Short answer: no one may charge you a fee for the job itself, and only a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer may charge you for immigration advice. An unlicensed agent charging for either is breaking New Zealand law.
What can legitimately be charged
- A licensed immigration adviser or New Zealand lawyer may charge for their professional services, under a written agreement that sets out the fee.
- Immigration New Zealand charges its own published application fees, paid in your own Immigration Online account.
What cannot be charged
- A premium for getting the job.
- The employer's Job Check or accreditation costs.
- "Processing", "priority", "approval" or "guarantee" fees of any kind.
Before you pay
Ask for the licence number in writing and check it on the Immigration Advisers Authority register, or check the lawyer with the New Zealand Law Society. A refusal to give a number in writing is the answer.
Check the person you are dealing with
Our free checker links straight to the adviser and lawyer registers, and our scam self-check lists the payment patterns we see in real cases.