If you’re planning to lodge a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) application, there’s an important change you need to know about: the visa application charge (VAC) has doubled, effective 1 March 2026.
The new fees apply to all applications lodged on or after that date. If you lodged before 1 March, you’re unaffected.
What Changed
The Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026 introduced a 100% increase to the subclass 485 VAC for most applicants. The increase applies across the board — primary applicants, partners, and dependent children.
Worth noting: although the regulations were dated 19 February 2026, they weren’t officially registered until 28 February, just one day before taking effect. That gave applicants virtually no lead time.
Who’s Exempt?
The fee increase does not apply to primary applicants who hold a valid passport from the following Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nations:
- Fiji
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
- Timor-Leste
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Tuvalu
- Palau
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
If you hold a passport from one of these countries, you continue to pay the previous (lower) VAC amounts.
New Fee Table: Before and After
Standard Applicants (most 485 applicants)
| Applicant Type | Previous Fee | New Fee (from 1 March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary applicant | $2,300 | $4,600 |
| Additional applicant (18+) | $1,150 | $2,300 |
| Additional applicant (under 18) | $580 | $1,160 |
Subsequent 485 Applicants
| Applicant Type | Previous Fee | New Fee (from 1 March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary applicant | $905 | $1,810 |
| Additional applicant (18+) | $455 | $910 |
| Additional applicant (under 18) | $230 | $460 |
Exempt Passport Holders (Pacific Island & Timor-Leste)
No change. Fees remain at the pre-existing amounts ($2,300 / $1,150 / $580 for standard applicants; $905 / $455 / $230 for subsequent applicants).
What This Means for You
If you were thinking about applying soon — the new fees are already in effect. There’s no grace period. Any application lodged from 1 March 2026 onwards attracts the higher charge.
If you’re including family members — the increase hits every applicant on the form. A couple applying together now pays $6,900 (up from $3,450) for a standard 485 application. Add a child under 18 and you’re looking at $8,060.
If you hold an exempt passport — no change for you as a primary applicant. Your fees stay the same.
If you already lodged before 1 March — your existing application is unaffected by the increase.
Why the Increase?
The government hasn’t published a detailed policy rationale alongside these regulations. However, the increase aligns with the broader direction of recent migration policy — particularly the Migration Strategy released in late 2024, which signalled a tightening of the temporary graduate pathway as part of efforts to manage net overseas migration numbers.
The exemption for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste passport holders reflects Australia’s ongoing commitment to migration access for Pacific nations under the Pacific Engagement Visa and related frameworks.
The Bigger Picture: Visa Fees Keep Climbing
This isn’t the first sharp fee increase in recent memory. In July 2024, the Student visa (subclass 500) application charge jumped 125% — from $710 to $1,600 — overnight. It then rose again to $2,000 in July 2025. The 485 increase follows the same playbook: large, sudden, and with minimal notice.
What’s particularly striking is that at $4,600, the 485 primary applicant fee is now within striking distance of a permanent residency application. A skilled migration visa (subclass 189 or 190) currently costs around $4,910. In other words, a temporary visa that gives you a few years of work rights now costs almost the same as applying for PR itself.
That makes getting your application right the first time more important than ever. A refused or invalid 485 application doesn’t just cost you time — it’s now a $4,600 mistake. If you’re including a partner, you’re risking close to $7,000 on an application that needs to be lodged correctly from the start.
What Should You Do?
- Check your eligibility carefully — if you’re close to finishing your studies, factor the new fees into your budget early.
- Consider your timing — if you have flexibility in when you apply, the fee is now a significant financial consideration.
- Get advice if unsure — the 485 visa has multiple streams (Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Vocational Education Work, and Second Post-Higher Education Work) with different requirements. Make sure you’re applying under the right one.
If you need help understanding how the fee increase affects your situation or want to discuss your 485 visa options, get in touch — we’re happy to walk you through it.
This article is for general information only and is current as of 2 March 2026. For advice specific to your circumstances, consult a Registered Migration Agent.
Source: Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026, registered 28 February 2026.
