Inflation and the effect on Australian immigration costs
/As the global economy emerges from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing costs of living has had a widespread impact on the livelihoods of people around the world and in Australia. The Federal Government has also had to meticulously plan future budgets to make up for the significant government spending that took place during the pandemic. This means that many government fees and charges have increased, including visa and citizenship fees. In this article, we examine the new charges that were introduced since 1 July 2023 for a range of visas, citizenship applications and other associated costs with immigration.
Visitor and working holiday visas
International travel is well and truly back! Australia is welcoming back tourists, family visitors and working holiday makers.
Visitor visa applicants outside of Australia will now pay $190
Visitors looking to extend their stay in Australia will need to pay $475
Young travellers and backpackers wanting to work and holiday in Australia will need $635 for the working holiday visa
Family visas
Family sponsored visas have also seen a substantial increase in charges since 1 July 2023. The fees quoted below are for a primary applicant only. Additional charges are payable for any secondary or dependent applicants.
The partner and prospective marriage visa has seen a jump of almost 10% in fees from $8,085 to $8,850.
The Child visa is now $3,055 (up from $2,790)
The Subclass 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship Visa is currently $420.
For parent visas, the first instalment charges for the contributory and non-contributory parent visas have also increased by about 10%.
The second instalment of the visa application charge for the parent visas has not increased, which would come as a welcome relief for many applicants.
Skilled and employer sponsored visas
Visa application charges have also increased across all skilled and work visas. The fees listed below are also for a primary applicant only. Additional charges are payable for secondary or dependent applicants.
Applicants for a Subclass 189, 190 and 491 visa can now expect to pay $4,640
The temporary skills shortage visa (Subclass 482) is $1,455 for an applicant nominated in a short term stream occupation and $3,035 for applicants nominated in a medium to long term stream occupation.
The permanent employer sponsored Subclass 186 visa now costs $4,640, an increase of $400 compared to the previous financial year.
Citizenship applications
Applications for Australian citizenship were also amongst the charges that increased from 1 July 2023.
Applying for Australian citizenship by conferral increased to $540
Citizenship applications by descent are now $345
Obtaining evidence of Australian citizenship (certificate) now costs $265
Other immigration related services
For many visa and citizenship applications, there are supplementary costs associated with the process. This includes fees payable for required English tests, skills assessment applications, health examinations, police checks and translation of documents to English. We have outlined some of the supplementary costs that many people typically pay to third party service providers.
English tests
IELTS and PTE: $410
Health examinations
Medical examination and Chest X-ray: $441.70
HIV test: $68.60
Tuberculosis screening test: $126
Skills assessment applications (General assessments)
Australian Computer Society (ACS): $530
CPA Australia: From $495
Engineers Australia: From $313.50
Trades Recognition Australia (TRA): $795
VETASSESS: $1,033 (excl GST)
Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Certificate: $42
We can help with understanding immigration costs
Titan Migration is an Australian immigration consultancy with a mission to provide prospective migrants and visitors to Australia with honest, affordable, accessible and high quality advice and assistance with Australian immigration matters. If you are concerned about the rising costs of an Australian visa or citizenship process, you can book an appointment and speak with our registered migration agent to obtain a more accurate estimate on the total fees and charges as part of your immigration matter.
Need an accurate estimate on fees?
Speak with a registered migration agent today
Peter Chang
Registered Migration Agent
Titan Migration
About Peter Chang
Peter Chang is a registered migration agent based in the Western Sydney hub of Parramatta, Australia. He is the co-founder of Titan Migration, a consultancy specialising in providing Australian immigration advice and visa assistance services.
