For registered migration agents · LIN 26/001
How to get 10 CPD points in a year
There is no single product that legally covers all 10 points — the instrument is built so there can't be. Here is the requirement, the two rules that shape it, and the fastest compliant way through.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney
The short answer
A minimum of 5 points must be Category A (live, interactive) — a CPD weekend covers that in two days, mandatory ethics and Code of Conduct topics included. The remaining points can be Category B self-paced modules. 5 + 5 = your year.
1. The requirement: 10 points
Under LIN 26/001, a registered migration agent applying for repeat registration must have completed 10 CPD points in the 12 months immediately before the application.
2. The Category A minimum — the rule most summaries omit
Section 7(1) requires a minimum of 5 points from Category A activities — live, interactive, structured learning — unless the applicant holds an Australian legal practising certificate. This is the rule that shapes everything: it is why nobody can sell you "10 points of self-paced modules," and why the live half of your year is the part to book early (Category A workshops are capped at 30 participants under Schedule 1 Item 1).
3. The two mandatory topics
At least 1 point on ethical standards and 1 point on the Code of Conduct for registered migration agents — 2 points in total. Either can be satisfied through Category A or Category B.
4. The practical consequence: Category B is capped at 5
Because 5 of the 10 points must be Category A, self-paced Category B study can contribute at most 5 points to your year. Plan the live half first; fill the rest at your own pace.
5. The fastest route: the CPD weekend
The Widen CPD weekend intensive runs up to 9 Category A points across two days of live online workshops — including both mandatory topics — at A$30 per session, incl. GST. Take 5 sessions and your Category A minimum and both mandatory points are done in one weekend; take more and you reduce the self-paced balance to finish.
If you're searching for a "10 CPD points one-day package": one day isn't possible for anyone, from any provider — see the online cap below. Two days is the legal minimum footprint, and that's exactly what the weekend is.
6. The online cap
Section 6(2): where an activity is undertaken through online learning, it is worth a maximum of 6 points in any continuous 24-hour period. Anyone planning to compress the year should plan around that ceiling — it's the other reason the two-day weekend exists.
7. The Category B completion deadline
Category B private study must be completed within 12 months of enrolment (Schedule 1 Item 4). Enrolling doesn't bank the point — finishing does.
A worked 10-point year
| Element | Points | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| CPD weekend — 5 live sessions incl. Ethical Standards and RMA Code of Conduct | 5 × Category A | The s 7(1) minimum + both mandatory topics |
| 482 Nomination Preparation Series (DN637–DN639), self-paced | 3 × Category B | Practical nomination skills |
| Any 2 further Category B modules (from A$30) | 2 × Category B | Your choice of topics |
| Total | 10 points | Requirement met |
Frequently asked questions
- How many CPD points do migration agents need?
- 10 points, completed in the 12 months immediately before your repeat-registration application.
- How many must be Category A?
- A minimum of 5, under s 7(1) — unless you hold an Australian legal practising certificate.
- What are the mandatory topics?
- 1 point on ethical standards and 1 point on the Code of Conduct (2 points total), via Category A or B.
- Can all 10 points be done online?
- A fully online year is possible — live online workshops are Category A — but not in one sitting: online learning is capped at 6 points in any continuous 24 hours (s 6(2)).
Related
- CPD for migration agents — what Widen CPD runs, who writes it, and where to book
- The OMARA CPD requirements guide — categories, deadlines, record-keeping and what changed under LIN 26/001
- Browse all CPD activities and dates — points, duration and price on each activity