Australia is introducing further decisive measures to combat student poaching and an abuse of its education system from operators driven by commercial gain – a ban on agent commissions earned from student transfers between providers in Australia is set to happen.

A series of “risk indicators” will form a monitoring framework and education providers will be given greater access to agent performance data – such as student completion rates and visa rejection rates.

Further, the ESOS Act standards required for education provider registration will be tightened – cross-ownership of businesses by education agencies and providers will be prevented.

Education minister Jason Clare announced, “International students are back, but so are the shonks seeking to exploit them and undermine our international education system.

“That’s why we are acting. Students from around the world choose to come here first and foremost for the high-quality education we offer.”

He explained that the Nixon Review identified the need to increase monitoring and compliance in the international education sector.

“The government will outline further measures to crack down on dodgy and unscrupulous players in the international education sector in the next few days,” said Clare.

Fellow minister for home affairs, Clare O’Neil, said this was the first of “many announcements” this week.

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

The move was welcomed by Nishidhar Borra, president of AAERI which represents professional agencies in India that work to send students to Australia.

“AAERI welcomes the measures taken by authorities and it’s a very positive step forward,” he told The PIE.

“It’s a known fact that agents and institutes put in a lot of effort, time and resources to promote Australia and assist students with career counselling, enrolment and other issues. Unethical poaching of students onshore was a serious concern for all.”

Ravi Lochan Singh, owner of major agency Global Reach in India, also welcomed the move and noted his ESOS submission recommended removing the commission incentive for onshore switching.

He told The PIE,  “In recent years, onshore poaching of students had increased and there were instances of students taking advantage of streamlining to arrive in Australia and then switch to dodgy or ghost colleges facilitated by onshore migration agents.”

This news means the government is making further headway since the joint media release in August from the departments of education, home affairs and skills & training that announced an end to the “concurrent visa” loophole.

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