In a surprise move that took effect on 1 March 2026, the Australian Government more than doubled the Visa Application Charge (VAC) for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600 for primary applicants. Fees for adult dependants and children have also doubled to AUD 2,300 and AUD 1,150 respectively. The change was published only days beforehand, giving education providers, migration agents and international graduates virtually no time to adjust budgets or lodge applications under the old pricing. The Temporary Graduate visa is the main pathway that lets international students remain in Australia for 18 months to three years to gain post-study work experience—often a critical stepping-stone toward skilled migration. By catapulting the 485 fee to a level that is now the world’s highest for a post-study work visa, the Government says it is “strengthening integrity” and ensuring only “genuine temporary entrants” apply. Critics counter that the measure weaponises cost to filter applicants and risks damaging Australia’s attractiveness in an already competitive global education market. University peak bodies warn that sudden, steep cost increases erode confidence at a time when student visa refusal rates have already climbed and living-cost evidence thresholds were lifted in 2024. According to ICEF Monitor, Australia’s student visa is now also the most expensive in its class globally, at AUD 2,000. Student groups such as the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) argue that international graduates are being treated as a revenue stream rather than valued contributors to the workforce. CAPA president Jesse Garden-Russell described the price hike as “unpredictable and punitive”, while former Immigration Deputy Secretary Dr Abul Rizvi predicted it would alter students’ return-on-investment calculations when choosing study destinations.
![Australia Doubles Temporary Graduate (485) Visa Fee to AUD 4,600 From 1 March 2026]()
For affected graduates seeking clarity on the new costs and alternative visa pathways, online platforms like VisaHQ can be a useful first stop. VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) consolidates up-to-date fee tables, document checklists and processing timelines across multiple visa subclasses, helping applicants, employers and education agents understand requirements and avoid costly errors.
For employers who depend on a pipeline of graduate talent—particularly in engineering, ICT and healthcare—the higher fee could deter foreign graduates from staying on, exacerbating skills shortages. Migration agents report a surge of enquiries about switching straight into employer-sponsored visas or permanent skilled routes to avoid the 485 fee altogether. At the same time, some foresee a spike in late-February lodgements next year if government signals any further rise. Practically, applicants and sponsors should budget for the new VAC immediately and ensure that any dependent family members are included in the fee calculations. Education providers may need to revisit scholarship packages and marketing messages, while corporate mobility managers should factor the extra AUD 2,300 (per graduate) into relocation allowances. Observers will watch closely to see whether the fee dampens post-study visa demand and how that ripple flows through Australia’s international education exports, worth nearly AUD 30 billion annually before the pandemic.
For affected graduates seeking clarity on the new costs and alternative visa pathways, online platforms like VisaHQ can be a useful first stop. VisaHQ’s Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) consolidates up-to-date fee tables, document checklists and processing timelines across multiple visa subclasses, helping applicants, employers and education agents understand requirements and avoid costly errors.
For employers who depend on a pipeline of graduate talent—particularly in engineering, ICT and healthcare—the higher fee could deter foreign graduates from staying on, exacerbating skills shortages. Migration agents report a surge of enquiries about switching straight into employer-sponsored visas or permanent skilled routes to avoid the 485 fee altogether. At the same time, some foresee a spike in late-February lodgements next year if government signals any further rise. Practically, applicants and sponsors should budget for the new VAC immediately and ensure that any dependent family members are included in the fee calculations. Education providers may need to revisit scholarship packages and marketing messages, while corporate mobility managers should factor the extra AUD 2,300 (per graduate) into relocation allowances. Observers will watch closely to see whether the fee dampens post-study visa demand and how that ripple flows through Australia’s international education exports, worth nearly AUD 30 billion annually before the pandemic.
