How to apply for an initial licence
To get a New Zealand immigration adviser licence under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, you need to submit an online application with the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA).
The process to prepare and submit an initial application for a New Zealand immigration adviser licence is detailed below. This will require you to submit an online application with the IAA.
Australian registered migration agents
If you’re an Australian registered migration agent and want to provide New Zealand immigration advice, you need to follow the application process set out in the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (TTMRA).
If your initial application is successful, you will be granted a provisional licence. While you have a current provisional licence, you must be supervised by a fully licensed immigration adviser for 2 years before you can upgrade to a full licence.
Make an initial application
Before you apply for your initial licence, you must have completed and been awarded results for an approved qualification or entry course.
When making an initial application online, you will need:
- A digital passport quality photograph.
- A certified copy of your personal identification.
- A police certificate/criminal history record for each country you have lived in for 12 months or more, during the last 10 years. These records must include all names by which you are known/ have been known.
- A completed Form 101A: Supervision Arrangement Application, signed by all parties.
- An acceptable supervision agreement, signed by all parties.
- If applicable, any documents relevant to your fitness for licensing.
- A credit or debit card to pay your application fee. Alternatively, if you have not-for-profit status, a letter from the IAA confirming this.
Form 101A: Supervision arrangement application [PDF, 258 KB]
Model supervision agreement – May 2021 [DOC, 112 KB]
Guidance for developing a supervision agreement [PDF, 551 KB]
Professional development plan guidance [PDF, 544 KB]
All documents must be in PDF, PNG or JPG format with a maximum file size of 10 MB. Digital photographs must be in PNG or JPG format.
More detailed information about supervision and supervision arrangements is in our Supervision Toolkit.
Before you submit an application, you need to get someone to certify your personal identification and witness any statutory declarations.
More detailed information on how to prepare and submit your initial licensing application is in our Licensing toolkit.
What happens next
The Registrar will assess the evidence you provide to ensure you meet the Immigration Adviser Competency Standards and that you‘re fit to be licensed.
Once your licence application has been approved in principle, we’ll advise you and request that you pay the levy. You will be able to login and pay your levy online.
Once your levy is paid, your details will be added to the register of licensed immigration advisers and you can provide New Zealand immigration advice. You will be able to download a digital licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority online portal.
All immigration advisers must abide by the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct.
If your application is refused
The Registrar may refuse your application for a licence. If this happens, you will be informed in writing of the outcome of your application. The refusal and your name and details will be listed on the public register of licensed immigration advisers.
You have the right to appeal the refusal of a licence to the District Court of New Zealand.
Licence renewal and continuing professional development
Immigration adviser licences are issued for 12 months, and must be renewed annually.
Licences normally expire at 11.59pm NZT on the date recorded on the Register of Immigration Advisers. If you intend to continue providing New Zealand immigration advice, you must submit a renewal application on or before the date on which your licence expires.
The Immigration Advisers Competency Standards also require that licensed immigration advisers engage in 20 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) activities each licensing period. As a licensed immigration adviser, you must keep a CPD plan and record for each licensing period, which the IAA may inspect at your licence renewal.
Application costs
All costs are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
Licence fees contribute to the cost of processing and assessing all applications. Levies contribute to the cost of funding the other functions of the Immigration Advisers Authority and the full Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal costs.
| Costs | Ordinarily resident in NZ (including GST) |
Not ordinarily resident in NZ |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $909.78 | $791.11 |
| Levy | $1,129.55 | $982.22 |
| Total | $2,039.33 | $1,773.33 |
Not-for-profit status
You may be entitled to a fee waiver if you intend to act as an immigration adviser on a not-for-profit basis, or are an employee or volunteer working for an organisation that operates on a not-for-profit basis. You can find more details about this in our Licensing Toolkit.
Not-for-profit status must be obtained before submitting an application for a licence, for any fee waivers to apply.
A not-for profit application must be submitted at least 2 months before a licence application .
Processing times
We aim to process fully complete initial licence applications within 15 working days. If your application is taking longer, we are working hard to process it as soon as possible. If there are any concerns we will contact you to seek your response.
