Australia has increased student visa application fees overnight, with the Trainee visa(subclass 500 )increasing from $2,000 to $2,500. The change follows the last increase in July 2025.
A separate rates structure has actually likewise been presented for ELICOS trainees under the subclass 500 visa. In spite of industry groups lobbying for a decrease listed below the $2,000 fee, mentioning declining enrolments and the short-term nature of lots of ELICOS courses, the government has rather increased the ELICOS visa cost to $2,050, compared to the previous shared $2,000 rate.
Potential students from ASEAN countries will also pay the lower rate, while applicants from Pacific Island nations will continue to pay $745.
In addition, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) application charge has increased again, increasing from $4,600 to $5,750– a 25% jump and the second increase in four months.
Talking about increase in the Temporary Graduate visa, Jesse Gardner-Russell, national president, Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, said: “This is a cost on the exit door, not the front door.
“If the aim is to handle who comes in, charging the people already on their escape is the incorrect instrument. The only thing a higher 485 charge dependably manages is income.”
“International students are not just another resource to be mined, their worth extracted and after that shipped offshore, like iron ore. They are an important part of Australia’s worldwide soft-power and part of our multicultural neighborhood,” he added.
International students are not just another resource to be mined, their value extracted and then delivered offshore, like iron ore
Jesse Gardner-Russell
Meanwhile, Richard Lee, CAPA nationwide vice president warned: “Every boost in the expense of staying, delivered without warning, informs the very best graduates that Australia is an unpredictable location to develop a future.
“These are people who picked Australia, studied here, and wish to stay and contribute. We are making that more difficult, twice in one year, for no clear gain.”
The increases form part of a more comprehensive uplift throughout a lot of significant visa classifications, consisting of skilled, partner and working holiday visas.
Weihong Liang, president of The International Trainees Agent Council of Australia (ISRC of Australia) stated that although federal governments “can change migration policy … reasonable policy application needs notice, transition plans, and regard for those who have already made decisions in good faith.”
“International trainees ought to not be anticipated to take in abrupt policy costs without warning,” he included.
“Tonight, I am deeply disappointed for the countless students who will get up tomorrow to discover that their post-study path has actually ended up being significantly more pricey overnight.”
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