asici (22 September 2025) [PDF, 201 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser provided incorrect information in visa application, resulting from inadequate communication with complainant / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl18b / incorrect information contributed to decline of application though not primary cause of decline / gravity of wrongdoing towards lower end of spectrum / adviser and agency engaging her accepted the Tribunal’s decision and implemented improvements to comply with Tribunal’s ruling prior to issuing its decision / first appearance in six years of practice / isolated instance of wrongdoing / adviser cautioned / censure and training orders not warranted / ordered to pay $500 financial penalty
  17. [2025] NZIACDT 48 - INZ (Watson) v Santos - 15 September 2025 [PDF, 257 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17b, cl18b, cl26aiv, cl26b, cl26d / adviser failed to directly communicate or engage with three clients (‘rubber stamping’) / high workload no justification for failure to discharge professional obligations /  adviser responsible for managing workload to ensure compliance / evident that unlicensed staff had provided substantive immigration advice to clients / adviser failed to explain professional responsibilities / failed to explain all significant provisions in terms of engagement / failed to provide draft visa applications prior to lodgement for review / failed to confirm in writing when applications were lodged and provide timely updates / failed to retain copy of invoices which had been provided to clients / failed to maintain well-managed filing system / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow.
  18. [2025] NZIACDT 47 - Labour Insp.Gardiner v Jaspal (11 September 2025) [PDF, 221 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl5, cl6, cl18a, cl20c / adviser failed to disclose in writing to the client a potential conflict of interest given familial connection to director of sponsor employer / familial connection risked compromising adviser’s ability to provide objective immigration advice / no evidence of any hidden benefit from arrangement / adviser failed to provide written services agreement / additional services provided by adviser in respect of employment, accommodation and settlement inextricably linked to immigration services / other services provided subject to professional obligations under Act and Code / no evidence fee charged not fair and reasonable / no agreement in writing to apparent change in terms of payment from those agreed at commencement / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  19. [2025] NZIACDT 46 - LN v Rabuku (4 September 2025) [PDF, 222 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl22, cl24a, cl24b, cl24c, cl25a, cl25b, cl25e, cl25f, cl26a, cl26c, cl26d, cl26e, cl28a, cl28c / adviser failed to respond to client’s text messages and was dilatory in filing visa application / visa application filed more than five months after ascertaining required information / did not advise client she could no longer act following expiry of provisional licence / proceeded to file application despite expiry of licence / did not provide fair refund upon termination of services / failed to maintain separate client account / appropriated client’s monies, failing to use them only for fulfilment of services while licensed / failed to maintain records / filing system not well-managed / did not confirm all material discussions in writing / corresponding negligence heads dismissed / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  20. [2025] NZIACDT 45 - NA v Wharekura (2 September 2025) [PDF, 234 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17a, cl17b, cl17c, cl19f, cl19g, cl19h / failure to lodge complainant’s work visa application / failure to provide complainant summary of licensed adviser’s professional responsibilities, nor explain them / failed to advise of internal complaints procedure or provide explanation / acknowledgements in services agreement not separately signed or initialled / adviser’s engagement with spouse can be sufficient compliance / failure to specify fees and disbursements in agreement / lack of professional manner in communications with the complainant and spouse / adviser admits he was negligent or lacked due care, citing travel and health issues / no evidence of dishonesty / communications nonetheless unprofessional / breaches of alternative negligence heads dismissed / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  21. [2025] NZIACDT 44 – SC v Wharekura (28 August 2025) [PDF, 284 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / misleading behaviour / follow instructions / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s 442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl 1, cl2e, cl17a, cl17b, cl17c, cl19e, cl19h, cl19i, cl19k, cl19l, cl19m, cl19n, cl22, cl26aiii, cl26aiv, cl26b, cl26c, cl26d / misled client about seeking reconsideration of declined application / failed to pass on to client, or respond to, requests for information from INZ / failed to provide draft residence application for review / also did not provide decline letter in timely manner or retain all INZ communications on file / failed to follow instruction to remove partner from application / failed to provide or explain professional standards and complaints documents / written services agreement lacked many Code requirements / did not confirm material discussions in writing / did not provide invoice for fees, disbursements / did not maintain well-managed file / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  22. [2025] NZIACDT 43 – BL v Schoeller (27 August 2025) [PDF, 206 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser dilatory in sending authority form and terms of engagement in urgent immigration circumstances, erroneously advised complainant to await whether interim visa issued, and communicated unprofessionally with complainant / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s3, s50, s51 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl15b, cl18, cl26b / five heads of complainant upheld, involving breach of three professional obligations / gravity of wrongdoing at lower end of moderate level misconduct / adviser apologised to complainant for unprofessional communications albeit did not acknowledge nor apologise for incorrect advice / incorrect advice did not prejudice complainant’s immigration status / no prior disciplinary history / adviser cautioned / censure and training orders not warranted / ordered to pay $2,000 financial penalty
  23. [2025] NZIACT 42 – CE v Asici (14 August 2025) [PDF, 127 KB]

    Professional responsibilities and professional practice / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl18b / adviser did not explain all significant matters in written agreement to client / advising of ability ask questions does not discharge mandatory obligation to explain terms of agreement / explanation should be verbal, whether in-person or by videoconference or telephone / breach of cl18b / adviser accepted inadvertent failure to send draft visa application to complainant for review / confirmation of correctness by employer sponsor immaterial / obligation owed to client / adviser’s failure not primary cause of visa being declined / breach of cl1 / not proven that adviser dishonestly or falsely stated to client that draft application had been provided to client / honest but incorrect declaration not warrant further disciplinary response / no breach of cl1 / alternative negligence heads dismissed / complaint partially upheld / sanctions to follow
  24. [2025] NZIACDT 41 – KU v Wang (1 August 2025) [PDF, 198 KB]

    Sanctions / four professional obligations breached / adviser failed to enter services agreement directly with complainant / failed to explain all significant matters in agreement / failed to provide evidence of being licensed / failed to confirm in writing details of all material discussions / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s3, s50, s51 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl14, cl18a, cl18b, cl26c / failure to have agreement personally with complainant a major departure from expected standards / moderate overall gravity of offending, reflecting one serious breach and three others / adviser accepts wrongdoing and has taken comprehensive steps to prevent repetition / first complaint upheld in 16 years of practice / adviser censured / ordered to pay $2,500 financial penalty
  25. [2025] NZIACDT 40 – KM v Jiang (Sanctions) (31 July 2025) [PDF, 204 KB]

    Sanctions / adviser failed to directly communicate or engage with client (‘rubber stamping’), breaching eight professional obligations / client a victim of immigration fraud / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s3, s50, s51 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl14, cl18a, cl26ai, cl26aiii, cl26b, cl26d / direct engagement a fundamental obligation of advisers, failure enabled immigration fraud to occur / gravity of wrongdoing at upper end of moderate / third complaint in eight years of practice / adviser acknowledges wrongdoing and expresses remorse / further training unnecessary given appreciation of wrongdoing / formal prevention of adviser reapplying for licence unnecessary / adviser censured / financial implications of all sanctions decisions considered / ordered to pay $4,000 financial penalty /