Becoming an immigration adviser in 2026 is an incredibly rewarding role for law graduates. At a time when restrictions on immigration are getting tighter, you can help people to move to their dream country or help refugees to escape war zones and settle in a safe country. 

You can supercharge your early career as an immigration adviser with the help of immigration courses for law graduates. Immigration Advice Service operates its Become an IAA (OISC) Level 1 Immigration Adviser with this goal in mind.

What Does an Immigration Adviser Do?

An immigration adviser is responsible for helping their clients with visa applications, asylum claims, and citizenship and nationality applications. They may also help clients understand their rights to work, study, and more, depending on their current immigration status. Immigration advisers also often represent their clients in court, especially if they are under a deportation order, and help them to understand the next steps after claims and applications have been refused. Throughout these responsibilities, they must maintain accurate case records and documentation. 

Communication is an essential skill for immigration advisers, especially given that their clients may not have strong English language skills. Although interpreters will usually be available when you are working with clients, it will help if you can speak more than one language. Immigration advisers also keep lines of communication open with authorities to understand how their clients’ cases and applications are progressing through the British bureaucracy. 

Immigration advisers have to constantly be learning, due to the changing nature of immigration legislation. It will be your responsibility to stay abreast of changes to immigration rules.

Characteristics of a Great Immigration Adviser

Being an immigration adviser is rewarding, but it comes with challenges that not all law graduates can meet. Below, the skills that all great immigration advisers have are detailed:

• A strong understanding of government regulations and court proceedings in the immigration sector.
• Attention to detail and thoroughness. This skill is necessary to complete a complicated visa application.
• The ability to maintain a cool head in stressful situations, such as if a client is at risk of deportation. 
• Flexibility to deal with changes to immigration legislation.
• Customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Technological acumen is now required, as immigration processes are often handled online. 
• Logic and reasoning.

It is also important for immigration advisers to have the right values. They should be motivated by their clients’ well-being and care for the human rights of the most vulnerable people in the world, regardless of how they have entered the country.

Finally, as with most legal roles, it will be difficult to enter the sector if you have a criminal past. Employers will run a full criminal record check before they hire you for a role. 

Rewards for Immigration Advisers

According to the British Government’s National Careers Service, starter immigration advisers can expect to earn above £24,000 per year, with experienced immigration advisers ‘ salaries exceeding £40,000. Working hours will usually be 37 to 39 hours a week. Due to the nature of the role, many of these hours are in the evenings and on weekends. 

As with any role, the exact pay and expectations will vary depending on the immigration firm you work for and where it is based in the country. High-pressure roles in major cities like London and Manchester are likely to attract the highest salaries. 

How You Can Become An Immigration Adviser

If everything described in this blog sounds appealing, becoming an immigration adviser might be the right role for you.

You can become qualified to be an immigration adviser without needing to have attended law school. You will be giving advice regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). However, you will need to get an IAA-regulated qualification, which will require you to study a course and pass exams, and register with the body. There are three levels of IAA-regulated work:

• Level one – give basic immigration advice and help with applications within the immigration rules, available after three months’ experience. 
• Level two – conduct complex work, particularly applications that sit outside of the immigration rules. This is available after you have 12 months’ experience.
• Level three – allows you to conduct appeals on your clients’ behalf. This advanced level is available once you have 18 months’ experience. 

A superb way to begin your career is through volunteering. That will give you experience working with immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and show that you have a firm commitment to their well-being. Look for volunteering opportunities with Citizens Advice, Refugee Action, and Refugee Council. 

Then, use the experience you have gained and your law degree or IAA-regulated qualifications to apply for a role directly with law firms that have opportunities open. You may also make use of a Legal Executive Level 6 Apprenticeship or Solicitor Level 7 Apprenticeship to get a foot in the door. These may not be immigration focussed, but you will be able to specialise after.

OISC Level 1 Exam Structure

You will need to perform well in your Level 1 exam to conduct basic immigration advice roles. The exam has two parts. The first has 20 multiple-choice questions, each having a single correct answer. They cover immigration rules. You will have 1 hour and 15 minutes for this part of the exam paper.

The second part also has an hour and 15 minutes of time allocated. This part of the exam has scenario-based questions. You will be given common situations experienced by Level 1 immigration advisers, and you must clearly explain how you would deal with the challenges. Make sure to write legibly and answer in plain English so that the examiner takes all of your answers into account. 

How Can Immigration Advice Service’s IAA-Regulated Course Help?

To help early-career immigration advisers, Immigration Advice Service has created its IAA (OISC) Level 1 Immigration Adviser course. This program lasts two days, covering the full syllabus, exam structure, and practical casework skills for the IAA Level 1 competence assessment. It is appropriate both for individuals hoping to enhance their existing career or who are just getting started with immigration law.

Becoming a qualified level 1 immigration adviser will require you to score 60% or higher in the competence assessment, alongside having three-months full time work experience in immigration law. Six months of advisory experience in a different sector may also be valid, although not having immigration-specific experience could make it hard to get offered a role. The IAA Level 1 competency assessment includes the following areas:

• Immigration rules overview.
• UK ancestry.
• ETA and Visitor visas (Appendix Visitor).
• Family and Partner visas (Appendix FM).
• Legacy Family visa laws and Family visa laws for non-core routes (Appendix FM Remainder and Part 8).
• The EU Settlement Scheme (Appendix EU).
• Financial requirements for visa applications.
• UK settlement routes.
• British citizenship and citizenship applications.
• Appeals and administrative reviews.

The course will help you to understand what knowledge you need, and how you can express it in your exam to maximise your grade. Immigration Advice Service has a 92% satisfaction rate for customers who found their training useful and beneficial.