Onshore Education Commissions in Australia: Where Things Stand Now Over the past few years, onshore student recruitment in Australia has gone through a noticeable shift—and agent commissions are right at the centre of it.

 

If you’ve been in the international education space long enough, you’ll remember a time when onshore commissions were widely offered, flexible, and often negotiated case by case. That landscape is changing fast.

 

The Traditional Onshore Commission Model Historically, many universities, colleges, and VET providers offered onshore commissions in the range of 10%–20%, depending on the course, level of study, and volume of students. Some private providers went higher, especially to remain competitive in saturated markets.

 

Incentives, bonuses, and tier-based commission bands were common, and onshore transfers formed a significant part of many agencies’ revenue streams.

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What’s Changing — and Why It Matters

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The Australian Government has made it clear that integrity and student welfare must come first. As part of broader ESOS and National Code reforms, provider-paid commissions for onshore student transfers are being phased out, with full enforcement expected by March 2026.

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In simple terms:

 

• Providers will no longer be allowed to pay agents for recruiting students who are already onshore and transferring between institutions.

• This includes bonuses, incentives, and any indirect financial benefits tied to such transfers.

 

The intention is to remove financial motivation that could influence a student’s study decisions inappropriately.

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What Still Works

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It’s important to clarify that offshore recruitment commissions remain unaffected, and onshore commissions may still apply in specific situations—such as students completing their course and applying for a new visa pathway, depending on provider policy.

 

Agents can also continue to charge service fees directly to students, provided everything is transparent and compliant.

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What This Means for 2025–26

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For agents, this is a moment to reset:

 

• Focus more on quality counselling, not volume.

• Strengthen offshore pipelines.

• Build value beyond commissions—advisory, compliance support, and long-term student planning.

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For providers, it’s about partnering with agencies that prioritise genuine students, strong academic fit, and long-term outcomes.

 

Final Thoughts Onshore commissions aren’t disappearing overnight—but they are becoming more regulated, more scrutinised, and less flexible than before. The agencies that adapt early, stay compliant, and focus on student-first recruitment will be the ones that continue to grow.

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Change is never easy, but for the Australian education sector, this shift is about sustainability—and doing things the right way.