ESOS ACT AMENDMENTS – AN IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROVIDERS

Australia’s international education regulatory framework has just seen its most significant update in years.

On 5 December 2025, a package of ESOS Act amendments commenced that strengthens compliance, transparency and student protections across the entire sector, from CRICOS registration to agent engagement and record-keeping.

Key changes providers need to know:
– A revised legal framework requiring tighter oversight of education agents and agent commissions, with clearer definitions and reporting requirements.
– Stronger “fit and proper” provider assessments, including consideration of ownership and relationships with agents.
– Enhanced registration and processing requirements – for example, demonstrating genuine capacity and delivery history in some sectors.
– New expectations for recruitment and documentation practices, especially around agent activities and English language assessment data.

These reforms are designed to protect:
– The student experience and visa integrity
– Australia’s reputation as a high-quality education destination
– The long-term viability and trustworthiness of providers operating under the ESOS legislative framework.

What this means for your compliance strategy
If you haven’t reviewed your ESOS compliance systems lately, now is the time. The new integrity measures bring increased expectations for evidence, record-keeping and risk management across your operations.

-> This is exactly why we developed the Educli ESOS Compliance Assessment; to help education providers quickly benchmark their processes against the updated legal and regulatory requirements and identify any gaps before they become issues.

With Educli’s ESOS Compliance Assessment you can:
* Understand where your policies, procedures and records stand in relation to the latest ESOS regulations
* Get tailored insights into compliance strengths and risks
* Build a roadmap to strengthen documentation, agent engagement and operational safeguards
* Prepare your organisation for audits and regulatory scrutiny

Ready to see how compliant you really are? Take the first step with our ESOS Compliance Assessment: https://www.educli.com/en/esos-self-assessment-landing

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