The closures, announced in late July, affect Arizona College, Learning Options, SPES Education, Nextgen Institute of Technology, Luvium Australia College of Education and Vocational Training, IIET, Gills College, and the Australian Institute of Elite Education.
The ASQA investigation began in 2024, with the most recent closure being Arizona College in mid-June.
The eight schools primarily offered courses in fields with pathways to permanent residency, such as aged care, childcare, community services, automotive technology, mechanical repairs, and information technology. The ASQA investigation concluded that none of the schools met the required training and graduate outcome standards.
The revoked diplomas were issued between 2023 and 2025. Approximately 20% of the affected students responded to the authorities’ notification. This group was given the opportunity to provide evidence to retain their qualifications, but none were able to do so.
"Urgent action was required due to the serious issues uncovered during the compliance investigation and the potential safety risks," the ASQA stated.
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Gills College campus. Source: The Noticer |
Gills College campus. Source: The Noticer
Early last year, the Australian Department of Home Affairs estimated that around 70,000 foreigners were living illegally in the country, the majority having entered on student or tourist visas.
In 2023, former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon conducted a large-scale investigation, revealing that criminal gangs were exploiting Australia's flexible student visa system to bring in "fake students." The investigation also found that approximately 15% of international students in vocational schools dropped out but remained in Australia to work.
The Australian government plans to allocate 4.7 million AUD between 2025 and 2026 for ASQA to continue inspecting suspicious educational institutions. The agency is currently investigating 189 cases related to 154 schools, 62% of which have international students.
According to the Department of Education, there are currently about 263,000 international vocational students in Australia.
Doan Hung (Source: Australia Today)
