Licensing Immigration Advisers a strong step forward.

Immigration consultant and former Minister of Immigration Hon. Aussie Malcolm welcomes today’s release of industry competency standards and a code of conduct for Immigration Advisers.

“While attention often falls on troublesome migrants who exploit New Zealand, skilled migrants are a group who benefit all New Zealanders but who have themselves often been exploited during the migration process. Today’s announcement is a big step forward in helping and protecting the migrants we want”, said Mr. Malcolm

“30% of all skilled migrant applicants who believe themselves correctly eligible within policy are rejected or declined, wasting over $12 million of fees and costs each year. Clearly, these people, and their NZ employers need help. Now, with the support of industry competency standards and codes of conduct backed by the new legislation, they are going to have a better chance of getting it.”

Mr. Malcolm said that past exploitation had come in many forms. “While there have been high profile examples of incompetence and fraud, these are just the tip of the iceberg”, says Mr. Malcolm. “The unqualified employer who claims to know, but doesn’t; the Human Resource consultant who wants the placement fee, but knows little about immigration; even the Minister of Religion who intends to be helpful to his congregation member; all contribute to the problem in their own way. In the future, if anybody wants to hold themselves out as competent in this field, they are going to have to meet the competency standards, and abide by the code of conduct, whether they call themselves “Immigration Consultants” or not.”

“Of course there will still be horror stories, because you can’t legislate against rouges, but at least the Government now has the teeth to deal with them.”

Mr. Malcolm predicted that many people who presently gave informal advice would now undertake the training that would allow them to continue doing so, without risk of heavy penalty. “That has got to be good for everyone”; he said. “On this issue, the Minister and the Government has got it right.”

ENDS

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