Searches for the "best" CPD provider turn up provider marketing and nothing independent. The OMARA approves providers; it does not rank them. These are the questions that separate a provider whose points you can rely on from one you will regret, in the order to ask them.
Points from an unapproved provider are worth nothing, whatever the certificate says. Check the OMARA’s approved-provider list, then ask for the activity number of the specific session or module. Under LIN 26/001 approval carries conditions and can be cancelled, so a provider that was approved two years ago may not be now. How to check in two minutes →
At least 5 of your 10 points must be Category A: live, interactive workshops. A provider that only sells self-paced modules can supply at most half your year, however cheap. A provider that only runs conferences supplies Category A but makes the Category B half expensive. Most agents end up with one provider for live points and the same or another for modules. Category A vs B →
A Category A workshop must involve real-time discussion among participants or interactive participation tools, and have no more than 30 participants. A 200-person webinar with a chat box is not a workshop. Ask how many places the session has and what you will be doing in it beyond listening. What a compliant Zoom workshop looks like →
You must attend the whole session, on your own device, under your own booking. Shared screens in an office do not count. Ask how attendance is recorded, what tolerance there is for a dropped connection, and whether you will be told promptly if your attendance was not matched. A provider that cannot answer this is a provider whose certificate may not arrive.
No more than 6 online points count in any 24-hour period. A provider selling "10 points in one day" online is selling 4 points you cannot use. Good providers structure weekends and packages around six counted points a day and say so. The cap →
Ethics and the Code of Conduct are 1 point each, every year. Check both are available in a format you can use, and whether they are included in any bundle or charged at a premium. Ethics → · Code of Conduct →
Convert everything to a GST-inclusive price per point. A 2-point session at A$95 is A$47.50 a point; a conference day at A$650 for 6 points is over A$100 a point before travel. Widen’s prices are A$30 per session or module and A$22 a point on the Points Pass. What CPD costs →
The government’s own review of the agent instruments noted that CPD is too often treated as a formality by agents and providers alike. The test is simple: will this session change what you draft or advise tomorrow? Topic lists built around current practice (sponsorship evidence, the 2026 reset, ART review strategy) beat generic "update" sessions. Look at who presents and whether they practise.
The certificate must show your name and MARN, the provider and provider number, the activity number and category, the points and the completion date. Ask whether completions are reported to the OMARA and how quickly the certificate issues. Record-keeping →
Live sessions get missed. Read the policy on transfers and refunds before booking, and check the time zone sessions are scheduled in. Session times by city →
| Online workshops and modules | In-person conference | |
|---|---|---|
| Category A available | Yes, if interactive and capped at 30 | Yes |
| Online cap applies | Yes: 6 counted points per 24 hours | No |
| Cost per point | Low | High once venue, travel and time are counted |
| Scheduling | Weekends and evenings, from anywhere | Fixed dates, capital cities |
| Networking | Limited | The main reason to go |
OMARA-approved provider PPA10000420. Live Category A sessions and self-paced Category B modules — including the mandatory ethics and Code of Conduct topics — at A$30 incl. GST each, or a 10-point CPD Points Pass for A$220 that covers the whole year.
See upcoming CPD sessions Points Pass — 10 points A$220← Back to the full CPD requirements guide
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