485 Graduate Visa Fee Increase
Immigration quietly changed the government lodgement fees for the Subclass 485 Graduate visa on 1 March 2026, dramatically increasing costs for most applicants.
With a whopping 100% increase, there will be many international students with a visa expiring on 15 March 2026 who will now have to pay double the original fees.
What are the new fees?
For a Post-Vocational Education visa or an initial Post-Higher Education visa, the costs would be as follows:
| Applicant | Visa Lodgement Fee |
| Main Applicant | $4,600 |
| Dependent over 18yrs | $2,300 |
| Dependent under 18yrs | $1,160 |
For a second Post-Higher Education visa, the costs would be as follows:
| Applicant | Visa Lodgement Fee |
| Main Applicant | $1,810 |
| Dependent over 18yrs | $910 |
| Dependent under 18yrs | $460 |
Lower Fees for Specified Passport-Holders
Students holding specified Pacific Region passports now have a lower fee to apply for a Graduate visa:
| Applicant | Visa Lodgement Fee |
| Main Applicant | $2300 |
| Dependent over 18yrs | $1150 |
| Dependent under 18yrs | $580 |
For a second Post-Higher Education visa for Pacific Region passports, the costs would be as follows:
| Applicant | Visa Lodgement Fee |
| Main Applicant | $905 |
| Dependent over 18yrs | $455 |
| Dependent under 18yrs | $230 |
What is a Pacific Region passport?
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
This aligns with the lower application fees for Student visas for applicants from these countries.