IAA Competence Assessment Changes: What Candidates Need to Know
The Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) has announced significant changes to its competence assessment process following a recent tender exercise for a new competence assessment service.
The changes are designed to strengthen the assessment of advisers’ knowledge, skills and professional competence, while also providing candidates with a clearer and more streamlined route towards IAA regulation.
For anyone planning to undertake a Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 IAA competence assessment, understanding these changes will be essential.
What is changing?
The IAA has outlined several important changes to the competence assessment process.
Assessments will be based on revised syllabuses
The assessment questions will be based on the IAA’s revised syllabuses.
The aim is to ensure that assessments more accurately reflect the knowledge, skills and competence required to provide immigration advice at the relevant level.
Candidates should therefore make sure that they are preparing from the new syllabus, rather than relying solely on previous course materials or resource book.
Ethics and professional behaviour will form part of the assessment
One of the key changes is the introduction of an additional assessment component covering:
– The IAA Code of Standards
– Ethics
– Professional behaviour
This recognises that being a competent immigration adviser involves more than simply understanding immigration law and procedure. Candidates will need to demonstrate an understanding of the professional standards and ethical responsibilities expected of an IAA-regulated adviser. This makes preparation for ethics, conduct and professional responsibilities an increasingly important part of the assessment process.
The competence assessment will move to the beginning of the application journey
The sequencing of the IAA application process is also changing.
Under the new arrangements, individuals who want to join an IAA-regulated organisation as an adviser will need to complete and pass the competence assessment before they can be added to that organisation’s application.
Similarly, individuals who want to establish their own immigration advice organisation will need to pass the competence assessment before submitting their application for regulation.
The intention is to give candidates and organisations earlier confirmation that the required level of competence has been demonstrated. Passing the exam is just step one in the application process.
What does this mean for candidates?
The change in sequencing means that passing the competence assessment will become an important first step for individuals progressing towards IAA regulation.
Rather than completing the wider application process and then demonstrating competence, candidates will first need to demonstrate that they meet the required competence standard.
For candidates, this means that preparation for the assessment will be particularly important. A successful candidate will then be able to move forward with the application process with greater certainty.
More frequent assessment opportunities
The IAA has also indicated that there will be more frequent assessment opportunities.
This is intended to provide candidates with greater flexibility and reduce waiting times for assessment.
For individuals planning their route into immigration advice, more regular assessment opportunities could make it easier to plan preparation and assessment around work and other commitments.
The exact dates will mostly likely commence in November 2026. Exact dates will be posted on the IAA website
A new assessment platform
The competence assessment will also move to a new assessment platform. The new platform is intended to provide candidates with an improved assessment experience.
Candidates should therefore familiarise themselves with any guidance issued by the IAA about the new assessment system once further information becomes available.
What resources can candidates use during the assessment?
Another significant change concerns the resources available during the assessment.
The previous resource book will be replaced by access to approved whitelisted websites during the assessment.
Candidates will be provided with which websites and resources will be permitted before sitting their assessment at our training sessions, so they are fully equipped to focus not only on remembering information, but also on developing the ability to locate and apply relevant information efficiently using the resources permitted during the assessment.
How can HJT Training help?
With new key changes including revised syllabus, additional component on Code of Standards, and now the competence assessment is at the start of the adviser application journey, it has never been more important than attending IAA training.
The exams will most likely return in November 2026, however preparing for these changes should start immediately. You should prepare yourself effectively to give yourself the best chance in successfully passing your assessments.
At HJT Training, we can help candidates understand the revised requirements and prepare for the knowledge, competence and professional standards expected under the new assessment arrangements in our Level 1, Level 1 Exam technique, Level 2 and Level 3 training courses. As well as our Open University courses Level 1 and Level 2/3.
We can also help you with the full registration process, see here for more