You are partway through a course in Australia and wondering whether to switch — a different provider, a different qualification, maybe a different city. That is a legitimate question. But the advice landscape shifted from 31 March 2026, and some of what you hear from agents right now may be shaped by who is paying them — not by what is best for your pathway.
This article explains what changed, what did not change, and how to think through a transfer decision clearly.
What the rule actually says
From 31 March 2026, education providers cannot pay agent commissions for onshore student transfers — that is, a student switching providers while still mid-course.
The rule is narrow. It covers one specific situation: you are enrolled, your course is not finished, and you want to move to a different provider.
It does NOT cover a student who has completed a course and then enrols in a new one. In that situation, commissions still apply. That distinction matters, because an agent recommending a new course to someone who has already finished studying may still be earning a commission on that recommendation. The honest question to ask any agent is: who is paying you for this recommendation?
Why this matters for your transfer decision
Before 31 March 2026, an agent who recommended a mid-course provider switch could be paid by the receiving provider. That financial incentive existed whether or not the switch was in your interest.
From that date, that payment is no longer permitted for onshore mid-course transfers. That removes one financial incentive — but it does not remove all of them. Agents can still earn commissions on new enrolments after a completed course. So if an agent is encouraging you to finish quickly and then re-enrol somewhere else, the same question applies: ask who is paying them.
The rule change does not make every agent's advice wrong. It does mean you now have a clearer framework for asking the right question.
The scale of what you are choosing between
The CRICOS register lists 26,372 courses across 1,533 registered providers. Those courses connect to skilled occupations through 1,417,644 course-to-occupation links.
That scale matters for one reason: the course you choose, and the occupation it maps to, determines which PR pathways are open to you later. A transfer that looks like a lateral move — same field, different provider — can sometimes shift your occupation mapping in ways that affect your points, your state nomination eligibility, or your DAMA options.
Before you transfer, check what occupation your current course maps to, and what occupation the new course maps to. They are not always the same, even when the course names look similar.
The PR-pathway question is the one that matters most
There are two things to check before any transfer decision.
First: does the new course map to an occupation on a skilled list? Of the occupations tracked across the system, 212 appear on the federal points-tested pathway, 276 have at least one state nomination pathway, and 715 have at least one DAMA pathway. An occupation that sits on none of those lists gives you fewer options after graduation.
Second: does the new course qualify you for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)? The subclass 485 has two streams — the Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly Post-Study Work stream) and the Post-Vocational Education Work stream (formerly Graduate Work stream). The stream you can access, and the length of stay it grants, depends on the qualification level and the occupation your course maps to. A transfer that changes your qualification level can change which stream you access — or whether you access either.
For advice on your personal situation, a registered migration agent (MARA) is the right professional — we can point you to one.
If you are already on a subclass 485
This section is for readers who have already graduated and are now on a Temporary Graduate visa.
Since 1 July 2024, a subclass 485 holder cannot apply for a Student visa (subclass 500) while in Australia. An onshore switch from a 485 to a 500 is not available. Advice suggesting otherwise is outdated and still circulating — treat it with caution.
The subclass 485 itself carries study rights. You do not need a new visa to take a short course. A Certificate II or III course — typically advertised at around 6–12 months, though actual completion varies by provider and your prior experience — can lead to a skills assessment and then into employer-nominated routes, including DAMA regions and Industry Labour Agreements. That is a different decision framework from a mid-course transfer, and it starts from where you actually are.
If an agent is recommending you enrol in a new course after completing your degree, remember: commissions on new enrolments after a completed course are not covered by the 31 March 2026 rule. Ask who is paying them.
The practical checklist before you transfer
These are the questions worth answering before you sign anything.
- What occupation does your current course map to, and what does the new course map to?
- Does the new occupation appear on a federal, state, or DAMA skilled list?
- Does the transfer change your subclass 485 stream eligibility?
- Is your agent being paid by the receiving provider? (For onshore mid-course transfers from 31 March 2026, that payment is prohibited — but ask anyway, and ask about any other arrangement.)
- If you have already completed your course and are on a subclass 485, are you clear that an onshore 500 application is not available to you?
None of these questions have a universal answer. The CRICOS register lists 26,372 courses for a reason — the right answer depends on your specific course, your specific occupation, and your specific visa situation.
One more thing about agents
The commission ban is a structural change, not a guarantee of neutral advice. Good agents exist and earn their fee honestly. The change simply makes it easier to ask the right question: are you recommending this transfer because it is the best pathway for my occupation and PR options, or because someone is paying you to?
If you cannot get a straight answer to that question, that is information too.