November 2018 newsletter
Registrar update
Tēnā koutou katoa,
I am delighted to have had my first full month as Registrar at the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA).
I would like to thank Karla Flood who acted as the Registrar for a few months, and I wish her well back in her busy role at the Companies Office. I would also like to pay particular thanks to Catherine Albiston who many of you would have met and worked with. Catherine worked hard to build a solid platform in her role for the IAA and I am hoping to continue to build on that success.
It’s nearing the end of 2018 and there are a few important updates below before we can think about winding up for the year.
Toi Ohomai is holding a graduation ceremony in December for the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice. There is a notice below advising of opportunities for full licensed advisers who may like to consider becoming a supervisor, an invitation for people in the field to get into the 2019 intake for the course, and the details on the not-for-profit scholarship.
The Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal has a new chair and new decisions have just been published on their website. A link to the tribunal website is at the bottom of this newsletter.
We are calling for expressions of interest from licensed advisers who are interested in participating in the Licensed Adviser Reference Group; a message about this is also included in this newsletter.
As always, we are keen to hear your feedback. At this time in the year we are reviewing our work programme and planning for 2019; including looking at our education campaigns and webinars. I am very interested in getting ideas for these from licensed advisers. If you have any feedback or ideas, please take the opportunity to write to us using the link at the end of the newsletter.
I look forward to meeting many of you in the weeks and months ahead. It’s getting closer to Christmas and I am sure like me, you will all be looking forward to taking a break and enjoying some warmer weather. Keep well.
Andrew Galloway
Registrar of Immigration Advisers
IAA in the media
The director of an Auckland based education placement service for international students has been handed down a commuted sentence of nine months home detention, after pleading guilty to four charges of unlawful immigration advice.
Looking to be a supervisor?
In November there was a new cohort of students completing either the full or half of the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice. A number of these people will be looking to find a supervisor and get their provisional immigration adviser licence.
If you are an experienced full licence holder who enjoys teaching and mentoring, we encourage you to consider becoming a supervisor. If you are interested in becoming a supervisor, you can advertise directly to Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s students.
Advertisements must contain the following information:
- name and contact details of the company or organisation (on company letterhead)
- name and details of the contact person
- description of the supervision being offered (including location)
- description of the type of person required
- what information you would like to receive from applicants (e.g. CV, cover letter, academic transcript)
- dates e.g. when posted, when applications close, potential start date (optional).
This type of advertisement will be posted on Toi Ohomai’s student programme page.
Email Appley Boyd to list your advertisement
2019 industry places on the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology will reserve 20 places in the February 2019 intake of the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice for people currently employed within immigration practices. These places can be either full-time or part-time.
To reserve an industry place, the employer needs to contact Appley Boyd by Friday 18 January 2019 and confirm that the employee:
- has a formal employment relationship with their organisation
- will be required by their organisation to apply for an immigration adviser licence once they graduate.
Once an industry place has been offered to the employer’s organisation, the prospective student will need to apply and meet the academic and English entry requirements of the programme before they can enrol and utilise the place reserved in their name.
Trimester one of the Graduate Diploma starts on 18 February 2019.
Graduate Diploma not-for profit Scholarship
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology offers one scholarship each year for a student of the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice who intends to provide New Zealand immigration advice on a not-for-profit basis while working or volunteering for a not-for-profit organisation in New Zealand.
The scholarship will cover the student’s domestic tuition fees for the one year Graduate Diploma.
Before applying to Toi Ohomai for the scholarship, the applicant must have their not-for-profit status pre-approved by the Authority.
Join the 2019 Licensed Immigration Adviser Reference Group
We are calling for expressions of interest from licensed immigration advisers to join the Authority’s 2019 Reference Group, to be held in Auckland.
The purpose of the Licensed Advisers Reference Group is to help immigration adviser licensing to work better for advisers through their regular input.
We will select licensed immigration advisers from across the licensed adviser community. Immigration New Zealand representative(s) and other invitees may also attend the meetings.
The Authority will cover the New Zealand travel costs for advisers, but not any international travel costs.
Those in New Zealand need to commit to each of the four meetings on the following Wednesdays from 10.15am – 3pm:
- Wednesday 20 March
- Wednesday 22 May
- Wednesday 21 August
- Wednesday 23 October
To register your interest, please email us at info@iaa.govt.nz by 16 December 2018 with“Reference Group” in the subject line. You may include a cover letter (or include in the email) identifying how you might meet the following criteria. In your email please also tell us:
- if you are in New Zealand, that you are available for and committed to attending each meeting
- if you are offshore, which meetings you could attend in person
- where you are located
- the size of the business you work for
- what areas of immigration you mainly work in
- what current issues relating to the Authority’s work you are interested in discussing.
In considering reference group membership, the IAA will use the following criteria as a guide.
| Criterion |
Group Composition |
|---|---|
|
Relevance of technical skills and knowledge |
Membership will reflect the specialist technical skills and knowledge required to support the reference group |
|
Personal attributes |
Members should have good team work, listening, and problem solving skills, be results-oriented and open-minded (i.e. informed but not constrained by past experiences and current ways of working). |
|
Experience and Credibility |
It is essential that the Group be respected as being capable of delivering high quality advice, and that individual members are seen as being capable of making a positive contribution. Consequently, a good track record/reputation is important. |
|
Links into relevant initiatives |
Where appropriate, the Group will include members with connections into other relevant initiatives to identify potential synergies, avoid duplication of effort, and share/build expertise. |
|
Time and ability to contribute |
To provide assurance of their ability to make time available to contribute, members must be able to commit to the schedule of meetings. |
|
No detrimental conflicts of interest |
Conflicts of interest will be managed by way of disclosure. It is essential that members do not have any conflicts of interest that may interfere with their ability to contribute objectively. |
Tribunal decisions
Reading Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal decisions, or discussing them in your study group, will help develop your understanding of your professional responsibilities.
