From 1 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has increased visa application charges (VACs) across most visa subclasses, alongside the annual indexation of the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) and Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT). These changes apply to applications and nominations lodged on or after 1 July 2026.
Updated visa application charges
This year’s VAC increases are significantly larger than the usual annual indexation, with most subclasses increasing by approximately 25% and some by considerably more.
Visas that saw the largest increases included the Resident Return visa (subclasses 155/157) (with an increase from $490 to $1,475), the Bridging Visa B (subclass 020) (with an increase from $190 to $575), and the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (subclass 461) (with an increase from $445 to $1,330).
Application fees for review by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) have also increased, from $3,580 to $3,727.
The table below sets out the updated charges for the most commonly lodged visa subclasses.
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$3,210 | $4,015 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$3,210 | $4,015 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$805 | $1,005 |
|
Nomination |
$330 | $330 |
|
SAF Levy |
$1,800 per year of visa if turnover > $10 mil (otherwise $1,200) | $1,800 per year of visa if turnover > $10 mil (otherwise $1,200) |
Temporary Work (Skilled) (Subclass 400) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$430 | $535 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$430 | $535 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$110 | $135 |
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) (ENS) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$4,910 | $6,140 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$2,455 | $3,070 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$1,230 | $1,535 |
|
Nomination |
$540 | $540 |
|
SAF Levy |
$5,000 if company turnover > $10 mil (otherwise $3,000) | $5,000 if company turnover > $10 mil (otherwise $3,000) |
Partner (Subclass 820/801 and Subclass 309/100 visas)
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$9,365 | $11,710 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$4,685 | $5,860 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$2,345 | $2,935 |
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$4,910 | $6,135 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$2,455 | $3,070 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$1,230 | $1,540 |
Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$4,910 | $6,140 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$2,455 | $3,070 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$1,230 | $1,535 |
National Innovation (Subclass 858) visas
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$4,985 | $6,235 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$2,495 | $3,120 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$1,250 | $1,560 |
Student (Subclass 500) visas (note this can vary depending on stream)
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$2,000 | $2,500 |
|
Additional applicant charge (>18) |
$1,225 | $1,530 |
|
Additional applicant charge (<18) |
$400 | $500 |
Visitor (Subclass 600) visas (in the tourist stream)
Type |
VAC (pre 1 July 2026) |
VAC (from 1 July 2026) |
|
Base application charge |
$200 | $250 |
Updated income thresholds: CSIT and SSIT
These income thresholds impact a number of visa categories, and a summary table is below:
Income Threshold |
Change from / to (AUD) |
Impact |
| Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) | $76,515 to $79,423 | This impacts the minimum earnings for nominated positions in the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) (SID) visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) (ENS) visa. |
| Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) | $141,210 to $146,576 | This impacts the minimum earnings for a nominated position in the Specialist Skills stream of the SID visa. |
| Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) | $76,515 to $79,423 | This sets out the minimum earnings for nominated positions in the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) (SESR) visa and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187) visa. |
The Fairwork High Income Threshold (FWHIT) has also been adjusted from $183,100 to $190,100. The FWHIT can trigger exemptions to employer sponsored visas, for example with regard to age.
This change will not apply to existing visa holders and nominations lodged before 1 July 2026.
Any questions?
For the current list of VAC’s, please refer to the Department’s website. The above fees do not include professional fees, and you can also refer to our cost calculator to obtain a better understanding of the overall fees that may apply to a particular visa application. For further information, or a quote for services, feel free to contact our experienced team by email at [email protected] or by phone at +61 3 9016 0484.
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