CANBERRA – The Australian Government has doubled the application charge for the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa, lifting the fee from $2,300 to $4,600 effective March 1 across Australia.
The Subclass 485 visa is a post‑study work visa that allows eligible international students to remain in Australia temporarily after completing their studies. It provides full work rights and is designed to enable graduates to gain skilled employment experience related to their qualification.
Recent fee movements
The latest increase represents a 100 per cent jump in the base application charge for primary applicants for the Temporary Graduate visa and follows a series of earlier adjustments under the government’s migration settings review. Key dates and amounts provided by authorities are as follows:
- February 1, 2025: $1,945 to $2,235
- July 1, 2025: $2,235 to $2,300
- March 1: $2,300 to $4,600
The change also comes on top of the student visa application charge rising to $2,000 on July 1, further increasing upfront costs for international students navigating the transition from study to post‑study work.
Policy and regulatory context
The Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa sits within Australia’s broader skilled migration framework and is administered under the Migration Regulations 1994, which set out visa criteria, conditions and applicable charges. The latest increase forms part of a wider recalibration of visa settings aimed at tightening post‑study work pathways while prioritising what ministers have described in recent statements as a “smaller, better targeted” migration program.
Universities and industry groups have previously highlighted the Subclass 485 visa as a key mechanism for attracting and retaining international graduates in sectors facing skills shortages, including health, engineering and technology. The steeper cost may prompt prospective applicants to weigh the value of Australian work experience against competing destinations with lower post‑study visa fees.
Who is affected
Authorities state the increase applies to Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) applications lodged from March 1, with the higher charge applying at the time of application. Dependants included in an application face additional per‑person charges set under the same regulations, meaning total family costs may be significantly higher than the headline primary applicant fee.
The latest increase does not apply to eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor‑Leste, who receive a concession as part of Australia’s broader regional and labour mobility commitments, including initiatives such as the Pacific Engagement Visa designed to deepen long‑term people‑to‑people links.
Status: Applications for the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa lodged on or after March 1 are being charged $4,600, with the exemption for eligible Pacific Island and Timor‑Leste citizens in effect. Prospective applicants are advised to confirm current charges and eligibility settings on the official Department of Home Affairs visa information portal before lodging.
