A new campaign is gathering momentum within Australia’s international education sector, with a Change.org petition calling on the Federal Government to abandon plans to ban commissions for onshore education agents under proposed ESOS amendments.
The petition, titled “Petition to Oppose the Commission Ban on Onshore Education Agents Under the ESOS Amendment,” has been launched by the Migration and Education Consultants Alliance Australia (MECAA). It urges the government to reconsider the proposed prohibition, arguing that the move would have significant unintended consequences for students, agents and institutions alike.
According to the petition, onshore education agents provide far more than recruitment services. They assist students already in Australia with course changes, compliance guidance, academic direction and broader settlement support. The campaign contends that removing commission payments would undermine the financial viability of many small and medium-sized advisory businesses, ultimately reducing access to trusted advice at a time when visa settings and compliance requirements have become more complex.
The proposed change forms part of amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act), legislation that governs Australia’s international education framework. Supporters of the petition argue that while integrity and quality assurance are essential, an outright ban on onshore commissions risks penalising compliant operators without adequately addressing systemic challenges elsewhere in the recruitment chain.
The petition also raises concerns about Australia’s global competitiveness. At a time when competitor nations are refining their recruitment strategies and student support systems, campaign organisers warn that limiting onshore advisory support could make Australia less attractive to prospective and current students. For regional institutions and smaller providers in particular, onshore agents often play a critical role in helping students transition between courses or institutions in a compliant and transparent way.
Economic impacts are also flagged. International education remains one of Australia’s largest export industries, supporting jobs not only in education but across accommodation, retail, hospitality and transport. The petition argues that sudden changes to agent remuneration structures could disrupt enrolment flows and compound pressures already facing parts of the sector.
Signatories are calling for consultation and proportionate regulation rather than prohibition. The message is not that oversight should be weakened, but that reforms should be evidence-based and developed in partnership with industry stakeholders. Organisers say the sector deserves a measured approach that balances integrity with sustainability.
As signatures continue to accumulate online, the petition reflects a broader unease within segments of the international education community about the pace and direction of regulatory change. Whether the government adjusts course remains to be seen, but the debate over the role of onshore agents, and how they are remunerated, is now firmly in the public domain.
The petition can be seen here.
