Overview
- The Department of Home Affairs updated its visa pricing table with changes that took effect on July 1, 2026, raising many primary applicant charges by about 25% and increasing some categories by much larger amounts.
- Key increases include the student visa (subclass 500) from $2,000 to $2,500 and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) from $4,600 to $5,750, while partner visas now cost $11,710 and the New Zealand family relationship visa (subclass 461) rose from $445 to $1,330.
- Some fees jumped roughly 200% or more, with Bridging visa B moving from $190 to $575 and the Resident Return visa from $490 to $1,475, and skilled visa charges such as subclass 189 and 482 also rising markedly.
- Business groups and education bodies warned higher fees will make Australia less competitive for international students and skilled workers and could harm sectors that rely on migrant labour.
- Former officials and commentators said the hikes do not fix core operational problems such as partner and asylum-processing backlogs or visa integrity issues and urged the government to clarify whether revenue will be earmarked for those reforms.