Australian Visa Fees Jumped on 1 July 2026: Here Is What You Pay Now

Australian visa fees before and after 1 July 2026

Here are some of the most relevant changes for prospective migrants.

Why did visa fees increase so much?

This is not simply normal annual CPI indexation.

The government’s 2026 amendments state that most first-institution visa application charges increased by 25 percent as part of the 2026-27 budget measures.

That is a significant distinction.

In previous years, applicants often expected annual visa fee adjustments around 1 July. This year’s change is considerably larger for many visa categories.

The government says the measure is intended to raise revenue across the migration program while maintaining the existing visa charging structure.

The Student visa now costs $2,500

International students have been hit particularly hard.

The standard base application charge for the subclass 500 Student visa has risen:

The adult additional applicant charge has also risen from $1,225 to $1,530, while the charge for an additional applicant under 18 has increased from $400 to $500.

For a couple applying together, that means the government visa application charge alone can now be substantially higher before you even consider medical examinations, police certificates, English tests, health insurance, education fees or professional assistance.

The subclass 482 now starts from $4,015

For skilled workers and employers, the Skills in Demand subclass 482 is another important change.

The primary applicant’s first instalment was $3,210 during 2025-26.

Home Affairs now lists the subclass 482 from $4,015.

That is an increase of $805 before considering costs associated with sponsorship, nomination, the Skilling Australians Fund levy, family members or professional assistance.

For businesses sponsoring several workers each year, the cumulative effect can be substantial.

Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186: $4,910 to $6,140

The Government’s explanatory statement gives the Employer Nomination subclass 186 as a direct example of the new 25 per cent charging policy.

The first instalment for the main applicant has changed from:

$4,910 in 2025-26

to

$6,140 in 2026-27

An additional adult applicant has increased from $2,455 to $3,070, while an additional child charge has increased from $1,230 to $1,535.

For a skilled worker applying together with a partner and child, these changes can make the difference between budgeting for migration and being caught thousands of dollars short.

Skilled migration is more expensive too

The subclass 189 and subclass 190 had a base application charge of $4,910 during 2025-26. They fall within the broader 25 per cent fee increase applying to most affected visa categories from 1 July 2026.

This matters particularly because skilled migration expenses often begin well before the visa application itself.

An applicant might already have paid for:

• English testing
• a skills assessment
• translations
• police certificates
• medical examinations
• state nomination costs where applicable
• professional migration assistance

The visa fee is therefore only one component of the total migration budget.

Visitor visas are more expensive too

For an applicant outside Australia applying for the subclass 600 Visitor visa Tourist stream, the base charge was $200 during 2025-26.

Home Affairs now lists the fee from $250.

That may not sound dramatic compared with the cost of a skilled or permanent visa, but it is still a 25 per cent increase for an extremely common Australian visa.

There are important exceptions

Not everybody is subject to the full 25 per cent increase.

The Government has retained or introduced concessional charging arrangements for certain applicants, including eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.

There are also specific concessional Student visa arrangements for certain cohorts.

Home Affairs now highlights these concessions on several visa pages.

This means two people applying for the same visa subclass may not necessarily pay exactly the same amount.

Which fee applies if you started an application before 1 July?

The date you opened ImmiAccount is not necessarily what determines the fee.

Home Affairs states that the cost depends on the date it receives the application.

If the visa price increases between the time an application is started or lodged and the date Home Affairs receives it, the new charge can apply.

Payment surcharges may also apply depending on the payment method used.

Does paying the higher fee improve your processing time?

No.

A higher Visa Application Charge does not buy priority processing.

Visa processing is governed by separate processing rules, Ministerial Directions, program capacity, individual circumstances and whether an application is complete.

Paying $6,140 instead of $4,910 does not mean a skilled visa will be decided more quickly.

That is especially important in 2026 because Home Affairs has separately introduced new skilled visa processing priorities.

Should applicants lodge earlier because fees might rise again?

Visa fees can change from time to time, commonly around the beginning of a new financial year.

But lodging quickly purely to avoid a future fee increase can be a very expensive mistake if the application is not ready.

A refused application can cost considerably more than an annual fee increase.

The better strategy is to understand your eligibility early, prepare the evidence properly and build visa costs into your migration plan well before the intended lodgement date.