485 Visa Fee Increase 2026: What the New Application Charge Means for Graduates

What Changed on 1 March 2026

Prior to 1 March 2026, the standard first-instalment visa application charge (VAC) for a primary Subclass 485 applicant was AUD 2,300. From that date, it rose to AUD 4,600 — a 100 per cent increase in a single step.

The change was introduced through the Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026 (Federal Register of Legislation reference F2026L00163). The instrument was made on 19 February 2026, registered on the Federal Register on 28 February and commenced on 1 March, leaving little practical window for applicants to respond.

The new rates apply to applications made on or after 1 March 2026 (Schedule 13, Part 159 of the Regulations). Applications made before that date are not retrospectively affected — the charge is fixed by the date the application is made, not the date of decision.

**A second rise on 1 July 2026.** The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874) implemented a 2026–27 Budget measure increasing the first instalment of the visa application charge by 25 per cent for most visas. For the 485, the standard primary applicant charge went from AUD 4,600 to AUD 5,750. The lower Pacific and Timor-Leste charges were indexed rather than increased by 25 per cent.

Full Fee Breakdown: Primary & Secondary Applicants

The increase extends to secondary applicants included in the same application. Here is how the standard charge structure looked before and after each change (applicants without a Pacific or Timor-Leste passport):

**Primary applicant**
Before March 2026: AUD 2,300 | 1 March 2026: AUD 4,600 | From 1 July 2026: AUD 5,750

**Secondary applicant aged 18 or over**
Before March 2026: AUD 1,150 | 1 March 2026: AUD 2,300 | From 1 July 2026: AUD 2,875

**Secondary applicant under 18 (dependent child)**
Before March 2026: AUD 580 | 1 March 2026: AUD 1,160 | From 1 July 2026: AUD 1,450

At current rates, a couple applying together face a combined VAC of AUD 8,625. A family of three — primary applicant, one adult secondary applicant, and one dependent child — would pay AUD 10,075 in application charges alone, against AUD 4,030 before March 2026.

The Second Post-Higher Education Work stream (in the Regulations, a subsequent 485 in the Post-Higher Education Work stream for graduates who lived and studied in a designated regional area) has its own lower charge. It also doubled on 1 March 2026, from AUD 905 to AUD 1,810, and has been AUD 2,265 for the main applicant since 1 July 2026 (AUD 1,140 per additional applicant aged 18 or over, AUD 575 per child under 18).

*Always confirm secondary applicant charges using the Visa Pricing Estimator on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging, as figures are subject to further indexation.*

Who Is Exempt: Pacific Nations & Timor-Leste

The March 2026 increase did not apply where the primary applicant holds a valid passport issued by one of the listed Pacific countries or Timor-Leste. For those applicants, and for secondary applicants in the same application, the Regulations kept the previous amounts.

The countries on the list are: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Since 1 July 2026 the Regulations call these "Pacific-regional countries".

The lower charge stayed at AUD 2,300 for the primary applicant from 1 March to 30 June 2026. On 1 July 2026 it was indexed, not increased by 25 per cent, and is now AUD 2,360 for the primary applicant, AUD 1,180 for an additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 595 for one under 18. For a Second Post-Higher Education Work stream application by a Pacific or Timor-Leste passport holder, the primary applicant charge is AUD 930.

The explanatory statement for the March instrument says the exclusion supports the Government's commitment to engagement with the Pacific region through education, workforce development and skills exchange, and mirrors the lower student visa charge already applying to the same countries. The charge depends on the passport the primary applicant holds, so the passport details entered in ImmiAccount at lodgement matter.

The 485 Streams and What They Are Called Now

The 485 visa operates across several streams. Two of them were renamed on 1 July 2024 by the Migration Amendment (Graduate Visas) Regulations 2024, which can cause confusion when reading older guidance:

- **Post-Higher Education Work stream** (formerly Post-Study Work stream) — for graduates of higher education qualifications from an Australian institution. It carries the standard primary applicant charge — AUD 4,600 from 1 March 2026, and AUD 5,750 from 1 July 2026.

- **Post-Vocational Education Work stream** (formerly Graduate Work stream) — for graduates who nominate a skilled occupation specified by the Minister and hold a relevant skills assessment. The same standard charge applies.

- **Second Post-Higher Education Work stream** — the regional extension pathway for eligible graduates who lived and studied in a designated regional area. The primary applicant charge is AUD 2,265 from 1 July 2026.

Eligibility rules, duration of stay, and qualifying qualifications differ between streams, and which stream is open to you depends on your qualification and circumstances. Home Affairs' 485 visa page sets out the current criteria for each.

Other Costs to Budget For

The visa application charge is the largest single cost, but it is not the only one. Applicants should budget for the following additional expenses:

**Health examination**
Many 485 applicants are asked to complete health examinations with an approved panel physician. The cost is set by the provider and varies with the tests required, so get a quote from the clinic when you book.

**Health insurance**
Condition 8501 is imposed on every 485 visa (clause 485.611 of the Migration Regulations), which means holders must maintain adequate health insurance while in Australia. Premiums vary by insurer, level of cover and the number of people covered.

**Australian Federal Police (AFP) check**
Applicants are usually required to provide a police clearance from Australia and, depending on countries of residence, from overseas authorities. The AFP publishes the fee for a National Police Check as AUD 56 per application, or AUD 113 if fingerprints are needed (September 2026); a card surcharge applies online. Overseas police clearances vary significantly by country.

**Skills assessment (Post-Vocational Education Work stream only)**
Applicants for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream need a skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated occupation. Each authority sets its own fee, published on its website.

For a single applicant on the standard charge, the VAC alone is AUD 5,750; health examinations, a year of health insurance and police checks all sit on top of that.

Why Did the Fee Increase?

The explanatory statements published with the two instruments give the Government's stated reasons.

**1 March 2026.** The explanatory statement says the Regulations give effect to a Government decision made in the 2025–26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), increasing the 485 charge for everyone except holders of a Pacific or Timor-Leste passport. It states that no further consultation was considered necessary because the change aligned with the settings already applied to student visa charges.

**1 July 2026.** The explanatory statement for the 2026 Measures No. 1 Regulations describes a 2026–27 Budget measure: a system-wide 25 per cent increase to the first instalment for most visas, described as a broad-based way to raise revenue across the migration program, with the Pacific and Timor-Leste concessional charges kept and indexed.

The instrument behind the March increase was registered on 28 February 2026 and took effect the next day, so applicants had very little notice.

Practical Implications for Applicants

A few things are worth keeping in mind when planning your application:

**Do not rush an application just to beat a future fee change.** The 485 is a visa with specific eligibility requirements — you must have held the relevant student visa and must lodge within a set period of your course completion. Submitting before you meet the eligibility criteria, or submitting with incomplete documentation to beat a possible future fee movement, creates a far more costly problem than the fee itself. A refused application does not trigger a refund of the application charge.

**The date of lodgement governs the fee.** Your application is subject to the charge schedule in effect on the day it is lodged in ImmiAccount. This means that even if you received a previous fee quote or started gathering documents under the old schedule, the fee that applies is the one current at lodgement.

**Budget for delays.** Processing times for the 485 vary. If your visa takes several months to process, your health insurance, bridging visa situation, and associated costs continue to run. Build this into your total cost estimate.

**Check the Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.** The AUD 5,750 standard primary applicant charge is the amount in the Migration Regulations from 1 July 2026. Visa charges are indexed each year and can be changed at short notice, as the March 2026 increase showed. The Department of Home Affairs' Visa Pricing Estimator at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au will always reflect the current applicable charge for your specific circumstances.

Confirming the Current Fee Before You Lodge

Given how rapidly this change was implemented in March 2026, it is reasonable to want independent verification before committing to lodgement.

The definitive sources are:

1. **The Visa Pricing Estimator** on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au — this tool generates a fee estimate specific to your visa subclass, stream, and the number of applicants you are including.

2. **The 485 visa page** on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au — the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) page lists the cost for each stream.

3. **The Federal Register of Legislation** — the charges are in Schedule 1, item 1229 of the Migration Regulations 1994. The March 2026 increase came from F2026L00163 and the 1 July 2026 amounts from F2026L00874 (Compilation No. 288). Any later amendments are registered there too.

A MARA-registered migration agent can also confirm the current fee schedule and assess your specific eligibility and stream before you lodge — which can help avoid the far more significant cost of an unsuccessful application.