- Nicola Tiffen
- Partner
- Christchurch
- Immigration
Nicola provides practical guidance to HR professionals, employers and business owners to support migrants with their visas, and to make the process as easy as possible. She also helps employers in obtaining immigration accreditation and tracking employees’ visa expiry dates.
Nicola is highly experienced in helping individuals with the immigration process. This includes helping to resolve unusual or difficult immigration problems, including health or character-related issues.
She is regularly called upon to give training and seminars to business leaders and employees alike.
Prior to returning to New Zealand, she worked at a top law firm in London for over eight years, advising a range of international corporates, high net worth individuals, and leading sportspeople in respect of UK immigration.


- Nicola is recommended in the 2020 - 2021 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides.
- Acting for an international car manufacturer in transferring employees to New Zealand to support their New Zealand operations.
- Acting for one of New Zealand’s largest employers to restructure their employer accreditation so as to allow all its legal entities to sponsor migrants.
- Successfully assisting several New Zealand employers in transferring employees to overseas operations.
- Advising a multinational in the establishment and management of its New Zealand immigration policies and procedures.
- Assisting an IT industry multinational, establishing its first base in New Zealand, with the transfer of senior and junior employees to establish the operation, right through to obtaining accreditation with the authorities to enable future transfer of staff.
- Successfully advising a national employer in managing, and ultimately avoiding, prosecution over alleged immigration offences.
- BA/LLB, University of Canterbury
- 2000 (New Zealand)
- 2003 (England and Wales)
- Member of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment