Universities, migration agents and student groups spent 18 March 2026 digesting the full impact of the Government’s **doubling of the Temporary Graduate visa fee to AUD 4,600**—a change that took effect on 1 March with almost no prior consultation. A Reddit explainer aimed at Indian students went viral overnight, reflecting the confusion and financial anxiety the hike has generated.
![Backlash grows as Australia’s Temporary Graduate (485) visa fee hike hits applicants’ wallets]()
In this climate of uncertainty, VisaHQ’s online platform offers a lifeline: its Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) breaks down the updated 485 fees, checks applicant eligibility in real time and can even lodge the paperwork on your behalf, helping international graduates avoid missteps and unexpected costs.
Under the new schedule the main-applicant charge rises from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600, with additional-adult applicants paying AUD 2,300 and child applicants AUD 1,150. The Department of Home Affairs says the revenue will fund expanded compliance teams and the transition from the old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement to the stricter **Genuine Student (GS) test**. International-education providers warn the move erodes Australia’s price competitiveness just as Canada and the UK tighten post-study work rights. “For many South-Asian and African students the extra AU$2,300 is the equivalent of a semester’s living costs,” said a Sydney-based education-agent association. Several Group-of-Eight universities are modelling a potential 5-8 per cent drop in commencements for the 2027 academic year if the fee is not reviewed. Employers relying on the 485 as a bridge to the skilled-migration pathway are also concerned. The Business Council of Australia argues that higher costs may deter STEM graduates at a time of acute skills shortages. Meanwhile, Pacific Island nationals—who remain exempt—continue to pay the old fee, a concession Canberra says aligns with its Pacific Engagement strategy. The Migration Institute of Australia is drafting a joint letter urging an “evidence-based review” before the May Budget. Home Affairs maintains that the 485 remains “affordable relative to comparable economies” and points out that successful graduates can recoup the cost through two years of full-time work rights.
In this climate of uncertainty, VisaHQ’s online platform offers a lifeline: its Australia portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) breaks down the updated 485 fees, checks applicant eligibility in real time and can even lodge the paperwork on your behalf, helping international graduates avoid missteps and unexpected costs.
Under the new schedule the main-applicant charge rises from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600, with additional-adult applicants paying AUD 2,300 and child applicants AUD 1,150. The Department of Home Affairs says the revenue will fund expanded compliance teams and the transition from the old Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement to the stricter **Genuine Student (GS) test**. International-education providers warn the move erodes Australia’s price competitiveness just as Canada and the UK tighten post-study work rights. “For many South-Asian and African students the extra AU$2,300 is the equivalent of a semester’s living costs,” said a Sydney-based education-agent association. Several Group-of-Eight universities are modelling a potential 5-8 per cent drop in commencements for the 2027 academic year if the fee is not reviewed. Employers relying on the 485 as a bridge to the skilled-migration pathway are also concerned. The Business Council of Australia argues that higher costs may deter STEM graduates at a time of acute skills shortages. Meanwhile, Pacific Island nationals—who remain exempt—continue to pay the old fee, a concession Canberra says aligns with its Pacific Engagement strategy. The Migration Institute of Australia is drafting a joint letter urging an “evidence-based review” before the May Budget. Home Affairs maintains that the 485 remains “affordable relative to comparable economies” and points out that successful graduates can recoup the cost through two years of full-time work rights.
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