VET News
Wednesday 26th of November 2025
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Hello and welcome to VET News,
There is a little piece of proposed legislation quietly making its way through the Federal Parliament at the moment that many people may not be aware of, but there are some significant changes for the CRICOS sector coming. The Education Legislation Amendment Integrity and Other Measures Bill 2025 (link) has strong cross-party support and is likely to pass either this week or next year in the first sitting.
The Senate report behind these changes is large and technical (link). I spent some time working through it and pulled out the changes that matter most for providers both existing and those considering a CRICOS registration. The following points give you a clear sense of what is coming without having to review the full report.
Ministerial power to pause applications
- Power to suspend new CRICOS provider applications including those already submitted
- Power to suspend applications to add new CRICOS courses
- Suspension can run for up to 12 months
Domestic delivery requirement for new providers
- New providers must show two years of genuine domestic delivery
- Delivery must be real and effective, not paper enrolments
- ELICOS and Foundation providers are exempt
- Designed to prevent pop-up providers seeking CRICOS entry
Automatic cancellation of inactive providers
- CRICOS registration is cancelled after 12 months of no international students
- Measurement starts from 1 January 2024
- Extensions available up to 12 months
- Approved school providers are exempt
- Aimed at removing dormant or non-genuine operators
Ministerial power to suspend or cancel entire classes of courses
- Minister can act across a whole category of courses
- Triggered by poor delivery, low completions, high transfers, or low public value
- Consultation with relevant bodies is required but not essential
- Providers cannot re-register cancelled courses while the instrument stands
- Designed to remove low-value courses without provider-by-provider action
Ban on paying commissions for onshore enrolments
- Commission payments to agents for onshore transfers or enrolments will be prohibited
- Applies where a student is already in Australia and shifts providers
- Definition of “education agent commission” is broad and includes non-monetary benefits
- Designed to stop poaching, churn, and recruitment practices that undermine visa integrity
- Providers will need clear processes to identify and report commission payments
The banning of commission payments for onshore enrolments will be very welcome to existing providers. The changes also make it a lot more difficult to register for CRICOS which is likely to also be positive for existing providers.
We will keep you up to date.
Good training,
Joe Newbery
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Compliance & Regulatory News
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Updated advice for imported Units of Competency
ASQA has updated their fact sheet on ‘Delivering Elective Units’ now includes new guidance on imported units of competency.
RTOs can generally select elective units from any endorsed training package or accredited course, as long as the units are relevant, align with AQF requirements, and lead to a valid, industry-supported outcome.
If the elective unit is already on the RTO’s scope, it can be delivered without notifying ASQA. However, if it is not on scope, the RTO must apply to ASQA to have it added before delivery.
Click here to find out more
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New methodology delivers clearer, more comparable insights
NCVER has introduced a new longitudinal data construct that better connects records using the Unique Student Identifier (USI). This updated methodology improves how completion rates are calculated and reported, making the data clearer, more transparent, and easier to analyse.
These enhancements will provide a more accurate view of learner progress.
The first publication to use the new methodology is VET completion rates 2024, which will be released at the end of November.
Click here to find out more
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Second Tribunal decision affirms ASQA’s cancellation of qualification
10th November 2025
The Administrative Review Tribunal has once again affirmed ASQA’s decision to cancel a qualification from the now-deregistered Gills College, following major non-compliance and inadequate assessment practices. ASQA CEO Saxon Rice emphasised that students should be cautious of “fast-track” offers that promise qualifications with minimal effort.
This decision underscores ASQA’s ongoing commitment to protecting the integrity of the VET sector and cracking down on bad-faith providers.
Click here to find out more
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2025 Standards- Insights
Friday, 28th November from 2:00pm to 3:00pm AEDT
ASQA is hosting a live-stream webinar on Friday, 28 November, from 2:00pm–3:00pm AEDT. The session will cover the 2025 Standards, which took effect on 1 July 2025, and share key insights from recent regulatory activities and engagement.
Register to secure your place and submit any questions in advance.
Each participant will receive a unique access link.
If you can’t attend, the recording and slides will be available afterward.
Click here to find out more
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AVETMISS Reporting 2025
Reminder for RTOs submitting fee-for-service annual data
The collection period opens on 1st January 2026 till 28th February 2026 for RTOs submitting fee-for-service annual data.
If your fee-for-service data is submitted through a state training authority, please confirm their specific submission dates directly with them.
Click here to find out more
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Business Opportunities / ATMs
ATM ID: ESE25/143318
Agency: Department of Education
Category: Education and Training Services
Close Date & Time: 18-Dec-2025 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time)
Publish Date: 4-Nov-2025
Location: ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS
Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart
Description: The department will engage IA organisations to deliver the Services across eight states and territories, which include capability building and practical inclusion advice and support, to eligible early childhood education and care services (ECEC services) within their jurisdiction.
Click here to find out more
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Have your say: Building a better understanding of the VET workforce
Now open till 12 noon AEDT 11th December 2025
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) are researching how casualisation affects the VET workforce—an urgent priority identified through the Blueprint consultations.
Download the discussion paper and share your feedback.
Click here to find out more
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Finalist announced for the 2025 Australian Training Awards
23rd October 2025
Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Andrew Giles MP, has announced the finalists for the 2025 Australian Training Awards, recognising excellence across Australia’s VET sector.
The Awards celebrate outstanding students, apprentices, trainers, employers and RTOs demonstrating innovation, commitment and best practice.
Click here to find out more
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New model code of Practice: Managing the risk of fatigue at work
Safe Work Australia has released a new model Code of Practice to help employers manage health and safety risks related to fatigue.
Fatigue can impair physical, mental, or emotional functioning, creating safety risks at work. Employers are responsible for preventing work-related fatigue and must consult with workers and design work in ways that minimise risks as far as reasonably possible.
Managing fatigue may involve adjusting work hours and shifts, ensuring adequate breaks, providing supportive tools or equipment, or changing how tasks are performed to allow for greater flexibility.
Click here to find out more
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Understanding airborne contaminants: new animations now available!
Safe Work Australia has released five new animations to help employers and workers understand airborne contaminants, their health impacts, and how to manage exposure risks.
The short videos explain what airborne contaminants are, where they come from, how to identify exposure, ways to control risks, and how to prepare for the upcoming workplace exposure limits (effective 1st December 2026).
Available in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese, the animations and supporting infographics can be found on the Airborne Contaminants Hub, offering practical guidance for safer workplaces.
Click here to find out more
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Reports, Articles, Papers and Research
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REOS Spotlight: Hiring activity steady as recruitment conditions continue to ease
23rd October 2025
Employer recruitment activity held steady in the September quarter 2025, with signs of improving hiring conditions and sentiment.
Half of all employers recruited staff during the quarter (up 6 points year-on-year), while recruitment difficulty fell to 42% — down 8 points from last year.
Queensland led recruitment activity (57%) and optimism for future hiring, while Construction remained the most challenging industry for filling roles.
Overall, the data points to a more confident labour market, with employers finding it easier to hire than in recent years.
Click here to find out more
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Speeding up progress towards gender economic equality
29th October 2025
Jobs and Skills Australia have released the final paper in its Gender Economic Equality Study, ‘Speeding up progress towards gender economic equality’, outlining 10 key actions to address structural barriers. The paper calls for early education interventions, targeted efforts to reduce gender segregation in occupations, and new initiatives such as a three-year Shifting the Dial on Gender Segregation agenda and a First Nations Women’s Economic Equality Plan.
Click here to find out more
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Vocational Education and Training Systems in Nine Countries
30th October 2025
Upper-secondary vocational education and training (VET) is the largest part of VET globally, combining classroom learning with work-based experience. It helps students gain job-ready skills while keeping pathways open for further study.
A new international report compares upper-secondary VET systems across nine countries — Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and Switzerland — examining seven key areas: system structure, curriculum and assessment, work-based learning, provider types, teacher qualifications, governance, and funding.
The report highlights both shared approaches and unique national models, offering valuable insights into how countries prepare learners for skilled careers and lifelong learning.
Click here to find out more
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Connecting for impact – The Jobs and Skills Report 2025
Australia’s workforce is changing fast, driven by technology, shifting skill demands, and structural change. Jobs and Skills Australia’s Jobs and Skills Report 2025: Connecting for Impact highlights how aligning productivity, participation, and skills can drive inclusive growth.
Key insights:
The report provides a roadmap for building a more skilled, inclusive, and future-ready workforce.
Click here to find out more
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Government funding of VET 2024
11th November 2025
This publication offers an in-depth overview of how public funding flows through Australia’s VET sector, outlining funding sources, supported activities, and allocations to training providers. It draws on 2024 data supplied by the Australian, state, and territory government departments that manage VET funding.
Government spending on vocational education and training (VET) rose by 55.8% between 2019 and 2024, according to NCVER’s Government Funding of VET 2024, which details how funding is distributed across the VET system.
Click here to find out more
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Focus on Micro-credentials: beyond COVID-19
Microcredentials are short, targeted courses that help people quickly build skills for specific work needs. Since COVID-19, their use has grown rapidly as the workforce adapts to new demands and more flexible ways of learning.
Drivers of this growth include technology changes, remote work, shifting skill needs, flexible delivery options, and affordability.
This edition of Focus on… highlights recent research into microcredentials, covering access, opportunities and outcomes, governance and frameworks, and their value to the labour market.
Click here to find out more
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Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Roadshow 2025
November- December 2025
The Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) 2025 Roadshow is coming to every capital city (plus Coffs Harbour) this Nov–Dec! Hear from experts, explore future jobs and skills, and connect with stakeholders.
An online event also available in December.
Click here to find out more
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11th Annual Conference on VET Teaching and VET Teacher Education
11th – 12th December 2025
Ann Harding Conference Centre,
Bruce ACT
VET Teaching in Tertiary Education: New Horizons for Policy and Practice
The Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) 11th Annual Conference will showcase the vital role the VET sector plays in tertiary education. Presenters and delegates will explore how a more integrated education system can enhance VET teaching and support the professional growth of VET educators.
Click here to find out more
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VET National Teaching & Learning Conference
13th – 14th August 2026
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Convenor: VET Development Centre
For over 20 years, the VET Development Centre has proudly delivered one of Australia’s premier teaching and learning conferences for the Vocational Education and Training sector. Building on this strong tradition, the upcoming conference will feature high-profile keynote speakers, dynamic presentations, panel discussions, concurrent interactive workshops, and research sessions.
Click here to find out more
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