Migration Associates
For Successful New Zealand Immigration
Our Team
Our dedicated team is ready to provide you with expert advice, personalised assistance, and unmatched support to make your transition to New Zealand as smooth and successful as possible. Let us be your trusted guide in turning your New Zealand dreams into reality.
We have three Licensed Immigration Advisers who are available to assist you with your questions. For any enquiries, please contact us.
All of our Licensed Immigration Advisers are registered with the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA). You can confirm their registration status on the IAA’s official register by clicking here.
Our team speak many languages
☑︎ English ☑︎ Malay ☑︎ Cambodian ☑︎ Tagalog ☑︎Japanese ☑︎ Mandarin and ☑︎ French
Borey Chum
Licensed Immigration Adviser and Managing Director
Member and Former Director of the New Zealand Association for Migration & Investment
Finalist 2017 Immigration Lawyer/Adviser of the Year
Borey is a qualified New Zealand solicitor and Licensed Immigration Adviser. He holds dual citizenship having established Migration Associates in the United Kingdom before migrating back to New Zealand with his family in 2016. Borey established Migration Associates in New Zealand and acquired Licensed Immigration Adviser, Christine Yap, who is still a current employee of Migration Associates.
Borey has a wealth of knowledge in the New Zealand immigration industry having working in both private and corporate companies.
Christine Yap
Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser
Christine grew up in Malaysia and later went on to gain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Psychology with Honours in Canada. Christine has over 15 years of experience in the immigration industry, having worked as an immigration consultant in a large corporate firm as well as a smaller immigration practice. This vast experience has enabled her to gain valuable knowledge on immigration law and policy, and the ability to understand the importance of client care. Christine has been a Licensed Immigration Adviser in New Zealand since May 2009 and began employment with Migration Associates when Managing Director, Borey Chum, relocated back to New Zealand from the United Kingdom.
Christine is experienced in dealing with an expansive range of visa applications, from temporary to permanent, along with specialised submissions. She is highly commended, and her skills and experience enable her to provide personalised assistance and high-quality service to clients to ensure success. Outside of work, Christine is a keen tennis player and coach. She also enjoys immersing herself in new cultures and landscapes.
Michael Cooke
Licensed Immigration Adviser
Michael was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and is married with two young children. Michael developed his keen interest in travel and communication through completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese and Chinese languages. He has spent an extended time living and working in both Japan and China, in addition to back-packing through two continents and supporting a community development project in Africa.
Michael has been a Licensed Immigration Adviser since 2017 and prior to this, he developed his keen attention to detail and written communication whilst supporting students with special needs at Lincoln University. Michael has been employed by Migration Associates for all his Adviser career and is highly praised by his clients. Michael has a passion for assisting people from all countries and enjoys seeing people realise their dreams. He has accumulated broad experience assisting clients with a large variety of temporary and permanent class visa applications. Michael is a dedicated family-man which shows in his client care and reverent manner.
Audrey Avry
Visa Administrator
Audrey was born and raised in Brittany, France. She graduated from the University of Western Brittany in 2015 with a Bachelor of Laws, and in her early career worked as a Corporate Formalities Officer for the Chamber of Commerce of Nantes. Audrey decided to make New Zealand her home in 2017 after travelling overseas for a few years; she now lives in Christchurch with her husband and dog.
Audrey recently joined Migration Associates as a Visa Administrator where she primarily assists our Christine Yap along with our other Licensed Immigration Advisers. Audrey wishes to become a Licensed Immigration Adviser herself and expects to gain her Graduate Certificate in Immigration Advice from Toi Ohomai in the next two years whilst working with Migration Associates. Audrey is excited about working in the immigration industry as she loves learning and understanding people’s interesting stories and backgrounds. She flourishes in finding ways to help people achieve their dreams of living and working in New Zealand. She loves to improve her knowledge and interpretation of New Zealand immigration legislation and policy.
When Audrey isn’t working (or studying!), she enjoys taking part in the organisation of music festivals, hiking with her dog, and experiencing what the South Island has to offer.
Katrina Tumbaga
Visa Administrator
Kat is originally from the Philippines and has been here in New Zealand for nearly five years. She gained her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in the Philippines and worked for about a year in a government institution before migrating to New Zealand with her family. Kat is family-oriented and spends most of her free time doing activities and bonding with her family. Every so often, she visits her home country to see her loved ones.
Kat joined Migration Associates in early 2023 as a Visa Administrator where she primarily assists Borey Chum along with our other Licensed Immigration Advisers. She is very grateful to be given the opportunity to live and work in such an amazing country, and she also wants others to experience what New Zealand has to offer and be a part of their migration journey.
Maybelene Napilan
Visa Administrator
May is a dedicated Visa Administrator at Migration Associates, bringing her expertise and commitment to every task she undertakes. After gaining a Diploma in Office Management Technology in 2017 from her home country of the Philippines, May relocated to New Zealand with her family. With May having a solid background in customer service spanning four years, she understands the importance of exceptional communication and attention to detail.
May joined Migration Associates in August 2022, after working in customer service and hospitality. She effectively handles her administrative duties and primarily assists Licensed Immigration Adviser, Michael Cooke, to ensure efficient management of his clients. She also provides support to the wider Migration Associates team.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, May embraces her personal interests such as watching movies, listening to different genres of music, and embarking on hikes that allow her to reconnect with the world outside the office.
Hayley Bond
Visa Administrator – Part-time
Originally from Nelson, Hayley joined Migration Associates in March 2023. She assists the team where possible alongside full-time study towards a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Criminal Justice at the University of Canterbury.
After living in Fiji for two years and attending an international school, Hayley mixed with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Her experience sparked an interest in immigration that she endeavours to explore by assisting the Migration Associates team in helping others through their journey of migration to New Zealand.
