Hiring your next adviser means a clear list of things to sort before they can advise under your business. Some is admin, some takes weeks to clear. This is the checklist we walk KAN members through so nothing gets missed.

Work out which type of adviser first

Almost everything downstream depends on this.

• New to industry. Needs Level 5, likely a mentor for the first 12 months. Longest runway.

• Transferring from another aggregator or business. Already qualified and accredited, so it's transferring accreditations across rather than building them. Faster.

The paperwork

Before we add anyone, they complete the KAN Financial Adviser Membership Application and upload these documents in the form. A member of the KAN team can send you the form if you don't already have it.

• Verified passport and visa, within the last 90 days (JP for new advisers, JP or lawyer/solicitor for existing).

• Verified bank statement as proof of address, same rules.

• Up-to-date CV with full employment history. Not needed if transferring from another aggregator.

• Individual Business Plan and Mentorship Program. Templates provided. Not needed if transferring.

Get these moving early, the same ID and proof of address are needed again for the bank accreditation checks.

Accreditations

This takes the longest, so start as soon as the paperwork is in.

New to industry: Level 5 (Strategi, Open Polytechnic, Massey, Professional IQ) plus FSPR registration as an individual, which needs a RealMe login and costs roughly $1,000.

Transferring in: qualification and FSPR are already done, so it's transferring their existing accreditations across.

Either way, we apply for bank accreditations through KAN. Expect 2 to 12 weeks depending on history. If they've worked at a bank, we apply there first and the others usually follow. Disclose any past conduct issues up front, as the extra due diligence is what stretches the timeframe.

Note for new-to-industry advisers: most major banks require 6 months of experience in a relevant residential mortgage role, such as an adviser or support role, before they'll accredit them.

A new adviser without lending experience needs a mentor for 12 months. If you have the experience in-house you can usually fill that role yourself, which is a real advantage of hiring into an established business.

More detail in How to become a Mortgage Adviser in New Zealand.

Adding them to your systems

• Added to the FSPR, with your trading name on their individual record under 'General Details'.

• Linked to your DRS.

• Named individually on your PI certificate (adding to your existing policy).

• Business email and any comms tools.

• Trail login under your business.

If they're bringing clients

Flag this early, it changes the timeline and sometimes the commercials.

If they're bringing a book across, there may need to be a sale and purchase agreement between the businesses. Don't skip it, it clarifies who owns the clients and trail income.

There's also a data migration:

• From another CRM: their data migrates into Trail.

• Already on Trail under another business: data still migrates into your Trail environment.

Talk to us before their start date so it's scoped rather than rushed.

Timeframes and costs

Full runway is 4 weeks to 6 months, driven by qualifications and accreditation, not paperwork. Transferring advisers sit at the fast end (2 to 12 weeks accreditation plus setup); new-to-industry adds Level 5 and 12 months of mentoring.

Most one-offs sit with the individual or are already covered as an established business. FSPR individual registration is around $1,000 for a genuinely new adviser. Your PI is already in place, so it's adding a name. Level 5 varies by provider.

Next steps

Have your new adviser complete the membership application, upload their documents, and let us know they're coming. We'll start the accreditations and scope any book or data migration alongside.

Reach out to the KAN team if you have any questions.