Education minister Jason Clare stated the Universities Accord (Opening Doors to Opportunity) Expense 2026 “sets out a structure for the ATEC to exercise its existing power to designate global trainee numbers.”
He verified the government would continue to handle total international student numbers through the National Planning Level (NPL), stating there is currently no statutory cap on worldwide trainees and that the legislation does not change this.
Under the NPL, the federal government sets a general nationwide figure for overseas trainee starts, which is used to notify visa processing by the Department of Home Affairs.
If the Bill passes, responsibility for dispersing those starts throughout specific universities and service providers would move to ATEC.
“Simply put, where the government sets a National Preparation Level, the ATEC will designate locations to individual universities and other college service providers,” described Clare.
Under the proposed design, the minister would set a total figure through an “international allotment swimming pool decision” which would define “the total number of prepared commencements”.
“The minister’s determination may likewise require ATEC to take into consideration federal government concerns, such as trainee housing and market diversification, when they make their allotments,” he added.
“Nevertheless it will be ATEC that decides about allocations to universities, in assessment with the universities through the procedure for negotiating mission-based compacts.”
This modification responds to feedback from our universities. They told us that this power– to set specific allowances within the National Planning Level– must be exercised by the independent ATEC … and I concur
Jason Clare, education minister
“This modification reacts to feedback from our universities. They told us that this power– to set private allotments within the National Preparation Level– ought to 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 supplier info collected under the ESOS Act,” described Clare.
The National Student Ombudsman would likewise be admitted to the exact same details. In addition, data-sharing arrangements would allow details held by the Ombudsman and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency to be shown ATEC to inform allowance choices.
The Bill is the seventh piece of legislation introduced by the Albanese Government to carry out the Universities Accord.
In other places, the legislation introduces a variety of reforms advised by the Universities Accord, consisting of brand-new financing arrangements targeted at broadening access to higher education for domestic trainees.