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Improved service for migrants

By Lawrence Johnston

COMPANIES involved in migration have been absorbing the minutiae of what licensing of advisers (see front page) will mean for their business and for potential migrants.
Geoff Taylor, director of The Emigration Group welcomes licensing, but considers it a mistake to have restricted it to individual advisers.
"There should have been some kind of corporate licence - as with the NZAMI at present - as well as an individual licence," he said.
"As I do not personally give immigration advice, I cannot apply for a license. So, whilst I am an owner and director of the business, I will not be a licensed adviser, although the company directors will continue to effectively manage those of our consultants who will be licensed," he said.
All those of his staff who did provide advice, some eight, would be likely to need a licence.
For the company management, it would certainly mean "more bureaucracy, time and expense. Other than that it will be business as usual," he said.
In terms of service delivery, there would be little change.
"We already are committed to making every effort to ensure 100 per cent client satisfaction. Our New Zealand visa team leader sets our standard. Every single one of the last 100 New Zealand visa applications she has lodged with Immigration New Zealand has been approved," Mr Taylor said.
For the licensed advisers it would mean spending additional time away from doing their core job, so as to ensure they were able to continue to practice in the first place.
As for the end result, the migrant could feel secure in the knowledge that the industry was being properly regulated.
"The IAA is a statutory body hosted within the New Zealand Department of Labour and is headed by a registrar, Barry Smedts. Having met him several times in recent months, it is clear he is fully committed to ensuring the success and smooth running of the IAA. Migrants make a big commitment to come to New Zealand. His job at the IAA is to ensure that by 4 May, 2010, they deal only with reputable, licensed advisers who practice fairly within the law," Mr Taylor said.
One of the group's consultants is taking part in an assessment trial. Involved are questionnaires to test knowledge on wide ranging subjects and case studies authorised by the IAA.
Nobody at another offshore company, UK based Kiwi Emigration Ltd, will need a licence because it uses a third party, Lane Neave, in New Zealand to process visas for its clients.
Kiwi Emigration Ltd Director Craig Millard said: "We provide an emigration project management service, which effectively covers every aspect of the move, but the advice part is covered by Lane Neave. The adviser who will be applying for a licence is on the NZAMI board."
But Mr Millard said that despite not being required to do so, he was considering whether to try to get licensed, himself.
"Once Lane Neave have gone through the process and seen any teething problems there may be, we'll be looking at whether I can or perhaps need to get licensed. We'll have the benefit of feedback from their experience of the process before we consider such a step," he said.
"For our clients, we view licensing as a really positive thing. There are people out there in the market who are providing sub standard advice. Hopefully the legislation will help to stop that," he said.
Golden Sands Migration (NZ) Ltd, Director for Immigration Glen Standing is looking forward to the four members of the company who provide advice, being licensed.
"This will clearly benefit us and ensure that our industry has a better name," he said.
The company would not be increasing its fees as a result of the new law.
"Our fees are based on a 'per case base', so it is hard to give an accurate figure. But an indicative cost of a skilled migrant visa would be £3,850. That includes all the government fees, levies and taxes, our employment search and placement facility and assistance with relocating to New Zealand," Mr Standing said.