Introduction

In the last six years, New Zealand’s Immigration Law landscape has changed dramatically.

At the forefront of this change is the Immigration Act 2009. On 29 November 2010, the majority of the Immigration Act 2009 came into force, and the Immigration legislation that had been utilised for the best part of 22 years, the Immigration Act 1987, was repealed. The substantial coming into force of this Act was the culmination of five and a half years of work by the Department of Labour and two different Governments. It introduced a substantial suite of changes which will be discussed in more depth in these materials.

The Immigration Advisers profession has also undergone a transformation. The Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 regulates the profession in New Zealand. In general, in order to legally provide immigration advice in respect of New Zealand’s immigration system a person must hold a licence issued by the Immigration Advisers Licensing Authority or fall within the class of person who is exempt from this requirement. A person who holds a practising certificate under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act falls within the class of person who is exempt. In order to become licensed, an immigration adviser must meet specified competency standards and adhere to a code of conduct.