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Schedule

  1. Obligations to Clients
  2. Obligations to the Minister of Immigration, the Department Handling Immigration Matters, the Immigration Advisers Authority and the Immigration and Protection Tribunal
  3. Business Management
  4. Client Funds
  5. Misrepresentation
  6. Conflicts of Interest
  7. Disclosure
  8. Fees
  9. Provision of Complaints Procedures
  10. Display of Licence

Schedule

Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct 2010

1. Obligations to Clients

1.1 Care, Respect, Diligence and Professionalism

A licensed immigration adviser must, with due care, diligence, respect and professionalism:

  1. perform his or her services; and
  2. carry out the lawful informed instructions of clients; and
  3. take reasonable steps to ensure clients’ interests are represented if the adviser cannot for any reason continue as a representative; and 
  4. work in a manner that does not unnecessarily increase costs; and
  5. acknowledge the cultural norms and values of clients; and
  6. facilitate the provision of interpreters and translators where appropriate; and
  7. when requested, assist clients to access information about the Treaty of Waitangi and tikanga (Maori customs and traditions). 

1.2     Confidentiality

A licensed immigration adviser:

  1. must preserve the confidentiality of clients; and
  2. must not disclose confidential information, other than for the purposes of the administration of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, the promotion of the immigration interests of clients to Immigration New Zealand, as required by law, or otherwise without the client’s prior consent.

1.3     Document Security

A licensed immigration adviser must:

  1. ensure any personal documents belonging to or relating to clients are held securely whilst in the adviser’s possession; and
  2. return passports and other personal documents to clients, on request, without delay and in a secure manner.

1.4     Code of Conduct

A licensed immigration adviser must:

  1. explain to and provide clients with a copy of the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct before any agreement is entered into; and
  2. display the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct in a prominent place at the adviser’s place of business at all times.

1.5     Written Agreements

A licensed immigration adviser must ensure that:

  1. before any agreement is entered into, clients are made aware, in writing and in plain language, of the terms of the agreement and all significant matters relating to it; and
  2. agreements contain a full description of the services to be provided by the adviser; and
  3. clients are advised that they are entitled to seek independent legal advice before entering into agreements; and
  4. clients confirm in writing that they accept the terms of agreements; and
  5. changes to the terms of agreements are recorded and agreed in writing.

1.6     Work Within Limits of Knowledge and Skills

A licensed immigration adviser must work within the scope of his or her individual knowledge and skills.