The Department of Home Affairs has increased visa application charges (VACs) from 1 July 2025.
These changes affect a range of visa subclasses, including employer-sponsored and skilled migration pathways.
To help our clients understand the difference at a glance, we’ve summarised the new fees from 1 July 2025 below:
Common visa subclasses:
| Visa Subclass |
Applicant Type |
New Fee from 1 July 2025 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa |
Primary Applicant |
4910 |
| Secondary Applicant (18+) |
2455 |
| Dependent Child (<18) |
1230 |
| Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa All streams |
Primary Applicant |
3210 |
| Secondary Applicant (18+) |
3210 |
| Dependent Child (<18) |
805 |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) visa |
Primary Applicant |
4910 |
| Secondary Applicant (18+) |
2455 |
| Dependent Child (<18) |
1230 |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) |
Primary Applicant |
4910 |
| Secondary Applicant (18+) |
2455 |
| Dependent Child (<18) |
1230 |
| Skillselect visas, including 189 and 190 |
Primary Applicant |
4910 |
| Secondary Applicant (18+) |
2455 |
| Dependent Child (<18) |
1230 |
All fees are in AUD and exclude credit card surcharges or additional government charges.
Why the Increase?
Each financial year, the Department adjusts VACs in line with government policy, inflation, or new budget priorities. The 2025–26 increases may reflect ongoing reform in the skilled migration system, particularly around the new Skills in Demand (SID) framework.
What You Should Do
If you or your sponsored employees are preparing a visa application, we recommend:
- Factoring the new VAC into your budgeting for FY 2025–26.
- Contacting our office if you're unsure how this change impacts your application strategy.
Reach out to our internal Regulatory and Migration team to speak with our migration agents Leiara Ferret (MARN: 1174178), and Alexander Graham (MARN: 1795080) for more information.
Oct 1
Dec 4
Sep 27