Course Overview
Love working with people from all around the world?
People looking for a new way of life often put New Zealand at the top of their wish list. The immigration process can be difficult and confusing though, so professional advice is vital.
If you're giving immigration advice you need to be licensed. Unless you're exempt, you must complete the Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice. Toi Ohomai is the only institute in the country offering this course. You must also apply for a licence.
This very popular, online course can be studied from anywhere in the world. It’s intensive and interactive with strict entry criteria, especially around English competency. You must already have a degree or previous industry experience.
Upon successfully completing the requirements you'll receive the award of:
- Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice (Level 7)
You can apply for a Provisional Licence once you have:
- Successfully completed the first four papers
You can apply for a Full Licence once you have:
- Successfully completed all eight papers and been awarded the qualification AND
- Completed two years under the supervision of a Full Licence holder
| Locations | Online |
|---|---|
| Next intake | Jul 2025 View more details |
| Study options |
1 year full-time, including holidays (if applicable) Study fully online including online tutorials at set times Part-time study available |
| Total credits | 120 |
| StudyLink assistance | Available |
| Indicative Fees | $5,953 for domestic students View full fees information |
| Eligibility | View entry criteria |
To see the information for international students change your location using the button at the top right of the screen.
Career opportunities
- Immigration Adviser (licensed or unlicensed)
Topics you'll cover
This course was developed in collaboration with the Immigration Advisers Authority and the immigration advice industry, to meet New Zealand immigration adviser licencing requirements.
Details of licensing requirements can be found on the Immigration Advisers Authority website. We recommend that you check your eligibility for a licence by reading section 15 of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007.
Learning in this course is sequential. Students must pass the first four papers (LAWS6015, LAWS7012, LAWS7022 and LAWS7014) before studying the last four papers (LAWS7015, LAWS7016, LAWS7017 and LAWS7021).
1. LAWS6015 - Introduction to the Immigration Industry and Professional Responsibilities
- You'll identify and explore the role of a licensed immigration adviser and the licensing requirements an adviser must operate within, investigate the professional responsibilities of an immigration adviser including the code of conduct, and identify the features of professional communication that are relevant to an immigration advisor.
2. LAWS7012 - Introduction to Immigration Law and Decision-Making
- You'll analyse the legislative framework that guides the practice of immigration advisers, outline the New Zealand immigration visa system, explore immigration decision-making, navigate the Operational Manual and assess the factors that influence mandatory health and character requirements.
3. LAWS7022 - Temporary Entry
- You'll evaluate circumstances and give immigration advice in relation to temporary entry class visas. You'll also be able to interpret and assess the relevance of a range of circumstances to applications and explore oral and written English communication skills that assist immigration advisers to work professionally with clients.
4. LAWS7014 - Residence
- You'll learn to evaluate client circumstances and eligibility in relation to residence class and skilled migrant visa applications. You will also demonstrate your ability to consistently apply written English communication skills that assist immigration advisers to work professionally with clients.
5. LAWS7015 - Professional Practice
- You'll investigate and implement aspects of practice as an immigration adviser including business practices, professional skills and ethical considerations in relation to the Code of Conduct and the Competency Standards and the application of communication skills when providing immigration advice.
6. LAWS7016 - Specialist Immigration Areas
- You'll explore and apply professional knowledge and skills when working as an immigration adviser in a number of specialist immigration areas and apply written English skills to a professional standard when working with clients.
7. LAWS7017 - Managing Client Cases
- You'll interpret and apply knowledge of New Zealand immigration law in relation to a series of client applications, demonstrate their ability to manage the demands of applications and representations from clients and apply the professional knowledge and skills expected of an immigration adviser, including using written and oral English language skills to advise a client in a variety of immigration situations.
8. LAWS7021 – Compliance, Unlawful Status and Deportation
- You'll also explore and apply professional knowledge and skills when working as an immigration adviser in relation to compliance, unlawful status and deportation matters. You'll apply English skills to a professional standard when working with clients.
Course Fees
| Indicative Fees * | $5,953 for domestic students |
|---|
Your final fee may vary if:
- you have a choice of topics/papers to study
- the qualification excludes GST
- there are extra course materials to purchase
- student levies apply
We’ll let you know if any of these apply to you.
Fee variations if you're studying the course outside of New Zealand
- If you're a New Zealand citizen studying the course outside of New Zealand, you will be charged the Domestic fee (excluding GST) - $5,177 (approx $648 per topic/paper).
Important Note: Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents studying the course outside of New Zealand will be charged International Fees (excluding GST).
New Zealand permanent residents studying the course outside of New Zealand should contact us to check the applicable fees.
Exam Fees per topic/paper
- $50 per topic/paper
* Important fee information, and hints and tips
Help with fees
Are you Eligible for Free Fees?
There are several ways to take advantage of free study at Toi Ohomai. Find out how on our Fees Free FAQ page.
Student Loans and Allowances
This course meets the requirements for student allowance and student loan applications through StudyLink.
- A student loan helps to pay for your course fees (the compulsory fees), study materials e.g. books, equipment, and living costs. You'll have to pay this money back.
- A student allowance is a weekly payment that can help with your living expenses while you're studying. You don't have to pay the money back.
Find out more and apply at studylink.govt.nz
Scholarships
Scholarships are one way you might be able to get some financial help. Any scholarships specifically related to this course are shown below, otherwise check out the full list of scholarships promoted by Toi Ohomai.
Course Entry Information
Entry criteria
To assess your eligibility for a place on this course, you will need to provide evidence that you meet both the academic and English language requirements below.
Academic requirements
You must meet one of the following:
- Hold an undergraduate degree completed in New Zealand; or
- Hold a qualification that was completed overseas but is recognised by Immigration New Zealand as being equivalent to a New Zealand undergraduate degree. Please review Immigration New Zealand’s List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment Immigration New Zealand's List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment; or
- Hold a qualification that was completed overseas but is recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as being equivalent to a New Zealand undergraduate degree. You must have obtained an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA to demonstrate this.
If you do not have the required qualification described above, you can make a request for special admission to the course. Your special admission request must demonstrate that you have practical, professional or educational experience equivalent to an undergraduate degree. For example, evidence of three years or more relevant work experience in a professional role that required you to analyse and problem solve, demonstrate intellectual independence, demonstrate an ability to rigorously analyse, with sound communication skills.
Other Considerations
You may be invited to participate in a telephone interview prior to Toi Ohomai offering you a place. This is your opportunity to find out more about the course content and to make sure you're on the most appropriate course for your career aspirations and current level of experience.
Places can be reserved for people currently employed within immigration practices in each semester. Your employer must contact Toi Ohomai directly at least six weeks before the start of the semester to reserve a place. Please note the Academic and English language entry criteria still needs to be met.
Computer Requirements
- Access to a computer and reliable high speed internet service
- A modern browser e.g. Chrome or Microsoft Edge
- Microphone headset, web cam
- Microsoft Word minimum version 97-2003
- Latest Adobe Flash and Reader (free to download from Adobe online)
English language requirements
You must meet either the prescribed education in English requirements set out below, or provide an English language test that meets our requirements.
- Have completed in the English language while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America:
a. all primary schooling (or equivalent) and at least three years secondary schooling (or equivalent); or
b. five years secondary schooling (or equivalent); or
c. a total of six years education comprising a completed bachelor degree (or equivalent tertiary qualification) of at least three years duration plus any combination of:
- Secondary schooling equivalent to year 12; or
- Another completed bachelor degree (or equivalent tertiary qualification) undertaken at a different time to the course of study referred to above); or
- A completed postgraduate qualification.
If you do not meet these specific requirements, you must provide an English test as follows:
- Have completed within the two years prior to enrolling:
- An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test with minimum academic scores of Writing 7.0, Reading 6.5, Listening 6.5, and Speaking 6.5 with a minimum overall score of 7.0. Evidence of IELTS test scores achieved in more than one sitting is acceptable if you took the second and any subsequent IELTS tests within 12 months of the first test; or
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT) with minimum scores of Writing 27, Reading 20, Listening 20, and Speaking 20 with a minimum total score of 100. Evidence of TOEFL test scores achieved in more than one sitting is acceptable if you took the second and any subsequent TOEFL tests within 12 months of the first test; or
- A Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) with minimum scores of Writing 65, Reading 58, Listening 58, and Speaking 58 with a minimum overall score of 65. Evidence of PTE Academic test scores achieved in more than one sitting is acceptable if you took the second and any subsequent PTE Academic tests within 12 months of the first test.
Note: We do not accept home-based online versions of English language tests such as the PTE Academic Online test or IELTS Online test.
The English language requirements for the course are taken from the Immigration Advisers Competency Standards 2016. Toi Ohomai has a contractual obligation with the Immigration Advisers Authority to comply with the Competency Standards when assessing whether or not a person meets the English language requirements for the course. We cannot accept any other evidence of English and we cannot make exceptions to the English requirements.
Application Documents
All documents you wish to submit to support your application to enrol e.g. evidence of schooling, qualifications, English language testing; must be certified copies and must be accompanied by the appropriate completed forms below and then uploaded to your online application. Alternatively, you may drop into one of our Information Centres with your documents.
Return to course overview
Course Locations and Intake Information
| Location | Campus | Start Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Online | 7 Jul 2025 |
Study options
- 1 year full-time, including holidays (if applicable)
- Study fully online including online tutorials at set times
- Part-time study available
