New data obtained by The Australian reveal that in 2024 universities paid more than AUD 530 million in commissions to offshore education agents—nearly double the figure disclosed five years ago. The University of NSW alone handed agents AUD 133 million while earning AUD 1.4 billion in international tuition fees; the University of Sydney spent AUD 141 million over two years. International students now account for close to half of enrolments at several Group-of-Eight institutions.
Critics argue that high commission payments incentivise agents to prioritise volume over visa integrity, fuelling concerns about fraudulent documentation and student under-preparedness. In response, the federal Education Department has quietly introduced regulations requiring universities to report commission outlays, although the figures will not be made public. Some institutions—Monash and Melbourne among them—refused to disclose their latest numbers to journalists, citing commercial sensitivity.
Amid these shifting dynamics, students, universities and employers can streamline the visa side of the process by using services such as VisaHQ. The platform’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers up-to-date requirements, document checklists and application management for multiple visa categories, helping applicants avoid errors that could trigger delays under the tighter compliance regime.
![Universities’ $530 m commission spend on overseas agents reignites student-visa integrity debate]()
The revelations land as Home Affairs tightens the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), recently classifying India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan as Evidence Level 3 countries, meaning applicants face stricter financial and English-language checks. Business groups warn that reputational damage could jeopardise Australia’s goal of increasing global market share in transnational education, worth $48 billion annually to the economy.
For corporate mobility programs, the findings matter in two ways: first, employers relying on post-study work rights to source talent may encounter longer processing times as authorities scrutinise applications from high-risk cohorts. Second, education clients should review contracts with recruitment partners to ensure compliance with new disclosure rules and ethical-recruitment standards such as the London Statement.
Universities with significant international cohorts are likely to accelerate purpose-built student-housing projects to ease political pressure over rental affordability—a trend relocation providers should monitor when advising graduate hires.
Critics argue that high commission payments incentivise agents to prioritise volume over visa integrity, fuelling concerns about fraudulent documentation and student under-preparedness. In response, the federal Education Department has quietly introduced regulations requiring universities to report commission outlays, although the figures will not be made public. Some institutions—Monash and Melbourne among them—refused to disclose their latest numbers to journalists, citing commercial sensitivity.
Amid these shifting dynamics, students, universities and employers can streamline the visa side of the process by using services such as VisaHQ. The platform’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers up-to-date requirements, document checklists and application management for multiple visa categories, helping applicants avoid errors that could trigger delays under the tighter compliance regime.
The revelations land as Home Affairs tightens the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), recently classifying India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan as Evidence Level 3 countries, meaning applicants face stricter financial and English-language checks. Business groups warn that reputational damage could jeopardise Australia’s goal of increasing global market share in transnational education, worth $48 billion annually to the economy.
For corporate mobility programs, the findings matter in two ways: first, employers relying on post-study work rights to source talent may encounter longer processing times as authorities scrutinise applications from high-risk cohorts. Second, education clients should review contracts with recruitment partners to ensure compliance with new disclosure rules and ethical-recruitment standards such as the London Statement.
Universities with significant international cohorts are likely to accelerate purpose-built student-housing projects to ease political pressure over rental affordability—a trend relocation providers should monitor when advising graduate hires.
