The date was 1 March 2026. Overnight, the base application charge for the Temporary Graduate visa doubled. No warning. No phase-in period. One day it cost $2,300. The next, $4,600.
If you are an international graduate planning to stay in Australia, this change directly affects you. As immigration lawyers Melbourne, we have been fielding calls from students and graduates across the country trying to work out what this means for their future. Let me give you the full picture.
What the 485 Visa Fee Increase Actually Costs
The subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa has always been the default first step for international graduates who want to work in Australia after finishing their studies. Until now, the base fee was manageable. Not anymore.
- Main applicant: $2,300 up to $4,600
- Additional adult applicant (partner or dependant aged 18 and over): $1,115 up to $2,300
- Child applicant (under 18): now $1,160
When you add police checks, health examinations, and overseas health insurance, the total cost of a single 485 application now sits between $6,000 and $7,700 for a graduate applying with a partner. That money is non-refundable. If the Department refuses your application, you lose every dollar.
There is a reduced fee for eligible citizens of Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste, approximately $905 for the main applicant. This recognises Australia's regional commitments and is not available to other nationalities.
It Is Not Just the 485: Student Visas and Work Thresholds
The 485 fee is the headline, but the wider picture matters just as much. The student visa (subclass 500) now costs $2,000, making it the most expensive study visa in the world. If you are a prospective student weighing up whether to come to Australia, that is a real number to factor in before you enrol.
From 1 July 2026, income thresholds for employer-sponsored visa streams are also rising. The Core Skills Income Threshold will increase to $79,499. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold will rise to $146,717. If your salary does not meet these new figures, your employer must adjust your package to maintain compliance.
Why Is the Government Doing This?
The Department of Home Affairs says these increases are about restoring integrity to the migration system. The official position is that the 485 visa has been used as a holding pattern by graduates without a clear pathway to permanent residence. The fee hike is meant to reduce casual lodgements and fund new compliance divisions, real-time data-matching with the Australian Taxation Office, and the new Genuine Student assessment framework.
The broader goal is to reduce net overseas migration from 538,000 last year to around 306,000 by 2025-26. The fee increases are one part of that strategy. Together, they represent the most significant tightening of the student and graduate pathway in a decade.
Three Streams: Applying Under the Wrong One Is a Costly Mistake
The 485 visa has been restructured into three distinct streams:
- Post-Vocational Education Work
- Post-Higher Education Work
- Second Post-Higher Education Work
Applying under the wrong stream leads to an immediate refusal. At $4,600 non-refundable, that is not a mistake you can afford to make. The age limit of 35 or under applies across all streams. The Department is not lenient on procedural errors when the stakes are this high.
If your application does go wrong, you have limited time to lodge an ART appeal. That process requires specific expertise and a strong evidence file. It is not a second bite at the same apple.
What You Should Do Right Now
The cost of getting this wrong has never been higher. Here is what I recommend to every graduate I speak to at the moment.
Do not wait until your student visa is about to expire. Calculate the full cost now, including health insurance premiums which are also rising in April 2026. Build that figure into your budget before you lodge.
Make sure everything is valid at the time of application. English test results, medicals, and Australian Federal Police checks all have expiry dates. One expired document can result in a refusal you cannot recover from without re-lodging and paying the full fee again.
Consider whether a direct-to-PR pathway or an Australian skilled visa might suit your situation better. Some graduates with the right qualifications and occupation will find the skilled migration route more cost-effective over the long term than the 485 followed by employer sponsorship.
Get advice before you lodge, not after. At this fee level, a refusal is not just frustrating. It is financially devastating.
The Cost of Getting This Right Is Far Less Than Getting It Wrong
I have been practising immigration law for fifteen years. The graduates who come to me after a refusal are in a genuinely difficult position. They have lost thousands of dollars, their visa status is in question, and the clock is ticking. I do not want that to be you.
Book a free consultation with our immigration lawyers and let us map out exactly where you stand before you lodge. We will work out which stream applies to you, whether your documents are in order, and whether a different pathway makes more sense.
You have worked too hard to lose it on a technicality.
This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your specific circumstances, book a consultation.
