If you use a Registered Migration Agent — or you are one — a small but consequential rule change took effect on 1 July 2026 that affects how professional development happens across the industry.
From that date, Registered Migration Agents can complete a maximum of 6 online CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points within any continuous 24-hour period. That's a firm cap, and it applies across all online CPD combined.
What Changed and Why It Matters
The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) has capped online CPD at 6 points per 24-hour period. This applies to all online modules, webinars, self-paced courses and remote learning combined.
Historically, migration agents could complete their entire annual CPD requirement in a single intensive online session at the end of the year. That's now impossible.
The Old System vs the New System
| Feature | Before 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Online CPD limit per day | No cap | 6 points maximum |
| End-of-year online blitz | Permitted | No longer possible |
| Annual CPD total | 10 points | 10 points (unchanged) |
| In-person CPD | Encouraged | Increasingly essential |
Why OMARA Made This Change
The rationale is straightforward: end-of-year cramming does not produce meaningful professional development. Six or eight hours of back-to-back online modules, watched on 1.5x speed while multitasking, does not embed knowledge in the way genuinely spaced learning does.
This aligns with the broader professionalisation of Australia's migration agent industry under the Migration Agents Regulations 2026, which commenced 1 April this year and strengthened multiple aspects of the registration and conduct framework.
What This Means for Migration Agents
Compliance is now genuinely year-round
- Plan CPD across the year, not the last week before registration renewal
- Track online CPD completion dates and times carefully — timestamp matters now
- Diversify: mix online modules, webinars, in-person events, and professional reading
- Verify total points AND compliance with the daily cap before renewal submission
- Keep records that show CPD was completed over multiple days
Renewal risk
Agents who complete more than 6 online points in a single 24-hour period risk having that CPD not counted. If you rely on that time for annual compliance, you may find yourself short of your 10-point requirement — with your registration renewal at risk.
What This Means for Clients
For anyone using a Registered Migration Agent for their visa application, this change is a small but positive signal about the quality of professional advice you're receiving.
- Your agent is required to genuinely stay current with the law throughout the year
- Migration law changes constantly (over 20 significant changes in 2026 alone)
- Better-trained agents mean better advice, fewer mistakes, and stronger applications
- The professionalisation of the industry ultimately protects consumers
Choosing a migration agent?
Migragent can help you understand your visa options before you spend thousands on an agent — often you don't need one for straightforward cases. Free, instant AI guidance.
Try Migragent Free →How to Verify Your Agent Is Registered
Before you pay anyone for migration advice in Australia, verify their registration. It's simple and takes 30 seconds:
- 1.Go to mara.gov.au
- 2.Search the public register by name or MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number)
- 3.Confirm current registration status — active, cautioned, or barred
- 4.Check for disciplinary history under the new 2026 Register requirements
Anyone providing migration advice for payment without OMARA registration is operating unlawfully. If someone offers to help with your visa in exchange for money and can't produce a MARN, walk away.
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