Australia’s migration system has become dramatically more expensive from 1 July, with the Department of Home Affairs updating its visa pricing table and raising several major primary applicant visa charges by 25 per cent, while some categories have almost tripled.
The Department’s own visa fees page states that visa costs “change from time to time” and that the amount payable depends on the date Home Affairs receives the application. It also warns that if a price increase occurs between lodgement and receipt, applicants must pay the new charge.
The current visa pricing table was updated at 12.27 am on 1 July 2026, with Home Affairs directing applicants to use the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out visa costs.
For thousands of families, students, skilled migrants and temporary visa holders, the increase is not a small administrative adjustment. It is a major new financial barrier at the front door of Australia’s immigration system.
The most politically sensitive increase is the International Student visa, which has risen from $2,000 to $2,500 for the primary applicant. That comes after the education sector had already warned that Australia’s $2,000 student visa fee was among the highest in the world and was damaging short-term and vocational education providers.
The Temporary Graduate visa has also jumped again, from $4,600 to $5,750. This is a $1,150 increase for young graduates who are already facing rent pressure, job uncertainty and high living costs. The visa had already been reported as rising to $4,600 earlier this year, making Australia’s post-study work visa one of the most expensive globally.
Partner visa applicants will now pay $11,710, up from $9,365, an increase of $2,345. For couples and families already facing long waits, this means the government is asking people to pay almost $12,000 upfront without buying any certainty on timing.
Home Affairs’ own global visa processing guide makes clear that processing times are only an indication based on recently decided applications and do not guarantee when a visa will be decided.
The increases include:
| Visa category | Previous fee | New fee | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Graduate visa subclass 485 | $4,600 | $5,750 | $1,150, 25% |
| Partner visa | $9,365 | $11,710 | $2,345, 25% |
| Student visa | $2,000 | $2,500 | $500, 25% |
| Skilled Independent subclass 189 | $4,910 | $6,135 | $1,225, nearly 25% |
| Bridging visa B | $190 | $575 | $385, more than 200% |
| Skills in Demand / subclass 482 | $3,210 | $4,015 | $805, about 25% |
| Resident Return visa | $490 | $1,475 | $985, more than 200% |
| Visitor visa | $200 | $250 | $50, 25% |
| Contributory Parent subclass 143 | $5,040 | $6,300 | $1,260, 25% |
| NZ citizen family relationship subclass 461 | $445 | $1,330 | $885, almost 200% |
The steepest proportional increases are for Bridging visa B, Resident Return visas and the subclass 461 New Zealand citizen family relationship visa. These are not luxury applications. They affect people trying to travel while awaiting decisions, permanent residents needing to maintain travel rights, and family members of New Zealand citizens living in Australia.
The hike to the Bridging visa B is particularly severe. A primary applicant who previously paid $190 will now pay $575, more than three times the previous amount.
Gold Cost-based Registered Migration Agent Seema Chauhan is Principal of Abode Australia Migration.
Seema told The Australia Today, Visa fee changes are typically incremental and based on indexation.
“However, from 1 July 2026, the scale of the increase —ranging from around 25% to, in some cases, 200% across certain categories- feels unusually steep.”
“It raises important questions about accessibility and affordability for genuine applicants,” She added.
The Resident Return visa increase is just as sharp, moving from $490 to $1,475. This will hit permanent residents who need to travel and return to Australia after their travel facility has expired or is close to expiry.
The subclass 461 visa, used by family members of New Zealand citizens, has increased from $445 to $1,330. That is an $885 increase for a visa pathway used by families with close trans-Tasman ties.
The skilled migration pathway has also become more expensive. The Skilled Independent subclass 189 primary applicant fee has risen from $4,910 to $6,135, while the subclass 482 fee has increased from $3,210 to $4,015.
That means Australia is increasing the upfront cost of attracting skilled workers at the same time businesses continue to complain of labour shortages and the government says skilled migration is central to economic growth.
The Department’s fee guidance also notes that surcharges may apply when paying visa application charges by credit card or PayPal, meaning the final cost for applicants could be higher than the listed visa charge.
The Visa Pricing Estimator also warns that its estimate may not include the second instalment of the visa application charge for some visas.
For the Albanese government, the political problem is clear. These are not marginal fee increases hidden in the machinery of government. They are large, visible and immediate charges imposed on people who already contribute billions through tuition fees, taxes, consumption, rent, business spending and labour.
Students are being asked to pay more before they even start. Graduates are being asked to pay more to work after studying. Skilled workers are being asked to pay more to fill shortages. Families are being asked to pay more to live together. Permanent residents are being asked to pay more to keep travelling in and out of the country they call home.
The government may present the increases as routine visa application charge adjustments, but for applicants, the reality is blunt:
Australia has made migration more expensive without promising faster decisions, better service or greater certainty.
The Australia Today understands the increases apply to primary applicant visa application charges. Additional applicant charges, surcharges and second instalments may further increase the final cost depending on the visa category and family composition.
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