Privacy Policy
Pathfinder Immigration New Zealand Limited (“Pathfinder”, “we”, “us”, “our”) takes your privacy seriously. Immigration matters involve personal, and often sensitive, information — and you’re trusting us with it at an important moment. This policy explains what we collect, why, how we look after it, and the rights you have over it. It applies to this website and to enquiries you make through it.
We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Information Privacy Principles it sets out. As a licensed immigration adviser practice, we are also bound by the confidentiality obligations in the Immigration Advisers Authority Code of Conduct.
What we collect
When you contact us through this website, we collect the details you choose to provide — typically your name, email address, phone number (if you give it), and whatever you tell us about your situation.
When you request a free consultation, we also ask for information relevant to giving you an accurate initial assessment, such as your nationality, whether you’re currently in New Zealand, your preferred method of contact, and the type of immigration matter you need help with. We only ask for what genuinely helps us understand your situation — anything further is gathered later, with your knowledge, if you decide to engage us.
When you subscribe to our updates, we collect your email address (and your name, if you provide it) so that we can send you the newsletters and updates you’ve asked for.
When you browse the website, analytics tools (see below) collect limited technical information such as the pages you visit, your approximate location, and details about your device and browser. This information does not identify you personally.
Why we collect it, and how we use it
We collect your information so that we can:
- respond to your enquiry and, where relevant, arrange and prepare for a consultation;
- give you accurate advice about your immigration options;
- provide immigration advice and services if you choose to engage us;
- send you marketing updates and newsletters, if — and only if — you have subscribed to receive them; and
- understand how the website is used, so we can improve it.
We will not use your information for any purpose you wouldn’t reasonably expect, and we don’t send marketing you haven’t asked for.
Marketing emails
If you subscribe, we’ll send you occasional updates and newsletters about immigration news and our services. We only do this where you have opted in — subscribing is entirely your choice, and enquiring about our services does not add you to our marketing list.
Every marketing email we send identifies us as the sender and includes an unsubscribe link. You can opt out at any time, either by using that link or by emailing us at ryan@pathfinderimmigration.co.nz, and we’ll stop promptly. We keep our subscriber list separate from the information you give us when you enquire about or engage our services.
We use Mailchimp, a third-party email marketing platform, to manage subscriptions and send these emails. Your email address is stored with Mailchimp for this purpose. Mailchimp is based in the United States, which means your information is held on servers outside New Zealand, and is handled in accordance with Mailchimp’s own privacy terms.
How we store it and keep it secure
We keep the amount of personal information we hold to a minimum. Enquiries submitted through the website’s forms are sent to us by email and are not stored in a database on the website itself. Your information is held on secure, New Zealand–based hosting and email infrastructure, and access is limited to authorised people within Pathfinder. Subscriber information is held with our email service provider (see “Marketing emails” above).
No system is ever completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information against loss, misuse, and unauthorised access.
Analytics and cookies
This website uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site. Google Analytics uses cookies — small files stored on your device — to collect anonymous, aggregated information about site usage. This data is processed by Google and may be held on servers outside New Zealand. You can disable cookies in your browser settings if you prefer, though some parts of the site may work less smoothly.
When we share your information
We do not sell your personal information, and we don’t share it with third parties for marketing.
We may disclose your information only where it’s necessary to provide the service you’ve asked for, or where we’re required or permitted to by law. In particular:
- If you engage us as your immigration adviser, we may need to share your information with Immigration New Zealand and, where relevant, other agencies, in order to progress your application. We’ll always be acting on your instructions when we do.
- We use trusted service providers — such as our website host and Mailchimp (our email marketing platform) — who process information on our behalf so we can operate the site and communicate with you. They may only use it for those purposes.
- We may disclose information if the law requires it — for example, in response to a lawful request from a government agency or court.
As a licensed immigration adviser practice, everything you share with us in the course of seeking or receiving advice is treated as confidential, consistent with our professional obligations.
How long we keep it
We do not retain personal information for longer than is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or to meet our legal and professional obligations.
Where we provide you with our services, personal information will be retained for at least 7 years from the date your file is closed, in accordance with the Code of Conduct of the Immigration Advisers Authority. Enquiries that don’t proceed to engagement are not kept longer than necessary.
If you unsubscribe from our newsletter we remove you from our marketing list.
Your rights
Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to request access to, and correction of, the personal information we hold about you.
You are under no obligation to provide us with your personal information. However, if you choose to withhold information we’ve asked for, we may not be able to provide you with some or all of our services.
You may also have additional rights under other data protection and privacy laws that apply to you, including the right to restrict or object to how your personal information is used.
To make a request, or to ask a question about the information we hold, just email us at ryan@pathfinderimmigration.co.nz. We’ll respond as soon as we reasonably can, and within the timeframes the Privacy Act requires. There’s normally no charge for this.
Concerns or complaints
If you have any concern about how we’ve handled your personal information, please contact us first at ryan@pathfinderimmigration.co.nz — we’d genuinely rather hear about it and put it right. If you’re not satisfied with our response, you have the right to raise the matter with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (www.privacy.org.nz).
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes to the website or to how we handle information. The current version will always be available on this page.
Contact
Pathfinder Immigration New Zealand Limited Email: ryan@pathfinderimmigration.co.nz