ASQA Corporate Plan 2025–26 A Complete Guide for RTOs Entering a New Era of VET Quality and Compliance

Introduction: Why the Next Four Years Will Reshape the VET Sector

The Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector is entering a pivotal phase in its evolution, with 2025 marking the beginning of a new regulatory era. The release of the ASQA Corporate Plan 2025–26 outlines not only the immediate priorities for the year ahead, but also a strategic direction stretching through to 2029. This four-year vision is more than an administrative requirement; it represents a roadmap that will influence the operational realities of every Registered Training Organisation (RTO), CRICOS provider, and ELICOS provider in Australia. It details how ASQA intends to regulate the sector, what expectations will be placed on providers, and how quality and integrity will be measured and enforced.

Chapter 1: ASQA’s Purpose – Safeguarding the Integrity of National Qualifications

ASQA’s core mission is simple to state yet complex to execute: to ensure quality VET so that students, industry, governments, and the community can have complete confidence in the integrity of nationally recognised qualifications. This mission goes beyond bureaucratic oversight. It is about ensuring that every certificate, diploma, or statement of attainment issued under the Australian Qualifications Framework is a genuine reflection of a learner’s skills and knowledge, backed by rigorous and fair assessment, and aligned with current industry expectations.

The stakes are high. When the system works well, employers can confidently hire graduates, knowing that their qualifications are meaningful and reliable. Students can be assured that their investment of time and money will lead to genuine capabilities and career opportunities. Governments, which invest billions into training subsidies and student loan programs, can trust that their funding supports productive outcomes. Most importantly, the community can rely on the skills of trained professionals in critical industries such as healthcare, aged care, construction, and childcare—fields where competence is directly tied to safety and wellbeing.

ASQA regulates a broad range of providers, including those delivering VET qualifications in Australia, Australian RTOs delivering courses offshore, CRICOS-registered providers delivering training to international students, and providers of ELICOS programs. It also accredits courses, ensuring that they meet nationally approved standards based on industry and community needs. Where unregistered entities or non-genuine providers attempt to operate outside the law, ASQA has the authority to intervene and take enforcement action. The overarching aim is to protect the credibility of the VET system and the value of the qualifications it produces.

Chapter 2: The VET Landscape in 2025 – Pressures, Priorities, and Opportunities

The release of the Corporate Plan comes at a time when the VET sector is facing both opportunities and challenges. The Australian Government’s National Skills Agreement is a five-year partnership with states and territories that prioritises delivering the skills needed for a modern, competitive economy. This agreement places the VET system at the centre of national workforce development strategies, with a particular emphasis on industries facing persistent skill shortages such as aged care, disability support, early childhood education, construction, technology, and health services.

The plan also aligns with broader government objectives to enhance productivity, encourage wage growth, and promote more equitable employment opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged groups. In practice, this means a stronger focus on accessibility, equity, and the provision of training opportunities in regional and remote areas. It also highlights the need for providers to be responsive to industry changes, technological advancements, and the evolving needs of learners.

Post-pandemic realities have further shaped the sector’s priorities. Flexible delivery models, online learning, and hybrid approaches are now firmly established, but they bring new challenges for quality assurance. At the same time, the VET sector has had to contend with threats to integrity, including fraudulent practices and non-genuine providers seeking to exploit the system. The Corporate Plan makes it clear that ASQA will be vigilant in detecting, investigating, and eliminating such practices.

Chapter 3: The New Standards for RTOs 2025 – Raising the Bar

From 1 July 2025, all RTOs will be required to comply with the Standards for RTOs 2025. These revised standards represent a fundamental shift from a compliance model focused on administrative processes to one centred on the delivery of high-quality outcomes. They set out clearer expectations for governance, assessment, industry engagement, and student support, all with the aim of ensuring that learners achieve real, demonstrable skills and knowledge.

One of the key differences is the explicit move towards outcome-focused regulation. Under the old standards, it was possible for providers to focus heavily on maintaining records and policies without always ensuring that these translated into effective practices. The new standards demand evidence that systems and processes lead to tangible improvements in student learning, industry relevance, and overall training quality. This change is designed to give providers more flexibility in how they meet the requirements, but it also places greater responsibility on them to monitor, evaluate, and continuously improve their own performance.

Governance requirements have also been strengthened. Senior executives and boards will now be expected to take a more active role in overseeing quality and compliance, rather than delegating these responsibilities entirely to compliance managers. This shift underscores the idea that quality is a whole-of-organisation responsibility, not just an operational concern. Providers will need to demonstrate that their leadership teams are engaged in regular oversight, informed decision-making, and responsive action when risks are identified.

Chapter 4: ASQA’s Three Strategic Objectives – A Framework for Regulation

ASQA’s regulation over the next four years will be guided by three strategic objectives, each with direct implications for providers.

The first objective is to ensure that ASQA’s regulatory approach is transparent, accountable, and evidence-based, responding proportionately to risk while enabling provider self-assurance and continuous improvement. This means that ASQA will continue to refine its risk-based regulation, focusing Compliant training resources on areas where the potential for harm is greatest, and giving lower-risk providers more scope for autonomous operation. Providers with a strong track record of compliance and demonstrable quality outcomes may see reduced regulatory burden, while those with poor practices will be subject to more intensive scrutiny.

The second objective is to engage, collaborate, and partner with stakeholders to improve regulatory outcomes. This reflects ASQA’s recognition that regulation is most effective when it is informed by the insights of those it regulates, as well as other key players in the education and training ecosystem. Partnerships with other regulators, such as the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), will be strengthened to ensure cohesive oversight for dual-sector providers. Collaborative initiatives, such as the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, will focus on tackling systemic threats to integrity.

The third objective focuses on ensuring that ASQA’s people and operations are supported and highly skilled to deliver and continuously improve. This includes investing in digital transformation, data analytics, and staff capability to ensure that ASQA remains responsive, efficient, and effective in a changing environment. For providers, this will translate into more streamlined interactions with the regulator and, potentially, faster resolution of regulatory processes.

Chapter 5: Regulatory Priorities for 2025–26 – Where the Focus Will Be

For the year ahead, ASQA has identified three main regulatory priorities. The first is uplifting sector capability, particularly by supporting providers to transition smoothly to the new Standards for RTOs 2025. This will involve comprehensive guidance RTO training materials, webinars, case studies, and one-on-one support where necessary. The second priority is protecting integrity. This will see a continued focus on detecting and removing non-genuine providers, cracking down on fraudulent Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) practices, and preventing ‘phoenixing’—where a provider whose registration has been cancelled attempts to re-enter the market under a different name. The third priority is digital transformation. ASQA will roll out a refreshed website and an improved provider portal designed to be more intuitive, accessible, and efficient, with features such as predictive data entry and single-source data capture.

Chapter 6: The Role of the Integrity Unit – Enforcement in Action

ASQA’s Integrity Unit will remain at the forefront of enforcement efforts. This specialist team is tasked with identifying, investigating, and responding to serious threats to the integrity of the VET sector. It operates in close partnership with law enforcement agencies, other regulators, and government departments, sharing intelligence and coordinating action to dismantle fraudulent operations. The Unit’s work includes investigating ‘cash-for-quals’ schemes, where qualifications are issued without genuine training or assessment, and targeting the misuse of RPL pathways for inappropriate migration outcomes. Providers caught engaging in such practices can expect decisive action, including deregistration, invalidation of qualifications issued, and potential legal prosecution.

Chapter 7: Risk Management – How ASQA Decides Where to Act

ASQA’s regulatory decisions are informed by a sophisticated approach to risk management, which distinguishes between strategic risks—those that threaten the sector as a whole—and operational risks that affect individual providers or specific programs. Strategic risks are managed at the leadership level, with ASQA using data, intelligence, and environmental scanning to identify emerging threats. Operational risks are managed within business units and may lead to targeted audits, compliance monitoring, or enforcement action. Providers are encouraged to adopt similar risk management practices internally, using risk registers and regular reviews to identify and address vulnerabilities before they escalate.

 

Chapter 8: Collaboration and Stewardship – A Whole-of-Sector Approach to Quality

ASQA’s Corporate Plan for 2025–26 makes it clear that effective regulation of the VET sector cannot be achieved in isolation. The document underscores the importance of collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders, including other government agencies, industry representatives, training organisations, and international partners. One of the key themes here is the concept of collective stewardship—the idea that maintaining the quality and integrity of vocational education is a shared responsibility between regulators, providers, and the industries they serve.

Domestically, ASQA will continue to work closely with Jobs and Skills Australia, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), state and territory training authorities, and Jobs and Skills Councils. These collaborations help to ensure that regulatory decisions are informed by current labour market data, industry needs, and regional insights. Internationally, ASQA is committed to engaging with overseas regulatory counterparts to better understand different operating contexts and to strengthen the regulation of Australian qualifications delivered offshore. This is especially important for protecting Australia’s education reputation and ensuring that offshore delivery meets the same high standards as domestic training.

Through joint initiatives such as Operation Inglenook and the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, ASQA will participate in multi-jurisdictional intelligence sharing and coordinated responses to integrity threats. This level of cooperation allows for a more unified and effective approach to enforcement, particularly against cross-border fraudulent activity and migration-related abuses of the VET system. For providers, this emphasis on collaboration means that regulatory changes or enforcement activities will often be informed by a broad evidence base and shaped with input from multiple stakeholders, making engagement with these bodies more valuable than ever.

Chapter 9: Practical Actions for RTOs – Preparing for the Future Now

The Corporate Plan is not simply a high-level vision; it is a call to action for RTOs to align their internal operations with ASQA’s regulatory direction. For providers, preparation begins with understanding the new Standards for RTOs 2025 in depth and conducting a comprehensive gap analysis to identify where current practices fall short. This exercise should not be delegated entirely to compliance teams; it should involve senior leadership, training managers, and administrative staff, ensuring that everyone understands the expectations and their role in meeting them.

Once the gaps are identified, RTOs should develop an implementation plan with clear timelines, responsibilities, and measurable milestones. This plan might include revising assessment tools to ensure they provide valid evidence of competency, enhancing industry engagement processes to ensure that training stays relevant, or investing in professional development for trainers and assessors to keep them current with both industry skills and contemporary training methods.

Governance structures should also be reviewed and strengthened where necessary. Boards and executives will need to receive regular, detailed reports on compliance and quality, enabling them to make informed decisions and take corrective action quickly when issues arise. Risk management systems should be embedded into everyday operations, with risks regularly assessed, monitored, and mitigated. The ability to identify and address potential compliance breaches before they escalate will be a hallmark of a high-performing provider under the new standards.

Chapter 10: Self-Assurance – Embedding Quality into Daily Practice

Self-assurance is one of the most important concepts in the Corporate Plan and in the Standards for RTOs 2025. It refers to the ability of a provider to evaluate its own performance against regulatory standards and industry expectations, take ownership of quality outcomes, and make improvements without needing to be prompted by an external audit. This approach shifts the regulatory culture from one of reactive compliance to proactive quality management.

In practical terms, self-assurance involves regularly reviewing assessment practices to ensure they remain robust and fair, checking that learning RTO resources are up-to-date and industry-relevant, and gathering and analysing feedback from students and employers. It also means being transparent about outcomes—publicly sharing information on completion rates, student satisfaction, and employment outcomes can build trust with stakeholders and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.

For many RTOs, implementing self-assurance will require cultural change. It is not enough to simply meet the standards at the time of an audit; providers must foster an environment where staff at all levels are engaged in monitoring and improving quality on an ongoing basis. This might involve training trainers and assessors in self-assessment techniques, setting up internal review panels, or integrating quality indicators into staff performance measures.

Chapter 11: Common Compliance Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

ASQA’s compliance activities over the years have revealed certain recurring weaknesses in RTO operations. One common pitfall is the existence of policies and procedures that look comprehensive on paper but are not followed in practice. For example, a provider may have a policy requiring regular industry engagement, yet in reality, those activities occur sporadically or are not documented effectively. Another frequent issue is the lack of current vocational competence among trainers and assessors, which can undermine the credibility of the training being delivered.

Assessment practices are another area where problems often arise. Inadequate validation of assessment tools, over-reliance on third-party evidence without sufficient verification, and inconsistent application of assessment criteria are all red flags for regulators. Additionally, outdated learning materials that fail to reflect current industry practices can compromise the relevance of training and leave students underprepared for the workplace.

Avoiding these pitfalls requires a disciplined approach to internal quality assurance. Policies should be living documents, regularly reviewed and updated, and their implementation should be monitored to ensure consistency. Trainers and assessors should have clear professional development plans, including industry placements or shadowing opportunities to maintain vocational currency. Assessment validation should be scheduled regularly and involve a range of stakeholders, including industry representatives where possible. Learning resources should be reviewed annually in consultation with industry experts to ensure they reflect current best practice.

Chapter 12: Looking to 2029 – The Vision for a Mature, Self-Assuring Sector

ASQA’s vision for the VET sector by 2029 is one where the majority of providers are genuinely self-assuring, operating with high levels of integrity, and delivering training that consistently meets industry and community needs. In this mature sector, regulatory intervention would be less frequent and more targeted, with ASQA focusing its efforts on the small proportion of providers that present significant risks.

Technology will play a key role in this vision, both in terms of how training is delivered and how compliance is monitored. Data analytics, artificial intelligence, and integrated reporting systems will enable providers to track performance in real time and identify trends before they become problems. Industry partnerships will be stronger and more collaborative, with training organisations and employers working together to develop and update qualifications that meet the needs of a rapidly changing economy.

For students, this mature sector will offer greater transparency, with accessible information on provider performance, course outcomes, and pathways to further study or employment. For employers, it will deliver graduates whose skills and knowledge are current, relevant, and reliable. For providers, it will offer a more stable regulatory environment, where those who demonstrate ongoing quality are trusted to operate with minimal interference.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the ASQA Corporate Plan 2025–26?

The ASQA Corporate Plan 2025–26 is a four-year roadmap (covering 2025–2029) that outlines how the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) will regulate the VET sector. It sets strategic objectives, identifies regulatory priorities, and explains how ASQA will enforce the new Standards for RTOs 2025. The plan focuses on ensuring quality outcomes, protecting integrity, and promoting self-assurance among providers.

2. When do the new Standards for RTOs 2025 come into effect?

The new Standards for RTOs 2025 will take effect on 1 July 2025. From this date onwards, all RTOs, CRICOS providers, and ELICOS providers regulated by ASQA must comply with the revised standards. These standards emphasise quality outcomes and continuous improvement, rather than a tick-box approach to compliance.

3. What are the main changes in the Standards for RTOs 2025 compared to the old standards?

The biggest change is the move towards outcome-focused regulation. Under the new standards, providers must demonstrate that their systems lead to genuine improvements in student learning, industry relevance, and training quality. Governance responsibilities for boards and executives are also stronger, and there is greater flexibility for innovation in delivery methods, provided that outcomes remain high quality.

4. What are ASQA’s three strategic objectives under the Corporate Plan?

ASQA’s three strategic objectives are:

1. Transparent, accountable, evidence-based regulation – proportionate to risk and focused on self-assurance.
2. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration – working with providers, governments, and industry to improve regulatory outcomes.
3. Skilled people and modern operations – strengthening ASQA’s own staff capability and digital systems to deliver effective regulation.

5. How will ASQA enforce integrity under the new plan?

ASQA will continue to crack down on non-genuine providers through its Integrity Unit. This includes investigating fraudulent qualifications, misuse of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and phoenixing practices. ASQA will also collaborate with law enforcement and government agencies to ensure providers that undermine the VET system face strong penalties, including deregistration and prosecution.

6. What is meant by “self-assurance” in the VET sector?

Self-assurance refers to an RTO’s ability to monitor, evaluate, and improve its own performance without needing to rely on ASQA audits to highlight weaknesses. It means embedding continuous quality assurance into daily operations, such as reviewing assessment practices, validating training materials, engaging with industry, and analysing student and employer feedback. Self-assuring providers demonstrate integrity and accountability by taking responsibility for quality outcomes.

7. How should RTOs prepare for the new Standards for RTOs 2025?

RTOs should:

• Conduct a gap analysis against the new standards.
• Update governance frameworks to ensure executive accountability.
• Revise assessment tools and validation processes.
• Strengthen industry engagement and feedback mechanisms.
• Train staff in continuous improvement and risk management practices.
• Establish clear evidence of student and industry outcomes.

8. What role will digital transformation play in ASQA’s regulatory approach?

ASQA is investing heavily in digital transformation. Providers will benefit from a refreshed ASQA website and a more efficient provider portal with smarter features like predictive data entry and “tell us once” systems. Digital analytics will also allow ASQA to detect emerging risks more quickly, leading to faster interventions when integrity is at risk.

9. What are the key risks ASQA is concerned about in 2025–26?

ASQA has identified risks such as:

• Providers failing to meet the new standards.
• Fraudulent behaviour such as cash-for-quals and misuse of RPL.
• Inadequate governance or lack of leadership engagement in compliance.
• Poor-quality assessment tools or outdated learning resources.
• Weak industry connections leading to irrelevant training.

10. What is the long-term vision for the VET sector by 2029?

By 2029, ASQA envisions a mature, self-assuring sector where providers take full responsibility for quality outcomes. The sector will rely less on heavy-handed audits and more on continuous improvement, supported by digital data systems and strong industry partnerships. The aim is a trusted, world-class VET sector that delivers real value for students, employers, governments, and the community.

👉 Pro Tip for RTOs: Treat the Corporate Plan not just as a regulatory obligation but as a strategic advantage. Providers who embrace these reforms early, invest in governance, and demonstrate transparent quality outcomes will stand out in the market and build long-term trust with students and industry.