Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has quietly doubled the base Visa Application Charge (VAC) for the Temporary Graduate visa—from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600—effective 1 March 2026. The 485 visa is the principal post-study work pathway that lets international graduates remain in Australia for up to three years (longer for regional graduates and higher-degree holders). Although the increase was gazetted over the weekend, media outlets first reported it on 3 March, leaving students, agents and universities scrambling for answers. (sbs.com.au)
The government argues the higher fee will fund a new “Genuine Student” integrity assessment, expanded compliance teams and real-time data-matching with the Australian Taxation Office. Officials also point out that graduates enjoy unrestricted work rights and, in many cases, a stepping-stone to permanent residence. Exemptions apply to citizens of Pacific island nations and Timor-Leste “to recognise Australia’s special ties with the region.” (sbs.com.au)
Universities and peak bodies have condemned the move. Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia, said the sector is “very upset that international students are being treated as a cash cow for no good reason,” warning it may deter enrolments in high-demand STEM and health programs that feed Australia’s skills pipeline. Analysts note the 485 visa is now the world’s most expensive post-study work permit—roughly double the UK Graduate Route and nearly twenty times Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit. (sbs.com.au)
![Australia doubles Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa fees, sparking outcry from education sector]()
If you’re weighing up whether to proceed with a 485 application under the new pricing, VisaHQ can simplify the process. The platform maintains real-time fee updates, offers document checklists tailored to your circumstances and can even submit your Temporary Graduate visa paperwork on your behalf—saving time and avoiding costly mistakes. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Practical implications are immediate. A graduate lodging a family application with a partner and one child now faces more than AUD 8,000 in government fees before medicals and insurance. Many students whose student visas expire on 15 March have just days to find the extra cash or risk falling out of status. Education agents are advising clients to budget carefully, front-load English tests and health checks, and—where eligible—consider employer-sponsored pathways that carry lower government charges.
Longer-term, observers expect the price shock will accelerate a shift toward “high-integrity, skills-first” migration. While that may ease political pressure over Australia’s record net migration, it also risks undermining an international education industry that contributed AUD 48 billion at its 2019 peak. The sector is lobbying for a staged increase or fee waivers for in-demand occupations, but the government has given no indication it will back down.
The government argues the higher fee will fund a new “Genuine Student” integrity assessment, expanded compliance teams and real-time data-matching with the Australian Taxation Office. Officials also point out that graduates enjoy unrestricted work rights and, in many cases, a stepping-stone to permanent residence. Exemptions apply to citizens of Pacific island nations and Timor-Leste “to recognise Australia’s special ties with the region.” (sbs.com.au)
Universities and peak bodies have condemned the move. Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia, said the sector is “very upset that international students are being treated as a cash cow for no good reason,” warning it may deter enrolments in high-demand STEM and health programs that feed Australia’s skills pipeline. Analysts note the 485 visa is now the world’s most expensive post-study work permit—roughly double the UK Graduate Route and nearly twenty times Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit. (sbs.com.au)
If you’re weighing up whether to proceed with a 485 application under the new pricing, VisaHQ can simplify the process. The platform maintains real-time fee updates, offers document checklists tailored to your circumstances and can even submit your Temporary Graduate visa paperwork on your behalf—saving time and avoiding costly mistakes. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Practical implications are immediate. A graduate lodging a family application with a partner and one child now faces more than AUD 8,000 in government fees before medicals and insurance. Many students whose student visas expire on 15 March have just days to find the extra cash or risk falling out of status. Education agents are advising clients to budget carefully, front-load English tests and health checks, and—where eligible—consider employer-sponsored pathways that carry lower government charges.
Longer-term, observers expect the price shock will accelerate a shift toward “high-integrity, skills-first” migration. While that may ease political pressure over Australia’s record net migration, it also risks undermining an international education industry that contributed AUD 48 billion at its 2019 peak. The sector is lobbying for a staged increase or fee waivers for in-demand occupations, but the government has given no indication it will back down.
