At the start of this month, 4 May 2009 to be exact, the Immigration Advisers Licencing Act came into effect. It is good to look back and see why this Act has been introduced and implemented.

The main reason of course is to protect immigrants and stamp out unscrupulous behavior towards migrants. I am sure the introduction of this Act will certainly assist, however it may also force some operators "underground" . I suggest that policing this would be a real challenge for the IAA.

The question could also be raised reference the logic to make the IAA part of the Department of Labour. In my view it may cause a "conflict of interest" or, in the worst scenario, impartiality of the IAA could be questioned, and that should be prevented at all costs. There is a simple solution to that and that would be that the IAA should be operating outside of the Department of Labour, totally independent.   

There are some more important issues to solve immediately, in the short term. One of them is how the people working in the immigration industry would be able to meet the standards of professional development.  These have not yet been set or promulgated while some advisers are already preparing for their relicencing.

Well, let me conclude in saying that I fully support the IAA and the new licencing regime. It will help to make the immigration industry more professional and will raise the level of the whole industry. It's now up to the IAA and other stakeholders to make it work. Wish now that INZ could join in and respond with also quality work and decisions.