Last week our feeds were flooded with news about the early childhood education chain Goodstart. I also wrote to the teacher-registration authorities in each state and received some replies, so let’s talk about what impact this really has and which way the wind is blowing. We’ll look at each state’s teacher-registration requirements alongside the end-of-January EOI data update to see the early childhood education backlog.
First, the Goodstart notice (Image 2)
NSW and SA have adjusted their ECT registration requirements. From January this year, completing a Graduate Diploma (GD) will no longer meet the ECT qualification requirement — graduates can only work as educators, not as ECTs. Those already in ECT roles are unaffected.
Setting aside the employer-sponsored pathway available to educators (Image 3), what about the impact on skilled migration?
Teacher registration is not the same as a migration skills assessment
The skills-assessment authority for early childhood education is ACECQA — no changes there at present.
Teacher registration, however, varies from state to state (Image 4).
Some states do not require teacher registration
- ACT (Canberra): not required if not attached to a school
- QLD (Image 5): not required, unless the employer asks for it
- NT: not required for ECTs; required if attached to a school preschool
- TAS: not required for ECTs; required if attached to a school kindergarten
Some states do require it
- NSW (Image 6): registration has been mandatory since July 2016. From October last year, GD graduates can no longer complete teacher registration, but those enrolled before 2026 are not affected.
- SA (Image 7): registration has been mandatory since 1976. Even after subsequent revisions, GD courses are still not recognised.
- Victoria & WA: registration required, and GD is recognised.
- Although SA and NSW are strict, teacher registration can be transferred between states — so some people obtain registration in a state that recognises GD and then transfer to SA.
Skills assessments are unaffected, the Subclass 189 is unaffected, and the impact on teacher registration is minimal
For the Subclass 190 and 491, the impact is not on the skills assessment either — it’s on state-nomination employment requirements. If you can’t secure an ECT offer or experience, you may be unable to apply, or your application may not be competitive.
So what is the real issue? Competition in early childhood education is fierce
Looking at the end-of-January EOI data (header image): more than 2,600 candidates sit above 80 points, more than 1,000 above 85 points, and 83 above 90 points.
In last November’s round, across the three key occupation groups, nursing and social work received invitations at 75 points while early childhood education required 85. And although nursing has a heavy backlog, nursing also received a high allocation each round — the previous round issued a total of 10,000 invitations, of which 2,000+ went to nursing,
but early childhood education received only 200-300.
Based on the quarterly Subclass 189 round cadence, the next round is expected around February, with a quota of 16,900. The previous two rounds have already issued 17,000, and the August round had a 70 % acceptance rate. There is no acceptance-rate data yet for the November round, but it’s reasonable to expect it won’t issue many more invitations. If the allocation is similar to the previous round, nearly half of the quota will go to 90-point candidates, and 85-point candidates will almost certainly face further delays.
Competition in early childhood education was already fierce this financial year, and any small shift amplifies the anxiety.
This adjustment also sends a signal: the fast-track migration pathway through a one-year GD in early childhood education is on its way out. With high backlog, low allocations, industry scandals, and tightening teacher-registration rules, the future is increasingly uncertain. The only thing you can do is stay steady in the present — keep stacking points where you can, keep looking for work, and don’t let opportunities slip by. And if moving to another state opens up a suitable opportunity, that’s also worth considering.
