How to Become a Registered Migration Agent in Australia (2026)
What it actually takes to register as a migration agent in Australia — the accepted university qualifications, the Capstone assessment (run by Legal Training Australia, not a university), English and character requirements, fees, and the annual CPD you need once registered. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
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Chapters
- 0:00 Registered migration agent:
- 0:15 Six universities currently
- 0:41 The Capstone: $2,156,
- 0:53 3 components: 2 written, 1 oral
- 1:08 12 months to apply
- 1:32 Eligibility: 18 or older,
- 1:44 Police check: from the AFP,
- 1:57 Registration: $1,760 first,
- 2:13 Insurance: at least
- 2:25 Every year: 10 CPD points,
- 2:36 The mistake: assuming a
- 2:49 Where to read more
Transcript
Becoming a registered migration agent in Australia isn't one exam. It's a university qualification, a separate assessment, and a character check — run by three different organisations.
As at September 2026, six universities are currently accepted to teach the qualifying graduate diploma.
A Master's degree also counts — currently from Australian Catholic University, or from Griffith if it was awarded or started before 1 April 2026. An older Graduate Certificate still qualifies too, if it was awarded before 1 January 2018.
Next comes the Capstone assessment. Legal Training Australia is the sole provider — not a university — and it costs $2,156, GST inclusive, per attempt.
It has three components — two written, one oral — and you pass overall by passing at least one component in an intake. In the most recently published intake, February 2026, 41% of candidates passed.
Once you pass, the clock starts: registration has to be applied for within 12 months, or the Capstone stops being accepted.
English is checked separately. Most candidates sit one of six accepted tests, with results no more than 3 years old — IELTS Academic, for example, needs 6.5 in every component and 7 overall.
Basic eligibility comes first: applicants need to be 18 or older, and an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen on a subclass 444 visa.
A national police check has to come from the Australian Federal Police specifically — not a state police service. It's valid for 12 months, and you need a new one every 5 years you stay registered.
Registering itself costs $1,760 for a first general application, or $1,595 each time you renew — lower, at $160 and $105, if you give the advice unpaid for a not-for-profit.
You also need professional indemnity insurance of at least $250,000. That's the regulator's fixed minimum cover — what the premium itself costs depends on your insurer.
Every year you're registered, you need 10 CPD points — 2 of them fixed subjects on ethics and the Code of Conduct, at least 5 more from Category A activities.
The mistake worth avoiding: assuming a university runs the Capstone. It doesn't — a separate private provider does, and most candidates only plan for the qualification, not the step after it.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
Short versions
- It's 3 steps, 3 organisations — not one exam (0:34)
- The Capstone costs $2,156 — and 41% passed last time (0:34)
- Only 6 universities are currently accepted (0:34)
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