Education minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord (Opening Doors to Opportunity) Costs 2026 “sets out a framework for the ATEC to exercise its existing power to allocate global trainee numbers.”
He confirmed the federal government would continue to manage overall global trainee numbers through the National Planning Level (NPL), specifying there is presently no statutory cap on global trainees which the legislation does not change this.
Under the NPL, the government sets an overall national figure for abroad trainee commencements, which is used to inform visa processing by the Department of Home Affairs.
If the Expense passes, obligation for distributing those commencements throughout individual universities and suppliers would shift to ATEC.
“In other words, where the government sets a National Preparation Level, the ATEC will assign places to specific universities and other higher education providers,” described Clare.
Under the proposed model, the minister would set an overall figure through an “international allowance pool decision” which would specify “the general number of prepared commencements”.
“The minister’s determination may also require ATEC to consider federal government priorities, such as trainee housing and market diversification, when they make their allocations,” he added.
“However it will be ATEC that makes the decision about allotments to universities, in consultation with the universities through the process for working out mission-based compacts.”
This modification reacts to feedback from our universities. They told us that this power– to set individual allocations within the National Preparation Level– must be worked out by the independent ATEC … and I concur
Jason Clare, education minister
“This modification responds to feedback from our universities. They informed us that this power– to set individual allowances within the National Planning Level– must be exercised by the independent ATEC … and I concur.”
“To help the ATEC with this work, the ATEC will be given access to worldwide trainee and company information gathered under the ESOS Act,” explained Clare.
The National Student Ombudsman would likewise be given access to the same info. In addition, data-sharing arrangements would enable info held by the Ombudsman and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Firm to be shown ATEC to inform allocation decisions.
The Expense is the seventh piece of legislation introduced by the Albanese Government to carry out the Universities Accord.
Somewhere else, the legislation presents a range of reforms suggested by the Universities Accord, including brand-new funding plans focused on expanding access to college for domestic trainees.