On this page:
Revised CRICOS registration charges
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment has amended CRICOS cost recovery arrangements to bring them into line with the Australian Government Charging Framework. The new arrangements will recover the costs of the department’s CRICOS regulatory activities, including as the ESOS Agency for schools.
The department undertook initial public consultation on revised CRICOS charging arrangements in January 2020. A further round was undertaken in May – June 2021.
The Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) provides information on how the new charging arrangements will be implemented, including documenting the charging model and each regulatory activity that is cost recovered. Stakeholder feedback was sought through an Exposure Draft of the CRIS which was published in August 2021.
The Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment Act 2021, and related Acts, which provide the legislative authority for the revised CRICOS charges, received Royal Assent on 27 August 2021.
The Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Regulations 2021 were made on 16 December 2021 to support the new charges. The regulations prescribe the method and amounts the department will use to calculate the three new CRICOS registration charges to be applied from 1 January 2022:
- CRICOS Annual Registration Charge (CARC)
- Schools Initial Registration Charge
- Schools Renewal Registration Charge
The revised charging arrangements also removed the Entry to Market Charge for all providers and replaced the Annual Registration Charge with the CRICOS Annual Registration Charge.
How the department developed the CRICOS charges
The department developed the charging arrangements in consultation with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and the Department of Finance, taking into account feedback received in the previous consultation process.
The arrangements are compliant with the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines and the Australian Government Charging Framework. The key principle underpinning the Framework is that whoever creates a need for regulation should bear the cost of the regulation being provided, rather than those costs being met by taxpayers more broadly.
More information on the revised charges
The revised charges represent an overall reduction in the department’s CRICOS charges.
TEQSA and ASQA are also implementing cost recovery and are consulting separately with higher education and skills and training providers respectively on the CRICOS charges that form part of their whole of agency revised cost recovery models.
The new charges will continue to be based on data in PRISMS. Providers are advised to ensure their PRISMS records are kept up to date as required under the ESOS Act.
Tuition Protection Service (TPS) initial Levy (TPS initial Levy)
The TPS initial Levy comprises of an administrative fee of $111 and a base fee of $223 (2020). Once a provider has paid both the initial registration charge and initial TPS Levy, they will be registered on CRICOS.
*Please note that the dollar amounts for the initial registration charge and TPS initial Levy are subject to indexation as per the regulations.
Additional information on the TPS Levy is available.
Further information
View our frequently asked questions.
If you have any questions about the CARC payment, or need assistance with your enrolment data or processing your payment, please refer to the CARC Brochure or contact the ESOS CARC mailbox at esosarcmailbox@education.gov.au.