The Coordinator-General has led significant reforms of the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) to deliver better English language outcomes for humanitarian entrants. In December 2020, the Australian Parliament passed the Immigration (Education) Amendment (Expanding Access to English Tuition) Bill 2020, which commenced on 19 April 2021.
These
reforms of the AMEP:
- Removed the cap limiting government-funded English tuition to 510 hours. AMEP clients can now undertake unlimited hours of English-language tuition up to the client achieving a vocational level of English.
- Raised the level of English covered by AMEP tuition from functional to vocational. Extending eligibility to vocational English enables stronger vocational pathways (including into specific skills shortage areas), brings Australia into line with best practice approaches internationally, and sets a higher expectation for the language skills needed for migrants to be able to fully participate in the Australian community.
- Removed the time limits on enrolling, commencing and completing AMEP tuition for permanent visa holders or eligible temporary visa holders already in Australia on or before 1 October 2020.
These changes mean that more migrants will now be able to access government funded English tuition for longer and until they reach a higher level of proficiency. The changes have already resulted in a large uptake of the AMEP, with over 24,000 new or re engaging students joining the AMEP since the legislation commenced, as of 31 December 2021.
The Coordinator-General oversaw the design of a new business model for the AMEP, including the release of a discussion paper as part of a consultation process that invited stakeholders to provide written submissions and participate in a series of forums to inform the future AMEP business model. The changes to the model focus on:
- incentivising service providers to deliver improved English language outcomes through the introduction of outcomes based payments tied to student language skill/proficiency progression
- increasing program flexibility, including greater use of educational technology and better access to applied English language learning in workplace and community settings, to improve client enrolment, engagement and retention and
- supporting AMEP teachers through greater access to curriculum resources and professional development.
The new business model is scheduled to commence in 2023. A new Information Management System (IMS) aligned to the new business model will enhance the Department’s ability to track student outcomes and record service provider performance.
Find out more about the
Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
