Former Senior Student Visa Case Officer and Digital Transformation Taskforce Officer on Assessment Levels and CRICOS Providers.

My name is Lazar Petkantchin, a former Senior Student Visa Case Officer (among other roles) at the Department of Home Affairs and currently a Registered Migration Agent (MARN: 1688444).

I created this blog to analyze new trends in the Australian International Education Sector, I will be focusing on:

1. Challenges faced by CRICOS providers due to student visa legislation changes, inconsistent interpretations, and arbitrary application of policies.

2. Assessment Level (AL) struggles (higher visa refusals, loss of profitability, etc.).

3. Visa refusal issues for migration and education agents (student screening, preparing bulletproof GTE Statements, and submitting correct documentation).

4. Student visa appeals and their benefits to CRICOS providers, education agents, and migration agents.

With over 17 years of deep immersion in Australia’s migration system—first as an officer at the Department of Home Affairs and now as a Migration Agent—I bring a rare combination of expertise to address the complexities CRICOS providers and agents face. As a Senior Student Visa Case Officer, Information Officer, and member of the Digital Transformation Taskforce, I scrutinized thousands of visa applications and shaped the systems that evaluate them today.

As a subject-matter expert, I was selected to join the Digital Transformation Taskforce, advising on the design of key systems like Client Portal, ImmiAccount, VEVO, and their integration with the ICSE portal. These systems include risk assessment components that directly influence:

• Required applicant documentation,

• Application scrutiny levels,

• Visa grant/refusal outcomes.

Following the design and build phase, I contributed to testing, implementation, and user training. My work was recognized by Michael Pezzullo, then Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, who awarded me for outstanding contributions.

Today, as a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1688444) and strategic advisor, I bridge two worlds: the inside knowledge of visa decision-making and the real-world challenges CRICOS providers face. My career offers a unique vantage point:

• I know how Case Officers think—I trained them.

• I know how the system works—I helped build it.

• I know why applications fail—I’ve assessed thousands.

For CRICOS providers, this means actionable expertise: I don’t just advise on compliance—I anticipate how policy changes, risk triggers, and shifting visa officer priorities will impact your Assessment Level (AL) and profitability. Whether you’re battling rising refusal rates, adapting to the 2024 Migration Strategy, or competing for genuine students, I transform systemic risks into strategic advantages.