Australian visa application fees from 1 July 2026 — what changed for each visa
As of 2026-07-01 · Fidelity Editorial
From 1 July 2026, application fees rose for the main student, 485, skilled, employer-sponsored, partner and working holiday visas. A visa-by-visa table of the old fee, the new fee and the increase, based on Home Affairs pricing.
Australian banknotes. Photo: Martin Kingsley from Melbourne, Australia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
From 1 July 2026, application fees for Australia's main visas went up. Based on the Department of Home Affairs visa pricing page, the tables below compare each visa's fee up to 30 June 2026 with the fee from 1 July 2026.
Most visas rose by about 25%. The Resident Return visa and Bridging Visa B nearly tripled, and the Employer Nomination Scheme (186) rose by 39.5%. By contrast, the ELICOS student visa rose by only $50, and employer sponsorship and nomination fees did not change.
Student and graduate visas
Visa | Until 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
Student (500) | $2,000 | $2,500 | +$500 (25%) |
Student (500) — ELICOS | $2,000 | $2,050 | +$50 (2.5%) |
Temporary Graduate (485) | $4,600 | $5,750 | +$1,150 (25%) |
The Student visa (500) rose from $2,000 to $2,500. A Student visa for an ELICOS course rose by only $50, to $2,050, so the fee within the same subclass now depends on the course. The Temporary Graduate visa (485) is now $5,750.
Skilled visas — 189, 190, 491, 494 and 191
Visa | Until 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
Skilled Independent (189) | $4,910 | $6,135 | +$1,225 (24.9%) |
Skilled Nominated (190) | $4,910 | $6,140 | +$1,230 (25%) |
Skilled Work Regional (491) · Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494) | $4,910 | $6,140 | +$1,230 (25%) |
Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (191) | $505 | $630 | +$125 (24.8%) |
Subclasses 189, 190, 491 and 494 all cost $4,910 until June. From July they are $6,135 (189) and $6,140 (190, 491 and 494). The permanent visa that follows a regional visa (191) is now $630.
Employer-sponsored visas — 482 and 186
Visa | Until 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
Skills in Demand (482) | $3,300 | $4,015 | +$715 (21.7%) |
Employer Nomination Scheme (186) | $4,400 | $6,140 | +$1,740 (39.5%) |
Sponsorship · Nomination | $420 · $330 | $420 · $330 | No change |
The Employer Nomination Scheme (186) rose from $4,400 to $6,140, an increase of $1,740 (39.5%) and the largest percentage rise among the skilled and employer-sponsored permanent visas. The 482 visa rose 21.7% to $4,015. The sponsorship ($420) and nomination ($330) fees paid by employers did not change.
Partner and other visas
Visa | Until 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
Partner (820/801, 309/100) | $9,365 | $11,710 | +$2,345 (25%) |
Training (407) | $430 | $535 | +$105 (24.4%) |
Resident Return (155 · 157) | $490 | $1,475 | +$985 (201%) |
Bridging Visa B (020) | $190 | $575 | +$385 (202.6%) |
Working Holiday / Work and Holiday (417 · 462) — first | $670 | $840 | +$170 (25%) |
Working Holiday / Work and Holiday (417 · 462) — second and third | $670 | $1,000 | +$330 (49.3%) |
At $11,710, the Partner visa is the most expensive visa in these tables. In percentage terms, the Resident Return visa (155/157, 201%) and Bridging Visa B (020, 202.6%) rose the most. Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visas now have two prices: $840 for a first visa and $1,000 for a second or third.
Summary
From 1 July 2026, most main visa application fees rose by about 25%.
The largest percentage rises: Resident Return (201%), Bridging Visa B (202.6%), second and third Working Holiday visas (49.3%) and the 186 (39.5%).
The ELICOS student visa rose by only $50, and employer sponsorship and nomination fees are unchanged.
These amounts are taken from the Department's published fees. Other charges, such as fees for additional family members, are separate and vary by visa. Check the Department's official page for the current amounts before you apply.
Sources
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