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The Government has decided to suspend the Export Education Levy for the 2022 calendar year.

The Export Education Levy supports services for the international education sector.

The Export Education Levy (EEL) is collected from international education providers. It helps fund a broad range of activities and projects relating to the export education industry, including promotion and marketing, quality assurance, and reimbursements for international students caught out by programme and provider closures.

The EEL rates have been set at 0.50% of international student tuition fees for universities, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and private schools, and 0.89% of international student tuition fees for Private Training Establishments.

The levy was suspended for the 2020 and 2021 calendar years in recognition of the significant and unprecedented financial hardship being faced by the international education sector due to COVID-19 and the global pandemic. The 2022 suspension recognises the continued financial pressure on the international education sector.

While expected student numbers for 2022 are uncertain, we expect the sector could have around 20,000 international students, compared to 125,000 students when the Government released the International Education Strategy in 2018. Low student numbers limit the revenue potential of the levy if it is collected in 2022. 

The suspension will be implemented by revoking the Export Education Levy Regulations.

The Government is considering how to fund the activities and projects relating to the export education industry.

The Government will work with the International Education sector to introduce appropriate settings for 2023.

In the meantime, services funded by the levy will be met by other revenue streams and matching service provision to sector and student needs.

Consultation closed on 22 September 2021.