Crackdown looms for international education providers

Andrew Brown | October 2, 2023

International students will have greater protection from “shonky” education providers and agents under a federal government crackdown.

Changes to the international student education system will introduce risk indicators across the sector to boost compliance and stop students from being exploited.

The standards required of people who own educational centres for international students will also be increased, and owners will also be banned from having a stake in education agent businesses.

Agent commissions will also be banned for international student transfers in a bid to crack down on student poaching.

The changes, set to be formally announced on Monday, follow a review of Australia’s immigration and visa system.

The review, headed up by former Victorian police commissioner Christine Nixon, was set up amid reports of human trafficking and exploitation.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the changes would help protect international students.

“International students are back, but so are the shonks seeking to exploit them and undermine our international education system,” he said.

“The Nixon review identified the need to increase monitoring and compliance in the international education sector and the government is responding.”

Educational providers will also get more access to the performance data of education agents as part of the changes, which will include metrics such as student completion rates and visa rejection rates.

It’s hoped the changes would allow for academic institutions to have more transparency on the work of education agents and their practices.

As part of the monitoring framework for the sector, the monitoring of student attendance will also increase.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the overhaul would mean dodgy providers would be weeded out.

“This is the first of many announcements this week to restore integrity to international education and to our migration system,” she said.

“The party is over, the rorts and loopholes that have plagued this system will be shut down.”