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’.
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Negligence / incapacity / failure to have written agreement & notify fees / filing futile applications / adviser subject to many complaints which Tribunal upheld in interim decision / adviser lacked capacity to practice & defend complaint due to medical condition / adviser’s licence cancelled / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s 442 / Code of Conduct 2010, cl1.5, cl8b / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl9, cl18a, cl19f, cl29b / interim decision upholding complaint made final.
Negligence / graduate work visa / adviser advised client she could obtain work visa based on employment in takeaway shop / client did not meet requirements & application failed / client made last minute visitor visa application but did not sign it & information omitted / client expressed reason for seeking visitor visa as her intention to live in New Zealand / INZ concerned client not a bona fide applicant & visa declined / whether professional & competent adviser would have lodged work visa application / whether visitor visa application competently managed / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl31a / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser negligent, unprofessional & careless / client’s qualification not relevant to obtaining employment / adviser failed to assess eligibility of application / adviser lodged visitor visa application expressing unlawful purpose / application should have been signed / omissions did not justify INZ’s character concerns / complaint upheld.
Rubber stamping / allowing unlicensed people to manage visa application process / failure to provide written agreement / adviser entered arrangement with company that sourced jobs for Sri Lankan workers / adviser had no contact with client apart from initial skype interview / adviser used template contract of engagement / job offer withdrawn but company advised client to travel to New Zealand / whether adviser negligent or deliberately employed business model in breach of professional obligations / Code of Conduct 2014, cl2e, cl3c, cl18, cl19, cl26 / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser did not take charge of engagement with client / inevitable unlicensed staff would step into void & provide immigration advice / adviser facilitated provision of immigration advice by unlicensed staff / contract unsuited to client & adviser’s needs / complaint upheld.
Failure to exercise due diligence and care / failure to provide written agreement / Application for residence / EOI declined due to showing insufficient points / adviser failed to inform client / adviser lacked capacity to practice due to medical condition / adviser subject to a number of complaints & licence cancelled / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser no longer capable of defending or giving instructions concerning complaint / appropriate to uphold the complaint to extent necessary to order a refund of fees / incapacity found in terms of s 442c of the Act / complaint upheld / adviser ordered to refund $7,750 in fees & disbursements.
Rubber stamping / allowing unlicensed people to manage visa application process / adviser had no direct contact with client in accordance with Chinese law / all communications made via local migration company / complaint client asked to sign blank application form, information supplied without her knowledge and signature forged / whether the company’s unlicensed staff performed immigration services / whether Chinese law qualifies adviser’s professional obligations / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2, cl3c / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Chinese law restrictions irrelevant & obligations not qualified by them / unlikely staff did not provide immigration advice / staff’s work did not amount to clerical work / bulk of complainant’s instructions carried out by company / adviser did not know falsity of documents / mere filing of false documents does not, of itself, amount to lack of due care or diligence / adviser had no knowledge of staff’s conduct / complaint upheld.
Negligence / failure to assess whether business aligned with approved business plan & requirement to benefit New Zealand / failure to ensure agreement signed / application for long-term business visa / clients bought lodge after failed sale of motel / business plan based on motel / visa declined because lodge did not meet relevant criteria / complaint adviser made application with no hope of success / adviser claimed immigration advice based on purchase of motel not lodge / adviser unwell & unable to represent himself / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl8 / adviser not unfit to plead / complainant absent from process & failed to produce evidence requested by tribunal / tribunal unable to make definitive finding that advice not sought on suitability of lodge / agreement not signed but no utility to upholding complaint / adviser’s licence expired & unlikely to renew / complaint dismissed.
Sanctions decision / rubber stamping / allowing unlicensed people to manage visa application process / adviser had little or no contact with clients / adviser director of company recruiting Filipino workers / applications handled by unlicensed employee in Philippines / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl3c, cl18, cl26a / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50, s51 / adviser reliant on unlicensed people to deal with clients on immigration matters / offending involved multiple clients & adviser continued same model for some time / no systematic or deliberate breach of code / adviser overlooked requirement to personally discharge professional obligations / adviser failed to appreciate narrowness of clerical work exception / adviser aware of failings & remedied flawed business structure / adviser censured & ordered to pay $8,500 penalty & $3,000 investigation costs.
Rubber stamping / allowing unlicensed people to manage visa application process / adviser entered arrangement with company that sourced jobs for Filipino workers / unlicensed staff managed process & liaised with clients / adviser used template documents & assessed clients via skype interview but no record of interviews / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl3c, cl18, cl26a / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser had no real engagement with clients & provided no direct immigration advice / adviser permitted unlicensed staff to give immigration advice / adviser failed to obtain & carry out instructions / agreement did not provide a full description of services / INZ concerns not communicated to clients / adviser should have exercised greater care in scrutiny of documents / clients signed declaration before seeing employment agreement / adviser misunderstood permitted scope of clerical work by unlicensed staff / complaint upheld
Sanctions decision / unprofessional conduct / adviser alleged immigration officer provided false and misleading information / adviser also alleged officer cover-up of wrongdoing and intention to disadvantage migrants / no evidence to substantiate formal complaints / correspondence amounted to personal attacks / Immigration Advisers’ Code 2014, cl1 / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50, s51 / unprofessional and disrespectful to make complaints of serious misconduct without evidence in support / adviser apologised to one officer but not the other / no malice and adviser showed remorse / officers must expect criticism and be robust/ adviser cautioned and ordered to pay penalty of $750
Sanctions decision / failure to explain professional responsibilities to client / failure to provide written agreement with written authority / failure to ensure written agreement signed / failure to maintain record of all communications / adviser misunderstood who he owed professional obligations to / adviser had contractual relationships with client and client’s employer / Immigration Advisers’ Code 2014, cl17b, cl18c, cl19b, cl19m, cl26a / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50, s51 / adviser failed to recognise who client was / failure unreasonable and misguided / code prescriptive in regard to record keeping but not unduly so / breach sufficiently serious or systemic to warrant disciplinary process / no deliberate flouting of code but significant professional deficiency / adviser censured and ordered to pay penalty of $1,500
Sanctions decision / negligence / failure to inform client status of applications / client signed second work visa application without being informed first was declined / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50, s51 / no lack of competence in handling applications but adviser failed in relationship with client / adviser failed to obtain instructions & provide timely updates / lack of communication & failure to keep proper records of client communications / adviser admitted breaches / adviser censured & ordered to enrol in refresher course
Sanctions decision / rubber stamping / adviser failed to engage with complainant as a fully committed professional / adviser failed to have written agreement with complainant / adviser had no personal contact with complainant but certified he had / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50, s51 / adviser did not recognise warning signs of rubber stamping / isolated incident / no compensation as claim lacked nexus with complaint & inadequate proof of quantum / adviser prevented from reapplying for licence until training completed / adviser censured & ordered to pay $4,500 penalty & refund fee of $300 to complainant
Jurisdiction / registrar referred incompetence as ground of complaint / complainant raised negligence & dishonest or misleading behaviour as grounds for complaint / registrar did not refer additional grounds / complainant claimed registrar omitted additional grounds / tribunal requested registrar review grounds & she affirmed them / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s45 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl9, cl16 / tribunal had no jurisdiction to consider additional grounds / inappropriate to refer matter back to registrar in interests of finality / adviser incompetent / complaint upheld
Failure to have written agreement / lack of care / adviser requested character waiver in advance of visa application / adviser charged fee but had no written agreement / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s50 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl9, cl16 / request for character waiver a simple error which did not justify disciplinary action / adviser did not knowingly bring application that could not succeed / no written agreement so fee should be refunded / complaint upheld.
Rubber stamping / allowing unlicensed people to manage visa application process / failure to personally obtain instructions or written agreement / adviser director of company recruiting Filipino workers / adviser had little or no contact with clients / adviser made certain information available on template forms with opportunity of electronic communications / applications handled by employee in Philippines / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl3c, cl18, cl26a / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser gave no advice / adviser reliant on unlicensed employee to assist clients with applications & initiate relationship / letter of engagement inadequate discharge of personal obligation / rapid growth of business no justification / no systematic or deliberate breach of code / adviser overlooked personal obligations & failed to appreciate narrowness of clerical work exception / adviser failed to exercise due diligence & care / complaint upheld
Unprofessional & disrespectful communications with INZ / dishonest & misleading advice / adviser made many complaints of serious misconduct against INZ staff with no supporting evidence / adviser complained staff not fulfilling their role / complaint against one officer for misinterpreting employer’s statement / adviser advised client with job offer to travel under visa waiver programme / INZ alleged adviser used complaint procedure inappropriately to lodge malicious, threatening & unprofessional complaints / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1 / complaints officers not performing their role not outside complaints procedure / adviser honestly believed client treated unfairly & some merit to complaint / officer made honest mistake / adviser’s complaint unwarranted & unprofessional but not malicious / adviser’s correspondence with INZ intemperate, abrasive & accusatory / adviser did not intend advice to be dishonest or misleading / complaint upheld
Breach of professional obligations & Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 / failure to have written agreement / failure to advise of professional responsibilities & keep proper written records / employer engaged adviser’s firm to provide a farm worker / worker needed a variation condition due to INZ investigation / worker ceased work but was still living on farm before variation granted / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl17, cl18, cl19 & cl 26 / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / adviser accepted breaches but submitted complaint should be dismissed because it related to procedural deficiencies / adviser failed to appreciate worker not employer was his client / failure a significant breach which led to multiple violations / complaint upheld.
Negligence / dishonest or misleading conduct / failure to inform client of status of applications / failure to obtain instructions before submitting applications / INZ declined work visa & granted visitor visa to complainant / adviser got complainant to sign second work visa application without informing her first had been declined / second application declined / complainant claimed she did not know applications had been declined & she was in country illegally / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s442 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2e, cl26 / adviser negligent as to disclosures to complainant & failure to obtain instructions / insufficient evidence adviser misrepresented status of applications or nature of second application form / nature of form obvious / conduct not dishonest or misleading / adviser honestly believed work visa would be granted / lack of file notes or electronic records of conversations / complaint upheld
Decision - Sanctions
Decisions - sanctions
Order (Sanctions)
Final Decision- Sanctions
Decision
Decision - Sanctions
Decision