REOI outcome for migration agent courses – 20 Jan 2026

Key data from the REOI outcome for migration agent courses

What is LI 18/003 for migration agent registration?

The Migration (IMMI 18/003 - Specified courses and exams for registration as a migration agent) Instrument 2018 (LI 18/003) sets out the courses and exams that meet requirements for registration as a migration agent with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA). The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that LI 18/003 is due to sunset on 1 April 2026, and is being remade so it aligns with OMARA’s updated requirements. This could affect how future agents demonstrate they have completed an approved migration law program.

REOI process and timeline for specified migration law courses

The Department invited all higher education providers interested in having their programs listed in the remade instrument to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). This Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) closed on 4 August 2025. After assessing submissions, the Department has now finalised the outcome and is preparing a new instrument to replace IMMI 18/003 in 2026. Exact commencement details for the new instrument are not provided in the update, so timing beyond the sunset date is not specified in the source.

Universities and courses approved in-principle

The announcement lists the courses assessed and approved in-principle for inclusion in the new instrument. These are proposed courses only; final inclusion will depend on the registration of the replacement instrument. Still, this list gives migration agents, visa applicants and education providers a clear view of which programs the Department has accepted at this stage.

• Outcome relates specifically to **specified courses and exams** for migration agent registration.
• Applies to **higher education providers** only, per the REOI.
• Existing instrument **IMMI 18/003 sunsets on 1 April 2026**.
• New instrument is being prepared, but not yet detailed in this notice.
• Only the **seven listed courses** are mentioned in the outcome.

Analysis of the 20 January 2026 REOI outcome for migration agent courses

For migration agents, this update signals where future entrants to the profession may be training. All seven courses are postgraduate programs focused on Australian migration law and practice, delivered by established universities across multiple states. That concentration suggests OMARA’s updated requirements continue to emphasise specialised, graduate-level migration law education (anzsco.ai data often shows similar clustering in other regulated pathways).

For visa applicants considering a career shift into migration advice, the list helps answer a simple question: which courses has the Department actually accepted at this stage? Only the programs from Australian Catholic University, Griffith University, Murdoch University, University of Technology Sydney, Victoria University and Western Sydney University appear in the REOI outcome. No other providers or qualifications are mentioned in the source, so any additional offerings are outside the scope of this announcement.

“The following courses were assessed and approved in-principle for inclusion in the new instrument.”

Education providers gain a different insight. The REOI invited all higher education providers to seek inclusion, and the outcome lists only seven courses. This may prompt providers not named in the list to review the separate Request for Expressions of Interest for remake of Legislative Instrument 18/003 referenced by the Department, to understand the criteria and whether any future processes could apply. Lowest since September 2025.

Our analysis of the 20 January 2026 notice also highlights what is not included. The Department does not outline exam providers, detailed course entry requirements, delivery modes, or any grandfathering rules for students already enrolled under the current instrument. Where information is missing, migration agents, applicants and universities may wish to consider checking the legislative instrument itself once registered, as that will contain the authoritative legal detail.

Next steps for migration agents, students and education providers

What this means for current and aspiring migration agents

1. 01Current agents may wish to consider monitoring the registration of the new instrument replacing LI 18/003, as it will define recognised courses and exams going forward.
2. 02Prospective agents planning study could review the seven listed programs and compare them using anzsco.ai’s [search tools](https://app.anzsco.ai/search) alongside OMARA guidance.
3. 03Anyone advising students may treat the “approved in-principle” status as provisional until the new instrument is formally made.

Implications for students and higher education providers

Students considering migration law may wish to consider which of the listed universities best aligns with their location, academic background and long-term practice plans. A single sentence. Education providers, particularly those not on the list, might review the Request for Expressions of Interest for remake of Legislative Instrument 18/003 Specified courses and exams for registration as a migration agent, as cited by the Department, to understand the process that led to this outcome. That document, rather than this short news item, is likely to contain more procedural detail about how courses were assessed and what requirements applied to providers seeking inclusion.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute migration advice. Always consult a MARA-registered migration agent for advice specific to your circumstances.

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