[2026] NZIACDT 21, SM v Yu (Qian Yu)

“Sanctions / adviser dishonestly advised clients that application for visas had been filed and that grant of visas was imminent / adviser filed application five days later / adviser dishonestly withheld draft application and INZ’s letters to conceal misleading conduct / Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, s3, s50, s51 / Code of Conduct 2014, cl1, cl2a, cl2e, cl8a, cl8c, cl13a, cl14, cl15a, cl17a, cl17b, cl17c, cl18b, cl19c, cl19m, cl19n, cl22, cl26e / adviser was dishonest in two respects and breached 17 professional standards / gravity of wrongdoing assessed as medium to high / dishonesty inherently serious, though comparatively less so than in adviser’s parallel proceedings / adviser’s belated explanation of personal events and health issues accepted to materially impact work but do not justify blatant lie to complainant and actions to conceal that misrepresentation / complaint does not require further order preventing reapplication for licence / adviser censured and fined $4,000 (reduced from $6,000 to reflect totality of parallel proceedings)”