Immigration Consultant CV Example + 2024 Guide - CV Plaza

Immigration Consultant CV Example + 2024 Guide

author Sobhan Mohmand, Career Expert         date 4 Oct 2023

As an immigration consultant (also known as an immigration advisor ), you will be responsible for providing guidance and assistance to clients who wish to relocate to another country. You will support clients with acquiring visas, filling in application forms, gathering legal documents, acquiring a new nationality or citizenship and appealing against a visa or immigration decisions.

This guide has been created to give you all the relevant information and guidance to help you write your perfect immigration consultant CV and get more job interviews.

Let’s get started!

Table of contents

CV example

Oliver Scott

82 Victoria Avenue
Canterbury
CY22 8NP
Mob: 079 2315 9922       Email: [email protected]

Personal profile statement

I am a committed and organised Immigration Advisor with a strong passion for helping to overcome their problems. I have more than two years of experience in helping individuals and families with their immigration issues, including, but not limited to, providing up to date immigration advice, applying for visas and passports, writing official letters and liaising with governmental agencies on behalf of the clients.

Achievements
  • Two years of relevant work experience
  • Employee of the month for two months running while at Fabulous Solutions
  • Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checked

Education
2007 – 2010Diploma in Business AdministrationAston CollegeGrade achieved: [Tripple Distinction]

Relevant Modules:

  • Discovering Business Enterprise
  • Business Negotiation Skills
  • Communication for Professional Effectiveness

2003 – 2007
Results: 10 GCSEs at Grades A-C, including Maths (B) and English (B)
GCSEsSummerfield Secondary School

Work experience
Jan 2014 – PresentImmigration Advisor (Level 1-3)       VisaSense Ltd

Main duties performed:

  • Providing legal advice regarding immigration to and from the UK
  • Preparing applications for Tier 4 student visas, entry clearance, partner visas, asylum seekers and indefinite leave to remain applications
  • Advising foreign nationals on residency and work permits
  • Drafting visa letters and application forms
  • Assisting with appeals, and visa and passport extensions
  • Double-checking all applications before they are submitted to the embassy
  • Liaising with the relevant authorities on behalf of the clients
  • Liaising with lawyers and solicitors to discuss particular cases
  • Investigating claims put forward by clients when necessary
  • Managing and prioritised in-tray tasks in order of importance and deadlines
  • Updating clients during every step of the immigration process
  • Reviewing changes in UK Home Office policies & procedures
  • Preventing immigration fraud and reporting any illegal activities to senior managers or the relevant authorities
  • Photocopying, scanning, sending and filing of official documents
  • Dealing with stressful situations in a calm and professional manner

Jan 2011 – Dec 2013Customer Services Assistant       Fabulous Solutions

Main duties performed:

  • Assisting customers with their purchases
  • Assisting the Customer Service Manager in brainstorming new ways to provide better customer service and streamline the complaints process
  • Handling customer returns or cancellations in a professional manner
  • Liaising with multiple departments within the organisation, including manufacturing, sales and legal to efficiently settle complaints

Qualifications
  • Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Levels 1-3 qualified
  • E-Type qualified (Level 2 Distinction)
  • Currently undergoing CILEX Level 3 Diploma in Providing Legal Services

Skills
  • Organisational skills: Experienced in keeping organised, handling a heavy workload and prioritising different tasks in order of importance
  • Communication skills: Able to communicate with a broad range of people including students, families, solicitors and government officials
  • Attention to detail: Adept at spotting mistakes in application forms and reading between the lines concerning immigration statutes

Hobbies and interests

In my spare time, I enjoy my weekly paintball sessions with work colleagues, along with socialising with immediate and extended family. The rest of my free time is spent keeping up to date with the latest developments in national and international politics.

References

Mr Phil Thompson
Senior Immigration Advisor, VisaSense Ltd
Address: 8 Oliver St, Kent, KP18 4OY
Tel: 0773 2451 9831
Email: [email protected]
Mrs Nicola White
Manager, Fabulous Solutions
Address: 2 Manor Road, Leeds, L26 3QS
Tel: 0782 7748 9273
Email: [email protected]


Preview

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How to structure and format your CV

  • Adopt a traditional CV format: A standard CV consists of the following 8 sections in order; personal profile, personal profile statement, achievements, education and qualifications, employment and work experience, hobbies and interests and, finally, references. It’s best to stick to this (or similar) format to help employers find the information that they need at a glance. An unconventional CV format will catch them off guard and waste their time as they try to understand how you have structured your CV.
  • Keep an eye on the length of your CV: As a general rule of thumb, shorter CVs are better than longer CVs. Try to only include the most important and up-to-date information while omitting any irrelevant or old information such as very basic-level qualifications or irrelevant, part-time work experience done a long time ago. The maximum length of a CV should not exceed two sides of an A4 paper.
  • Use a professional font: You should opt for a CV font that is professional and mainstream. Good fonts that you can use include Times New Roman, Verdana, Helvetica, Georgia and Calibri. Also, make sure you use the correct font size which is not too small (10pt or smaller) or too big (13pt or bigger).
  • Use plenty of white space: White space, as its name indicates, refers to the white space around the text elements of your CV such as paragraphs and subheadings. White space is used in visual art to create some “breathing space” around text-dense elements, making it easier for people to scan, read and digest the content of the document. You can experiment with the spacing and margins of your paragraphs and subheadings to give your CV a clean, clear structure.
  • Avoid using long paragraphs: Employer surveys have shown that employers tend to scan CVs for the most important information rather than read them in great detail. Use short paragraphs, bullet points and subheadings to improve the scannability and readability of your CV, instead of long, chunky paragraphs.

How to write an immigration consultant CV (step-by-step guide)

Personal details

Let’s start at the top with the personal details section.

This is going to be the first section of your CV and should contain your personal and contact details such as your name, address, telephone number and email address.

Some applicants also include their LinkedIn profile or the web address of their portfolio/blog. This is acceptable if it strengthens your job application.

Things not to include in this section (or anywhere else on your CV!):

  • Date of birth
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Marital status
  • Nationality (unless explicitly requested)

Example:

Personal profile

Next, you need to write a short introduction to your CV called a personal profile statement or CV summary. See your personal profile as a short “sales pitch” that informs the employer about your personal characteristics, abilities and experience.

Guidelines for writing an effective personal profile:

  • Keep it short and concise
  • Back up everything you say with facts, figures and examples

Immigration advisor CV personal profile:

I am a friendly and methodical immigration advisor with more than 3 years of experience in the law and legal industry. I have advised, supported and assisted more than three hundred clients with various immigration issues such as visas, residence permits, appeals, naturalisations, family reunions and court representations. I possess excellent organisational and time management skills, enabling me to handle a heavy workload and meet tight deadlines.

Achievements

Your achievements section, as its name suggests, contains a list of your achievements and accomplishments. See it as your badge of honour by which you wish to stand out from the other candidates and impress the employer.

Some examples of achievements to include on your CV:

  • Awards received
  • Promotions
  • Good grades
  • Qualifications gained
  • Relevant work experience
  • Elected for leadership or management positions (e.g. project manager)
  • Participated in charity events

Example:
  • 3 years of relevant work experience
  • Managed a small team of three office staff
  • High customer retention rate

Employment and work experience

Next, you need to write details of your previous jobs and work experience.

The types of jobs to include in this section are full-time, part-time, voluntary and professional placement positions.

It’s important that you also mention your key responsibilities, duties and/or achievements so that employers have a good understanding of what you did in these jobs and how they could be relevant to the job you’re applying for.

December 2020 – PresentImmigration consultant         Bayfield Solicitors

Main duties and responsibilities performed:

  • Advised and supported clients on all matters of immigration including visas, naturalisation, appeals and residence permits.
  • Conducted one-to-one immigration consultations with clients
  • Assisted clients with completing paperwork and application forms
  • Assisted clients with gathering the required documents
  • Checked application forms and documents, ensuring that they meet the strict requirements of the Home Office.
  • Liaised with other professionals for the benefit of clients
  • Kept up-to-date with the latest alterations in immigration laws

Duties to add to your CV

  • Provide information, advice and guidance on all matters related to immigration.
  • Process a range of different visa applications including business, family, settlement, study, transit and visitor visas.
  • Assist clients with gathering legal documents and completing application forms.
  • Manage a heavy caseload of clients.
  • Contact the immigration office on behalf of clients.
  • Appeal immigration decisions.
  • Represent clients in court.

Education and training

The education section contains details of your formal education and professional training qualifications (if applicable).

Things you can include in this section:

  • School-level qualifications such as GCSEs
  • College-level qualifications such as BTECs and A-Levels
  • University-level qualifications such as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees

Example:
2017-2020BSc International Tourism ManagementUniversity of Brighton Degree classification: 2:1.

Relevant Modules:

  • The Travel and Tourism Industry
  • Impacts of Tourism
  • International Business Analysis
  • Global Issues in Travel and Tourism
  • Employment Law
  • 2015 – 2017
    Results: Business (B), English (B) and Maths (B).
    A-LevelsSouthern Clark College

Qualifications

The qualifications section of your CV should contain a list of additional qualifications such as a first aid qualification.

Example:
  • Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance – Level 2 – South Staff College

Skills

Studies have shown that skills-focused and achievement-focused CVs are much better received by employers than duties-focused CVs.

Applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely to be shorted for an interview compared to those applications with duties-focused CVs.

You should list some of your key skills and abilities in part of your CV, especially those that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Example:
  • Comprehensive knowledge of immigration laws and the legal industry
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated in my ability to work with a variety of clients, colleagues and third-party professionals
  • Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office

Useful skills to add to your consultant advisor CV:

  • Organisational and time-management skills
  • Interpersonal skills to communicate with clients
  • Listening skills to pay attention to the concerns of the clients
  • Writing skills to write reports or fill in application forms
  • Proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite
  • The ability to multi-task, handle a heavy workload and meet deadlines
  • Attention to detail to ensure no small details are missed

Hobbies and interests (optional)

The hobbies and interests section is often overlooked by candidates but, in certain circumstances, it can add value to your job application.

For example, mentioning that you participate in events for charity demonstrates to the employer that you care about good causes and want to help people, an excellent characteristic to have in an immigration consultant/advisor.

Note: only mention hobbies that are relevant to the job or those that add value to your CV.

Example:
In my free time, I enjoy doing online research and watching TV documentaries to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in my industry.

References

The last section of your CV contains the personal details of your references.

Your references are two people who know you well, have worked with you in the past and can vouch for your character, skills and abilities to the employer.

Who can be your reference?

Your current or previous employer, manager, teacher, tutor, coach, etc.

Who can’t be your reference?

Friends or family members – this is because employers with to have an unbiased, professional opinion about you. It’s highly unlikely that your mum, dad or best friend would be 100% honest and/or critical of you to the employer!

Example:
Mr Freddy Irwin
Managing Director, Bayfield Solicitors
Address: 24 Station St, Essex, E83 1PA
Tel: 07663578720
Email: [email protected]
Mr Hamza Patel
Solicitor, Immigration Law Office Solicitors
Address: 6 Weston Rd, Dudley, D92 1LS
Tel: 078743562203
Email: [email protected]

Tips to make your CV more effective

  • Showcase your expertise: As an immigration advisor/consultant, you should be someone who is well-grounded in all aspects of your job. Your CV should clearly reflect that you are an authority in your field. For example, don’t just write “completed application forms” as one of your responsibilities because anyone can fill in an application form! Compare the previous statement with, “Completed visa and residency applications, including student visas, entry clearance, partner visas and indefinite leave to remain.” Sounds much better, right?
  • Include a cover letter with your job application: You can boost the impact of your CV by sending with it a tailored, personalised cover letter. A cover letter is a one-page letter that informs the employer about the reason for your application, your key strengths and abilities and why they should consider you as a suitable candidate for the advertised role. Research has shown that most applicants don’t send cover letters with their applications so this is your opportunity to make your application stand out from the crowd and secure a job interview.

Written by Sobhan Mohmand
Sobhan is a qualified Careers Advisor and Professional CV Writer with over 10 years of experience in helping job seekers get a job. He is a Member of the Careers Development Institute (CDI) and is listed on the official UK Register of Career Development Professionals. He holds a Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development (QCF).
immigration-advisor

OVERVIEW

  • SALARY RANGE
    £18.000 – £35.000
  • ENTRY
    Degree or Relevant Work Experience
  • WORKING HOURS
    37+ hours per week

Competencies

  • Communication Skills
    Ability to communicate effectively with clients and legal professionals
  • Writing Skills
    Excellent writing skills to write clear and concise reports
  • Eye for Detail
    Providing accurate and consistent results with no mistakes
  • Specialist Knowledge
    Expert knowledge in the legal aspects of the job
  • Customer Service
    Ability to relate to customer’s needs and offering appropriate advice and solutions
  • Telephone Manners
    Ability to making phone calls in a clear and professional manner

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