DOIA 2223 2866 Wendy Yang response letter.pdf

4 July 2023

Ref: DOIA 2223-2866

Wendy Yang
Email: [FYI request #23020 email]

Tēnā koe Wendy

Thank you for your email of 6 June 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (the
Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), information about the
Immigration Advisers Authority (the IAA).

Responses to your questions are set out below.

1.  How are the registration and renewal fees for immigration advisers determined?

The licensing application fees and levies are prescribed in the Immigration Advisers Licensing Regulations
2008, which can be found at: Immigration Advisers Licensing Regulations 2008 (SR 2008/82) (as at 11 June
2009) Contents – New Zealand Legislation.

2.  In comparison to other professions that require registration, why does the IAA consider these fees
to be reasonable?

As referred to in the response to question 1 above, fees and levies are prescribed in the Immigration
Advisers Licensing Regulations 2008 and the IAA must charge the fees prescribed accordingly.

3.  What were the registration and renewal fees received in the fiscal years 2020-2023 and where
were these fees spent?

Financial statements related to the funding of the Immigration Advisers Authority are published within
the Ministry’s Annual Reports. Below are links to the annual reports:

•  Fiscal year 2019/2020: Annual report 2019/20 (mbie.govt.nz)
•  Fiscal year 2020/2021: Annual report 2020/21 (mbie.govt.nz)
•  Fiscal year 2021/2022: Annual report 2021/22 (mbie.govt.nz)

Please note that the annual report for fiscal year 2022/2023 is not yet available, but it will be published
online like the previous annual reports. Therefore, this part of your request is refused under section 18(d)
of the Act, as the information will soon be publicly available.

4.  What services are provided to immigration advisers regarding CPD learning other than webinars?

The Immigration Advisers Authority was set up to promote and protect the interests of people receiving
New Zealand immigration advice and is the regulatory body for the industry. The IAA Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) component is a mandatory component to ensure Licensed Immigration

Advisers meet the minimum standards of competence for licensing and entry to the scheme. Information
about the role of the Immigration Advisers Authority can be found on the IAA website at:
https://www.iaa.govt.nz/about-us/what-we-do/ and includes:

•  issuing licences to people who are fit and competent to give immigration advice
•  maintaining competency standards and a code of conduct for immigration advisers
•  investigating people giving immigration advice without a licence or exemption
•  receiving complaints from people who have received poor immigration advice.

The IAA provide licensed immigration advisers with a number of resources on the website under the ‘For
advisers’ tab, which includes Adviser Tools among others. This can be found at:
https://www.iaa.govt.nz/for-advisers/.

5.  Please provide the financial reports for the fiscal years 2020-2023.

Please refer to our response to question 3.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance,
please contact [email address].

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.

Nāku noa, nā

Duncan Connor
National Manager, Occupational Regulation
Market Integrity