Australia’s 2026 Visa Application Charge Hikes: What Changed and Why It Matters to Your Application
If you’re planning to apply for an Australian visa in 2026, the charge just went up; some of them dramatically.
From 1 July 2026, the Australian Department of Home Affairs implemented new Visa Application Charge (VAC) across every visa category. Some fees increased by modest percentages in line with inflation. Others? They’ve nearly doubled.
For a Partner Visa applicant, that means an extra AUD 2,345 on top of what applicants paid last year. For international graduates applying for the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa, the base fee jumped to AUD 5,750; a 150% increase from when it was last indexed.
The question isn’t just “How much do I need to budget?” It’s deeper: “What is the government actually signalling with these increases, and how does it change my pathway strategy?”
This guide breaks down what changed, why the government made these moves, and what you need to do before you submit your application.
ONEderland Consulting’s Expert Analysis Result: What These Numbers Imply
Over the past 15 years working with visa applicants, we’ve watched the Australian migration system evolve from volume-based to increasingly selective and cost-conscious. The 2026 fee increases aren’t random. They reflect a deliberate government strategy to:
- Recover true processing costs: Visa application assessment isn’t cheap. Compliance checks, data-matching with tax authorities, health and character assessments, and integrity reviews all cost money. Higher fees mean applicants fund these services directly.
- Manage demand through pricing: When a visa category is oversubscribed, governments have two tools: caps and cost. Australia is using both. Higher fees slow application volumes while funding the systems that process them faster.
- Signal commitment and reduce speculation: The government believes higher fees filter out applicants who aren’t genuinely committed to their migration outcome. An applicant paying AUD 5,750 for a 485 visa is making a real financial commitment; they’re less likely to withdraw or treat the visa as a casual option.
- Fund policy reforms: The 485 fee increase specifically funds the new “Genuine Student” integrity assessment and expanded compliance teams. The Partner Visa increase supports relationship-authenticity verification. These aren’t hidden costs; they’re transparent.
From a strategic standpoint, the increases mean applicants can no longer treat visa applications casually. Applications must be decision-ready, evidence-strong, and aligned with long-term plans. The financial stakes are now high enough that weak applications cost serious money.
If you’re unsure about navigating and planning your visa application alone, contact our visa consultant team here.
What Changed: The New Australian Visa Application Charge
Here’s what your actual costs are now. You can use the search button to check the visa application charge easily.
General Skilled Migration (6)
Employer-Sponsored Visa (4)
Other Temporary Working Visas (6)
Partner and Prospective Marriage Visas (5)
Child and Parent Visa (12)
Other Family Visas (2)
Medical Treatment, Visitor, and Work and Holiday Visa (5)
National Innovation Visa and Resident Return Visa (3)
Student Visa and Temporary Graduate Visa (4)
Bridging Visa B (1)
Protection Visa (3)
Administrative Review Tribunal and Australian Citizenship (5)
Strategic Planning: What You Need to Know Now
Before you lodge your application, consider these strategic factors:
Application Readiness Test
With fees this high, applications must be decision-ready. This means:
- All required documents collected and certified
- Evidence of relationship quality (for Partner visas) or family connection (for family visas)
- Health and character clearances obtained in advance
- Employment history verified (for skilled visas)
- Skills assessment completed (for graduate visas)
- English language test results current (for work/study visas)
If you’re missing any of these, delay your application. The cost of a refusal at AUD 5,750–11,710 is too high to submit incomplete applications.
Pathway Comparison
Higher fees make pathway choice critical. For example:
If you’re a recent graduate deciding between:
- 485 Temporary Graduate Visa (AUD 5,750) → Work 2–3 years, then apply for permanent visa
- 189 Skilled Independent Visa (AUD 6,135) → direct Permanent residency
The cost difference is minimal. If you meet 189 criteria, applying directly might be cheaper long-term than doing 485 plus future PR visa.
If you’re an Australian child considering sponsoring your parent:
- Permanent Parent (103) (AUD 6,600) → 30+ year queue
- Temporary Sponsored Parent (870) (AUD 1,515 first + AUD 4,855–10,925 second) → 7– 8 months processing, renewable to 10 years
The 870 offers faster reunification at a lower initial cost, though it’s not permanent. It’s a real option for families not willing to wait 3 decades.
Timeline Considerations
- Early 2026 applicants: If you applied before 1 July 2026, you locked in the old (lower) fees. Anyone who has already submitted their application is not affected by the new charge.
- Late 2026 onwards: All new applications attract the new Australian visa application charge. There’s no grandfather clause or transition period.
Strategic pause or proceed? Given the charge are now locked in for the financial year (to 30 June 2027), delaying won’t save money:
- If your application is ready, proceeding from July to August 2026 makes sense.
- If it’s not ready, you’re better off spending time gathering evidence than rushing and risking refusal.
What It Means & What You Must Do: By Visa Type
If You’re Considering Partner Visa Applications (Subclass 820/801 & 309/100)
New visa application charge: AUD 11,710 (main applicant)
What It Means:
The Partner Visa cost increase signals the government is serious about relationship authenticity. At AUD 11,710, applicants are making a substantial financial commitment, and the government is investing heavily in verifying that the commitment is genuine.
This fee funds:
- Relationship evidence assessment and cross-checking
- Fraud detection and verification procedures
- Character and health assessments for both partners
- Processing and compliance team resources
Who this impacts most: International partners whose sponsor has a modest income, couples with short relationship histories, and applicants reapplying after previous refusals.
What Must Be Done:
- Relationship Evidence: Gather comprehensive proof of a de facto or spousal relationship, such as joint finances, living arrangements, social integration, and family recognition. A strong evidence package now isn’t optional; it’s essential.
- Financial Proof: Your sponsor must demonstrate the capacity to support you without relying on government assistance. Gather:
- Last 2 years of tax returns
- Current payslips or business financials
- Bank statements showing financial stability
- Proof of housing (rental agreement or ownership)
- Character & Health: Obtain health assessments and police clearances (from all countries where you’ve lived for 12+ months in the past 10 years) before lodging. Processing these in advance prevents delays.
- Application Timing: Don’t rush. The AUD 11,710 fee is non-refundable. Spend 2–3 months gathering and organising evidence. A thorough, slow application beats a rushed, incomplete one.
- Professional Review: Have your application reviewed by a qualified migration agent before submission. At this cost, professional review isn’t a luxury—it’s risk management.
Cost Estimate (Total):
- Visa fee: AUD 11,710
- Health assessment: AUD 300–500
- Police clearances: AUD 50–200 (varies by country)
- Migration agent fees: AUD 4,500–5,500
- Total range: AUD 16,560–17,910 (for single applicant without dependent)
If You’re Considering Temporary Graduate Visa Application (subclass 485)
New Fee: AUD 5,750 (main applicant, 100% increase from March 2026)
What It Means:
The 485 fee doubling is the government’s clearest signal yet: the Temporary Graduate Visa is a work and early-career visa, not a holding pattern or study extension mechanism.
At AUD 5,750, recent graduates face a real financial hurdle at a time when they’re already managing living costs, health insurance, and finding work. The government explicitly stated that this fee increase filters for genuine commitment.
This fee funds:
- Genuine Student (GS) integrity assessment
- Expanded compliance and investigation teams
- Real-time tax office data-matching
- Processing and decision-making resources
Who this impacts most: International graduates from South Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America (where AUD 5,750 represents a high cost relative to local income). Graduates without immediate job offers. Graduates from non-STEM fields who face longer job searches.
What Must Be Done:
- Timing is Critical: You have 6 months from course completion to apply. Don’t miss this window; you can’t re-enter on a new 485 Visa easily. Track your completion date carefully.
- Course Completion Evidence: Have your degree conferred and testamur (graduation certificate) issued before applying. A provisional completion letter isn’t enough.
- English Language Test: Your English test must be current (taken within 12 months) at the required minimums.
- Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC): Arrange private health insurance before lodging. Medicare doesn’t cover temporary visa holders.
- Budget Planning: Don’t just budget the visa application charge. Factor in total costs:
- Visa fee: AUD 5,750
- OVHC insurance (first year): AUD 1,800
- Medical examination: AUD 300–500
- Police clearance: AUD 50–100
- Total immediate cost: ~AUD 7,900–8,150
- Job Strategy Begins Before Visa Lodgement: International graduates on 485 visas can work full-time and unlimited hours, but finding work is your responsibility. Begin job searching 2–3 months before course completion. Having a job lined up improves outcomes and reduces financial stress.
Key Insight: The 485 visa is now expensive enough that you must treat it as a serious early-career stepping stone, not a comfortable extension of student life. The visa gives you work rights and residency, but you’re responsible for converting that into career progress and migration outcomes.
Cost Estimate (Total):
- Visa fee: AUD 5,750
- OVHC (1st year): AUD 1,800
- Health assessment: AUD 400
- Police clearance: AUD 100
- English test: AUD 300 (if needed)
- Migration agent fees (optional): AUD 2,500–3,500
- Total range: AUD 10,850–11,850
If You’re Considering Parent Visa Applications
New Fee: AUD 6,600 (first instalment, main applicant for 103/804); varying for contributory pathways
What It Means:
The government has essentially created a two-track parent visa system:
- Permanent parent visas (103, 143, 804, 864): High cost, long queue, full rights
- Temporary parent visa (870): Lower cost, fast processing, renewable
The fee structure reinforces this: if you want permanent residency for parents, expect to wait and pay significantly. If you want your parents to be in Australia now while contributing financially, the 870 temporary visa option is increasingly viable.
Who this impacts most: Families with elderly parents wanting to reunite, sponsors with modest income (who can’t afford the AUD 47,000+ for 143 visa), and families with siblings scattered internationally (who don’t meet the “balance of family” test for permanent visas).
What Must Be Done:
This depends on which visa pathway suits your situation:
For Non-Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 103 and 804)
- Fees: AUD 6,600 (first instalment); second instalment due at decision (AUD 2,065)
- Queue: Processing applications from June 2013 as of early 2026 (30+ year wait)
- Strategy: Lodge as a “queue placeholder” while exploring other options simultaneously. Many families lodge 103 to secure a queue position, then pursue 870 (temporary) for immediate reunification.
What to do:
- Confirm you meet the “balance of family” test (at least half your children live in Australia permanently)
- Gather health assessments and police clearances for parents
- Provide proof of your Australian residency/citizenship
- Be prepared to wait. Realistically, new 2026 applications won’t process until 2055+
For Contributory Parent Visa (subclass 143 and 864)
- Fees: AUD 555 (first instalment if coming from temporary visa 173 or 884); AUD 6,300 (first instalment if direct)
- Processing queue: 12–15 years for new applications
- Strategy: Much faster than 103, but requires you to meet the age pension requirement. Most families combine this with a temporary pathway.
What to do:
- Obtain Assurance of Support (AoS) from sponsor (AUD 10,000 bond for one parent)
- Pay first instalment (AUD 6,300)
- Consider lodging temporary 173 or 884 visa first to bring parents to Australia while the 143 or 864 processes in the background
- Budget for eventual second instalment (AUD 43,600 at decision stage)
For Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (870)
- Fees: AUD 1,515 (first instalment) + AUD 4,855 (3-year grant) or AUD 10,925 (5-year grant)
- Processing: 7–8 months
- Total cost per parent: AUD 6,370–12,440
- Strategy: Fastest and most affordable option for bringing parents to Australia. They can stay 3–5 years (renewable up to 10 years total), work, and integrate. No requirement for the “balance of family” test.
What to do:
- Meet income threshold (AUD 83,454.80+ indexed); can combine with partner or sibling income
- Obtain Assurance of Support (AoS) form (approximately AUD 5,000 application + AUD 10,000 bond)
- Arrange private health insurance for parents (required; Medicare doesn’t cover temporary visa holders)
- Lodge application with first instalment (AUD 1,515)
- Be prepared for parents to work and contribute (they’re not dependent; they’re temporary residents)
Cost Estimate (Total for 870 visa, per parent for 3 years of stay):
- First instalment: AUD 1,515
- Second instalment (3yr): AUD 4,855
- Private health insurance (3yr): AUD 1,500–2,000/year = AUD 4,500–6,000
- AoS bond: AUD 10,000 (refundable after 10 years)
- Medical examination: AUD 300–500
- Police clearance: AUD 50–100
Reality Check: If you have elderly parents and want them in Australia within a reasonable timeframe, the 870 Visa is increasingly the practical choice. Waiting 12–30 years for permanent visas means missing years together.
If You’re Considering Skilled Migration Visas (subclass 189, 190 and 491)
New Fee: AUD 6,135–6,140 (main applicant)
What It Means:
Australian Skilled visa application charge jumped to AUD 6,135–6,140, aligning with employer-sponsored visa costs. The government is signalling that skilled migration, whether you’re nominated by a state (190), an employer (186/187), or points-tested (189), carries the same cost because it carries the same value to Australia.
Who this impacts most: International skilled workers in IT, engineering, healthcare, and trades. Applicants planning to apply for PR after working in Australia (most likely pathway for former international students). Applicants bringing families (where partner/dependent fees add AUD 3,070+ per person).
What Must Be Done:
The application pathway varies by visa subclass:
For Skilled Independent (subclass 189) Visa
- Fees: AUD 6,135 (main); AUD 3,070 (partner/dependent 18+); AUD 1,540 (child under 18)
- Strategy: Direct PR pathway, no state sponsorship or employer required. Points-tested (age, English, work experience, qualifications). Best for high-scoring applicants.
What to do:
- Obtain skills assessment from relevant authority (TRA, CPA, EA, ACS, etc.).
- Achieve required English language score (IELTS 6.5+, PTE 50+, or equivalent)
- Calculate your points (age, English, work experience, qualifications, state sponsorship if pursuing 190)
- Ensure you’re on the skilled occupation list in a profession with demand
- Lodge EOI (Expression of Interest) via SkillSelect
- Wait for invitation (depends on available places and cutoff scores)
- Gather health assessments and police clearances before you receive invitation
- Lodge visa application within 60 days of invitation
Budget for total application cost: AUD 6,135 + skills assessment (AUD 500–1,500) + health (AUD 300–500) + police (AUD 50–100) = approximately AUD 7,000–8,300
For Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) Visa
- Fees: AUD 6,140 (main); AUD 3,070 (partner/dependent 18+); AUD 1,535 (child under 18)
- Strategy: State-nominated pathway. Requires state sponsorship, but more places available than the 189 visa. Better for applicants with relevant state experience or skills matching state demand.
What to do:
- Identify which states need your skills (check state sponsorship occupation lists)
- Gather employment evidence showing work in Australia (for most states)
- Obtain skills assessment
- Achieve required English score
- Check state-specific requirements (some require job offers, others don’t; varies by state and occupation)
- Apply to your target state for sponsorship nomination
- Once nominated, complete visa application within the timeframe
Total cost similar to 189 visa: AUD 7,000–8,500 + potential state nomination fees (varies by state)
For Skilled Regional (subclass 491) Visa
- Fees: AUD 6,140 (main); AUD 3,070 (partner/dependent 18+); AUD 1,535 (child under 18)
- Strategy: Regional provisional PR pathway. You get PR but with regional work/residence conditions for 3 years. After 3 years of meeting conditions, convert to unrestricted PR via 191 Visa.
What to do:
- Identify regional occupations in demand (mining, agriculture, construction, healthcare trades often included)
- Show genuine commitment to regional Australia (employment offer, study, or family ties)
- Complete skills assessment, English test, health/character checks
- Lodge application with all evidence
- If approved, you’re restricted to your nominated region for 3 years
- After 3 years with primary employment in region, apply for 191 conversion (minimal cost)
Total cost: AUD 6,140 + assessments/tests (~AUD 2,000–3,000) = AUD 8,140–9,140
Reality Check: Skilled visa fees are now substantial. If you’re in Australia on a work or student visa and considering PR, getting your application right is critical. Even small errors now cost AUD 6,135+ to correct (and may require re-application).
If You’re Considering Employer-Sponsored Visas (subclass 482, 186, or 187)
New Fee: AUD 4,015–6,140 (main applicant, depending on visa subclass)
What It Means:
Employer-sponsored visas now cost AUD 6,140 (for most permanent pathways: 186, 187, 494), positioning them as equivalent to skilled independent visas. The exception is the Skills in Demand (482) visa, which costs AUD 4,015, reflecting its temporary nature.
Higher fees mean employers and employees share cost responsibility. This reinforces the government’s message: if an employer genuinely needs you enough to sponsor, they’ll contribute; if you benefit from work rights, you pay accordingly.
Who this impacts most: International professionals in trades, healthcare, IT, and engineering with Australian employers. Migrants who don’t score high enough for skilled visas but have employer support. Temporary skilled migrants extending stay through 482 visa.
What Must Be Done:
The process varies significantly by visa type:
For Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
- Fees: AUD 6,140 (main); AUD 3,070 (partner/dependent 18+); AUD 1,535 (child under 18)
- Strategy: Long-term permanent skilled visa. Employer sponsors you; you get permanent residency. Requires employer to prove they can’t find local candidates.
What to do:
- Your employer must lodge Nomination at their cost. They pay nomination processing fee (AUD 2,500–3,000+)
- Employer must demonstrate position can’t be filled locally (labor market testing)
- Employer must meet financial viability requirements
- You must meet health and character requirements
- You must meet skills/English requirements (lower than skilled visas sometimes)
- Once nominated, you lodge visa application with AUD 6,140 fee
- Processing takes 12–24 months typically
Your costs (can be discussed further with your sponsoring employer):
- Visa fee: AUD 6,140
- Health assessment: AUD 300–500
- Police clearance: AUD 50–100
- English test (if needed): AUD 300
- Migration agent fees: AUD 2,500–3,500
- Your total: AUD 9,290–10,540
Employer typically covers nomination costs (AUD 2,500+) and often contributes to visa application costs.
For Regional Sponsored Migration (subclass 187) Visa
- Fees: AUD 6,140 (main); AUD 3,070 (partner/dependent 18+); AUD 1,535 (child under 18)
- Strategy: Permanent PR with regional work/residence conditions. Similar to 186 but requires regional employer and region-specific role.
Process similar to 186, but:
- Must work in designated regional area (outside major cities: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth)
- Regional employer must sponsor
- Conditions apply for certain period (varies)
- Once conditions met, becomes unrestricted PR
- Your costs: Similar to 186, approximately AUD 9,290–10,540
For Skills in Demand (subclass 482) Visa
- Fees: AUD 4,015 (main and dependents); AUD 1,005 (child under 18)
- Strategy: Temporary skilled migration visa. You work for the sponsoring employer for 2–4 years; the employer demonstrates genuine need. Permanent Residency pathway through 186 visa.
What to do:
- Your employer nominates the position and you as a candidate
- Employer undergoes labour market testing (proving local workers can’t fill the role)
- Employer establishes sponsorship (obligations include paying you Australian market rates)
- You lodge a visa application with an AUD 4,015 fee (the lowest employer-sponsored cost)
Your costs:
- Visa fee: AUD 4,015
- Health assessment: AUD 300–500
- Police clearance: AUD 50–100
- English test (if needed): AUD 300
- Migration agent fees: AUD 2,500–3,500
- Your total: AUD 7,165–8,415
Key difference: 482 Visa is temporary work, not permanent. But if you’re applying from overseas and want to get into Australia to build work experience and points for a future PR application, it’s significantly cheaper than the permanent visas and often faster to process.
Reality Check: Employer-sponsored visas are employer-led processes. You don’t control the timeline or nomination outcomes.
Costs are split: the employer pays the nomination, and you pay the visa application. If you’re international and an employer wants you, the 482 pathway gets you working quickly and affordably, and then you build experience for a future permanent visa application.
Strategic Summary: The Bigger Picture
The 2026 Australian visa application charge increase isn’t a punishment. They’re investment signalling.
Visa applicants now fall into three categories:
- Genuinely committed applicants who have clear plans, solid evidence, and financial resources. These applicants treat the higher fees as justified costs of immigration. Fees don’t deter them; they actually filter out weaker competition.
- Applicants reconsidering their choice. Higher fees mean more careful decision-making. If you were “maybe” going to apply, AUD 6,000+ fees make you think harder. This is intentional; the government wants committed applicants, not speculative ones.
- Applicants changing pathway strategy. Some international graduates will choose 482 employer-sponsored work (AUD 4,015) over 189 skilled visa (AUD 6,140). Some families will choose temporary 870 parent visa (AUD 1,515 + AUD 4,855) over permanent 103 visa (AUD 6,600 + 30-year queue). The fee structure creates these trade-offs, and applicants must choose strategically.
The winners in this environment: well-prepared applicants with clear plans and professional guidance.
The losers: rushed applicants, incomplete submissions, and people treating applications casually.
Your Next Step: Strategic Planning Before You Apply
Before you lodge, you must answer these questions:
- Which visa are you actually eligible for? (Not which visa you hope to get—which one do you genuinely qualify for?)
- What’s your timeline? (Do you need to migrate within 12 months, or can you wait 2–3 years while building points/experience?)
- What’s your financial capacity? (Can you afford AUD 6,000–12,000+ for visa fees alone, plus associated costs for health, police, translation, and professional guidance?)
- What’s your risk tolerance? (Can you afford a refusal on a non-refundable fee, or must your application be near-perfect before lodging?)
- Have you gathered all required evidence? (If not, when will you, and is there a faster pathway you could use instead?)
If you can’t answer these questions clearly, you’re not ready to apply. And at these fees, not being ready is expensive.
Book Your Strategic Planning Consultation
Navigating these changes alone is risky. At ONEderland Consulting, we help applicants like you answer these five questions and build application strategies that work.
Our Strategic Pathway Consultation (AUD 150 for 60 minutes) includes:
- Eligibility assessment across all visa pathways you qualify for
- Cost-benefit analysis of your options
- Application timeline and budget roadmap
- Key evidence gaps and how to address them
- Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
This isn’t a free chat. It’s a working session where we map your specific situation, identify your fastest pathway, and give you a clear action plan.
Perth-based but serving Australia-wide. All consultations conducted via video call.
| No | Application Type | Updated Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) – Protection Visa Case | AUD 2,203 | |
| 2 | Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) – Other than Protection Visa Case | AUD 3,580 | |
| 3 | Australian Citizenship by Conferral | AUD 575 | |
| 4 | Australian Citizenship by Descent | AUD 370 | |
| 5 | Evidence of Australian Citizenship (Australian Citizenship Certificate) | AUD 280 |
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FAQs About Australian Visa Application Charges Increase
Will visa fees increase again in the next financial year?
Visa fees are indexed annually from 1 July each year. Expect further increases in line with inflation (CPI) and cost recovery. The 2026 increases are now locked in until 30 June 2027.
If I applied in June 2026, am I affected?
No. The new fees apply only to applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026. If you submitted before that date, you're grandfathered into the old fees.
Can I get a refund if my visa is refused?
No. Visa application fees are non-refundable regardless of outcome. This makes application readiness critical.
Are there any fee waivers or reductions?
Limited exemptions exist. Pacific Island citizens and Timor-Leste residents receive reduced rates on some visas (notably the 485, where they pay the old AUD 2,300 rate). Otherwise, no reductions apply.
Should I rush and apply before further increases?
Fees are locked until 30 June 2027. Rushing an incomplete application is more costly in the long run than waiting and applying properly. Quality over speed.
If I'm bringing a family, how much does this cost?
Multiply. For a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa with a partner and two children: AUD 6,135 + AUD 3,070 + AUD 1,540 + AUD 1,540 = AUD 12,285 in visa fees alone. Add health checks, police checks, translations and agent fees (roughly AUD 3,000–5,000), and total cost lands around AUD 15,000–17,000.
Is there a payment plan for high fees?
Only the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) officially allows instalments — first instalment at application, second at decision. All other visas require full payment upfront at the time of application.
