Ethics toolkit
23 December 2013
This toolkit has been developed to help licensed immigration advisers identify and resolve professional ethical issues.
The Immigration Advisers Authority (the Authority) has developed this Ethics Toolkit to assist licensed immigration advisers (advisers) to:
- understand the distinction between the personal values and ethics that they hold as individuals, and the professional ethics that they must adhere to as members of the licensed immigration advice profession
- identify and resolve professional ethical issues.
Advisers may encounter professional ethical issues in:
- their day-to-day business interactions
- complying with their professional responsibilities in accordance with the law and the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct (the Code).
Note
By elaborating on the professional responsibilities of advisers, the Authority seeks to:
- foster transparency, consistency and professionalism
- encourage meaningful discussion that will contribute positively to the on-going development of the immigration advice profession
- contribute to better overall outcomes for the New Zealand immigration system
- encourage the sharing of information to enhance the continuing professional development of advisers.
In the Ethics Toolkit:
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The importance of ethics
Each day advisers are called upon to make decisions about how they should act in a particular situation. Every time you ask yourself ‘what should I do?’ or ‘how should I act?’ or ‘is this right?’ you are making an ethical decision.
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Personal beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour
Illustrating the influences on us that result in our behaviour and whether that resulting behaviour is ethical.
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Personal ethics
Personal ethics refers to the ethics that a person identifies with in respect to people and situations that they deal with in everyday life.
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The difference between personal and professional ethics
In some cases, personal and professional ethics may clash and cause a moral conflict.
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Professional ethics and codes of conduct
Professional ethics are principles that govern the behaviour of a person or group in a business environment.
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Solving ethical problems
This information is intended as a guide to assist you to make professional and ethically responsible decisions.
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What if things go wrong?
Just like anyone else, advisers may occasionally make a bad decision.
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Applying ethics in the New Zealand immigration system
The importance of the licensing regime to New Zealand.
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Worksheet for Ethical Deliberation
This worksheet has been designed to assist advisers to make professional and ethically responsible decisions.