{"id":"F2026L00119","name":"Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 2026","slug":"migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443142,"registerId":"F2026L00119-fast-fetch-1775958057582","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 2026","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nMigration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 2026\n\nI, the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.\n\nDated 19 February 2026\n\nSam Mostyn AC\n\nGovernor‑General\n\nBy Her Excellency’s Command\n\nJulian Hill\n\nAssistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs  Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Schedules\n\n5 Definitions\n\nPart 2—General charge and non‑commercial application charge\n\n6 Amount of general charge\n\n7 Amount of non‑commercial application charge\n\nPart 3—Charge on basis of status of migration agent\n\n8 Working out amount of charge\n\nPart 4—Transitional provisions\n\n9 Transitional provision for the commencement of this instrument\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nMigration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 1998\n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 2026.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument 1 April 2026. 1 April 2026\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997.\n\n4  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n5  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) general charge;\n\n(b) non‑commercial application charge;\n\n(c) non‑commercial basis;\n\n(d) registered migration agent;\n\n(e) registration application.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997.\n\nrepeat registration has the same meaning as in the Migration Agents Regulations 2026.\n\nPart 2—General charge and non‑commercial application charge\n\n \n\n6  Amount of general charge\n\n (1) This section applies to an individual making a registration application unless section 7 applies to the individual.\n\n (2) For the purposes of section 6 of the Act, the amount of general charge payable is as follows:\n\n (a) the amount of general charge payable on the making of an application for registration, other than repeat registration, is $1,760;\n\n (b) the amount of general charge payable on the making of an application for repeat registration is $1,595.\n\n7  Amount of non‑commercial application charge\n\n (1) This section applies to an individual making a registration application who intends to provide immigration assistance on a non‑commercial basis.\n\n (2) For the purposes of section 6 of the Act, the amount of non‑commercial application charge payable is as follows:\n\n (a) the amount of non‑commercial application charge payable on the making of an application for registration, other than repeat registration, is $160;\n\n (b) the amount of non‑commercial application charge payable on the making of an application for repeat registration is $105.\n\nPart 3—Charge on basis of status of migration agent\n\n \n\n8  Working out amount of charge\n\n  For the purposes of the definition of begins in section 3 of the Act, and paragraph (a) of the definition of remaining period in subsection 12(1) of the Act, the first day in the current period of a registered migration agent’s registration on which the agent begins to give immigration assistance otherwise than on a non‑commercial basis is the earliest of the following days:\n\n (a) the first day in the period on which the agent gives a client an estimate of fees before starting work on behalf of the client;\n\n (b) the first day in the period on which the agent charges a client a fee for services provided;\n\n (c) the first day in the period on which the agent is (or becomes) a person associated with, or a member of, an organisation that gives immigration assistance on a commercial, or for‑profit, basis;\n\n (d) the first day in the period on which the agent is not (or is no longer) giving immigration assistance as a member of, or a person associated with, an organisation that operates in Australia solely:\n\n (i) on a non‑commercial or non‑profit basis; and\n\n (ii) as a charity, or for the benefit of the Australian community.\n\nNote: Charity has the meaning given by Part 2 of the Charities Act 2013 (see section 2B of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901).\n\nPart 4—Transitional provisions\n\n \n\n9  Transitional provision for the commencement of this instrument\n\n (1) This section applies in relation to a registered migration agent who paid the non‑commercial application charge in relation to a current period of registration that includes the day this section commences.\n\n (2) Despite the repeal of the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 1998, that instrument continues to apply in relation to the registered migration agent for the purposes of Part 3 of the Act, as if that repeal had not happened, until the end of the current period of the registered migration agent’s registration.\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\n \n\nMigration Agents Registration Application Charge Regulations 1998\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument updates and fixes the fee amounts, defines when non‑commercial status ends, and repeals the 1998 regulations, but it operates under the same statutory authority and does not expand or narrow the classes of persons subject to charges under the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997. Transitional protection preserves prior rules for affected current non‑commercial registrants (s 3; s 9; Schedule 1)."},"complexity_factors":["Two parallel fee schemes (general charge vs non‑commercial charge) with separate rates for initial and repeat registration (secs 6–7).","A rules‑based test for when an agent’s status shifts from non‑commercial to commercial with multiple alternative triggers (sec 8).","Cross‑references to the Act for defined terms and to the Migration Agents Regulations 2026 for the meaning of 'repeat registration' (s 5; sec 8).","A transitional provision preserving application of the repealed 1998 regulations for certain current non‑commercial registrants (s 9; Schedule 1).","Fixed commencement date and a full repeal of the earlier instrument, requiring administrators and applicants to track timing of payments and status (s 2; Schedule 1).","Limited discretion in the instrument (mostly fixed amounts and bright‑line triggers), but reliance on external definitions increases interpretive work."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set the dollar fees for migration‑agent registration and repeat registration, and provide much lower fees for people who will give immigration assistance on a non‑commercial basis. They also specify the events that make a registered agent be treated as acting commercially (for example, charging fees or joining a commercial organisation), repeal the 1998 fee regulations, and preserve transitional protection for current non‑commercial registrants."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains the same scope as its predecessor — setting fees for migration agent registration applications. The 2026 version updates the dollar amounts and clarifies the triggers for determining commercial status, but does not expand beyond the original purpose of establishing application charges."},"complexity_factors":["Only 5 defined terms in the instrument itself (though it references definitions in the parent Act)","Simple fee structure with just two categories (general vs non-commercial) and two sub-categories each (new vs repeat registration)","Minimal cross-referencing — primarily references to the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997 and Migration Agents Regulations 2026","Single transitional provision with straightforward application","Part 3 contains a single section with four alternative triggers (paragraphs a-d) using simple 'earliest of' logic","Total length is approximately 3 pages with clear structure (4 Parts plus Schedule)"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument sets the fees for registering as an Australian migration agent, creating a two-tier system: a general charge ($1,760 new / $1,595 repeat) and a heavily discounted non‑commercial charge ($160 new / $105 repeat) for those providing immigration help for free or at cost. It defines when non‑commercial status is lost (e.g. charging fees or joining a for‑profit) and protects existing non‑commercial registrants during the transition, replacing the 1998 regulations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026","history":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/migration-agents-registration-application-charge-regulations-2026/documents"}}