International graduates hoping to stay and work in Australia now face the steepest visa fee hike in recent memory. From 1 March 2026, the base application charge for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) has leapt from AU$2,300 to AU$4,600 for the primary applicant, with all dependent charges also doubling.
The change was introduced by legislative instrument under the Migration (Fees) Regulation 2024 and applies to every new 485 application lodged on or after 1 March. Home Affairs says the 100 per cent jump is part of a broader effort to “restore integrity” to the post-study work route, which the government believes has become a default stop-gap for graduates with no clear long-term plan. Funds raised will bankroll tougher Genuine Student (GS) assessments, expanded compliance teams and data-matching with the tax office.
The fee hike arrives on top of a raft of recent clamp-downs: a new GS test, a Feb-2026 ban on “visa-hopping” between certain temporary subclasses, and an upcoming 31 March ban on agent commissions for on-shore course changes. Together, they signal Canberra’s intent to trim net overseas migration from last year’s 538,000 peak to roughly 306,000 in 2025-26.
![Australia Doubles 485 Graduate Visa Fee to AU$4,600 from 1 March 2026]()
Need help navigating these fast-moving changes? VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers up-to-date fee calculators, document checklists and guided filing services for the Temporary Graduate visa and alternative pathways. Their team can clarify Genuine Student evidence, advise on dependent lodgements and flag employer-sponsored options, minimising the risk of costly rejections.
For employers, the change could shrink the pool of fresh graduate talent. Universities fear it will dent Australia’s competitiveness against Canada and the UK, where post-study permits still cost under AU$1,000. Migration agents report a surge of last-minute applications lodged on 29 February to lock in the old fee.
Practical tips for graduates include budgeting for the higher charge, front-loading English tests and medicals to avoid re-lodgement, and exploring employer-sponsored 482 or direct-to-PR skilled visas where possible. Applicants from Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste remain eligible for a reduced fee under existing concessions.
The change was introduced by legislative instrument under the Migration (Fees) Regulation 2024 and applies to every new 485 application lodged on or after 1 March. Home Affairs says the 100 per cent jump is part of a broader effort to “restore integrity” to the post-study work route, which the government believes has become a default stop-gap for graduates with no clear long-term plan. Funds raised will bankroll tougher Genuine Student (GS) assessments, expanded compliance teams and data-matching with the tax office.
The fee hike arrives on top of a raft of recent clamp-downs: a new GS test, a Feb-2026 ban on “visa-hopping” between certain temporary subclasses, and an upcoming 31 March ban on agent commissions for on-shore course changes. Together, they signal Canberra’s intent to trim net overseas migration from last year’s 538,000 peak to roughly 306,000 in 2025-26.
Need help navigating these fast-moving changes? VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers up-to-date fee calculators, document checklists and guided filing services for the Temporary Graduate visa and alternative pathways. Their team can clarify Genuine Student evidence, advise on dependent lodgements and flag employer-sponsored options, minimising the risk of costly rejections.
For employers, the change could shrink the pool of fresh graduate talent. Universities fear it will dent Australia’s competitiveness against Canada and the UK, where post-study permits still cost under AU$1,000. Migration agents report a surge of last-minute applications lodged on 29 February to lock in the old fee.
Practical tips for graduates include budgeting for the higher charge, front-loading English tests and medicals to avoid re-lodgement, and exploring employer-sponsored 482 or direct-to-PR skilled visas where possible. Applicants from Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste remain eligible for a reduced fee under existing concessions.
