National Training Regulator Welcomed

National Training Regulator Welcomed

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 24 November 2009

The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) welcomes the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard, that a proposed national regulator for the vocational training sector has the support of most State Education Ministers.

The MIA has been advocating for a stronger regulatory framework and enhanced compliance monitoring of Australian education providers, particularly in the VET sector, to protect international students who come to live, work and study in Australia.

"Federal and State Governments allowed the education industry to slip out of their hands. We hope a national regulator will tighten government's focus to ensuring that the monitoring and enforcement of standards is adequate." says Maurene Horder, CEO of the Migration Institute of Australia.

"Another part of the problem is that overseas education agents who have no qualifications, standards or regulation continue to give migration advice." says Ms Horder. "It is often these agents who mislead or exploit students to sign up to sub-standard education courses."

The MIA continues to call for the regulation of education agents who are currently not subject to the same training, Code of Conduct and checks which Registered Migration Agents must satisfy.

Available for Interview:
Maurene Horder
Chief Executive Officer
Migration Institute of Australia

Contact: Tara Grimshaw
Communications Manager, Migration Institute of Australia
Phone: 0410 532 995
Email: [email protected]



SOURCE: Migration Institute of Australia