Law to tighten up on immigration consultants
Radio New Zealand,
July 27, 2007
Immigration Minister David Cunliffe says he hopes laws due to come into force next year will protect hundreds of migrants against dubious immigration consultants.
The legislation, passed in May, requires all immigration consultants to be licensed.
Mr Cunliffe, addressing a migration and investment conference in Auckland on Friday, said New Zealand has had huge problems with shady immigration agents.
He says he is aware of hundreds of migrants who have been ripped off and had money and documents stolen, and it was time to put a stop to it.
Labour Department spokesperson Mary Anne Thompson says a team of regulators will be working on ways to implement the law change.
[Note: Legislation was passed in Australia, too, to cover unscrupulous migration agent/consultant practices. Unfortunately people still are reported to suffer even at the hands of registered/licensed agents.]
