Australian Visa Fees and Salary Thresholds 2026
Reviewed 19 Aug 2026
How much does an Australian visa cost in 2026?
Partner visas cost $11,710. The Skills in Demand (482) visa costs $4,015, the Employer Nomination Scheme (186) visa $6,140, and the Student visa $2,500. Those are the government application charges for the main applicant in 2026-27; family members, second instalments and employer-side costs come on top. Every figure on this page was checked against the Department of Home Affairs pricing table, the Home Affairs salary requirements page, art.gov.au, fcfcoa.gov.au and fwc.gov.au.
What are the employer-sponsored visa charges?
| Visa | Main applicant | Additional 18+ | Additional under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills in Demand (482), all streams | $4,015 | $4,015 | $1,005 |
| Employer Nomination Scheme (186), all streams | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494) | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| RSMS (187), TRT stream | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
Note the 482 quirk: the charge for an adult family member is $4,015, the same as the main applicant. On the 186 it is half.
Two extra charges to know. 482 applicants who apply for a further temporary visa from inside Australia pay a $700 subsequent temporary application charge. And a 186 application carries a second instalment of $4,890 for each dependant aged 18 or over who cannot show functional English, invoiced before grant.
What employers pay on top
The employer pays these, and Home Affairs does not allow them to be recovered from the worker:
- Standard business sponsorship application — $420.
- Nomination fee — $330 for a 482, $540 for a 186.
- Skilling Australians Fund levy — paid in full when the nomination is lodged:
| Business turnover | 482 | 186 / 494 / 187 |
|---|---|---|
| Under $10 million | $1,200 per year of visa | $3,000 one-off |
| $10 million or more | $1,800 per year of visa | $5,000 one-off |
Who can lawfully pay which charge, and what is negotiable, is covered in our 482 visa cost breakdown.
What are the salary thresholds for 2026-27?
For nominations lodged between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027:
- Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) — $79,423. Applies to the 482 Core Skills stream, and to every 186 nomination lodged since 7 December 2024.
- Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) — $146,576. Applies to the 482 Specialist Skills stream.
- Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) — $79,423. Applies to the 494 and 187.
- Fair Work High Income Threshold (FWHIT) — $190,100 from 1 July 2026. Used, among other things, for the 186 age exemption for high earners.
The threshold is a floor, not the test. The worker must also be paid at least the annual market salary rate (what an Australian would earn in the same job). Only positions paying $250,000 or more are excused from demonstrating the market rate.
On the $79,499 figure: a number of websites republish it as the current CSIT. The Home Affairs salary requirements page states $79,423 for nominations lodged on and between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. If a page you are reading says $79,499, it is quoting another website, not the source.
How the thresholds have moved
| Nominations lodged | CSIT | SSIT | TSMIT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | $79,423 | $146,576 | $79,423 |
| 1 Jul 2025 – 30 Jun 2026 | $76,515 | $141,210 | $76,515 |
| 7 Dec 2024 – 30 Jun 2025 | $73,150 | $135,000 | $73,150 |
| 1 Jul 2023 – 30 Jun 2024 | — | — | $70,000 |
| 1 Jul 2013 – 30 Jun 2023 | — | — | $53,900 |
CSIT and SSIT began on 7 December 2024, when the Skills in Demand framework replaced the TSS settings. Our thresholds post covers the 1 July 2026 rise and who it affects.
What do partner and family visas cost?
| Visa | Main applicant | Additional 18+ | Additional under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospective Marriage (300) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| Partner offshore (309/100) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| Partner onshore (820/801) | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| 820/801 applied for by a subclass 300 holder | $1,955 | $980 | $485 |
| Dependent Child (445) | $4,040 | $2,020 | $1,015 |
| Child (101) / Adoption (102) | $4,040 | $2,020 | $1,015 |
| NZ Citizen Family Relationship (461) | $1,330 | $675 | $325 |
Partner charges rose 25% on 1 July 2026, from $9,365. The 461 nearly tripled, from $445. The one relief worth knowing: a Prospective Marriage (300) visa holder who goes on to apply for the 820/801 pays $1,955, not the full charge again.
What do parent visas cost?
Parent visas are the only family group where the second instalment, not the application charge, is the real cost.
| Visa | First instalment – main applicant | Additional 18+ / under 18 | Second instalment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent (103) | $6,600 | $3,300 / $1,655 | $2,065 per person |
| Aged Parent (804) | $6,600 | $3,300 / $1,655 | $2,065 per person |
| Contributory Parent (143) | $6,300 | $2,125 / $1,065 | $43,600 per person |
| Contributory Aged Parent (864) | $6,300 | $3,145 / $1,580 | $43,600 per person |
| Contributory Parent Temporary (173) | $4,245 | $2,125 / $1,065 | — |
| Contributory Aged Parent Temporary (884) | $6,300 | $3,145 / $1,580 | — |
| Sponsored Parent Temporary (870) | $6,370 (3 yrs) / $12,440 (5 yrs) total | — | see note |
A 173 or 884 holder converting to the permanent 143 or 864 pays a reduced second instalment of $19,420. The 870 charge is paid in two instalments: $1,515 when you apply, and the balance when the department asks for it. Which parent option makes sense, and the queue reality behind each, is on our parent visas guide.
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| Visa | Main applicant | Additional 18+ | Additional under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Independent (189) | $6,135 | $3,070 | $1,540 |
| Skilled Nominated (190) | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| Skilled Work Regional (491) | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| National Innovation (858) | $6,235 | $3,120 | $1,560 |
| Temporary Graduate (485), Post-Higher Education | $5,750 | $2,875 | $1,450 |
| 485 Second Post-Higher Education | $2,265 | $1,140 | $575 |
| Student (500) | $2,500 | $1,530 | $500 |
| Student Guardian (590) | $2,500 | — | $500 |
Yes, the 189 really is $5 cheaper than the 190 and 491. It is the clearest test of whether a fee list was checked at source.
What do visitor and short-stay visas cost?
| Visa | Charge |
|---|---|
| Visitor (600), applying from outside Australia | $250 |
| Visitor (600), applying in Australia | $630, plus the $700 subsequent temporary application charge if it applies |
| Visitor (600), Frequent Traveller stream | $1,845 |
| Working Holiday (417) / Work and Holiday (462), first | $840 |
| 417 / 462, second or third | $1,000 |
| Temporary Work Short Stay (400) | $535 |
| Training (407) | $535 |
| Resident Return (155/157) | $1,475 |
What does a review or court appeal cost?
If a visa is refused or cancelled, the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) fee for most migration decisions is $3,727, reduced by half to $1,863.50 in financial hardship. Review of a protection decision costs $2,293. Character-related refusals and cancellations take the ART standard fee of $1,195. Filing a migration case in the Federal Circuit and Family Court costs $4,180. Deadlines for review are short and cannot be extended, so the fee is rarely the thing to hesitate over. Our merits review service page explains the process and timeframes.
How do instalments and extra charges work?
- Second instalment — a further charge invoiced before grant, not with the application. The big ones: $4,890 per adult dependant without functional English on permanent skilled visas, and $43,600 per person on contributory parent visas.
- Subsequent temporary application charge — $700, paid on top when you apply for certain temporary visas (482, 500, 590, 600, 407) from inside Australia while holding another visa.
- Concession rates — since 1 July 2026 a lower charge applies to eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries, Timor-Leste and certain ASEAN nations. It is narrow; the standard rates above are what almost everyone pays.
- The charge is locked when paid — an application paid on or after 1 July takes that year’s charge, and it is generally not refunded if the visa is refused.
These are government charges only. Our own professional fees are fixed and listed separately on the migration agent fees page.
How much did charges rise on 1 July 2026?
| Visa | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | Rise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner (300/309/820) | $9,365 | $11,710 | +25% |
| 482 | $3,210 | $4,015 | +25% |
| 186 | $4,910 | $6,140 | +25% |
| Student (500) | $2,000 | $2,500 | +25% |
| Dependent Child (445) | $3,235 | $4,040 | +25% |
| NZ Family (461) | $445 | $1,330 | +199% |
| ART review fee | $3,580 | $3,727 | +4% |
The full picture of the July increase is in our 1 July 2026 charges post.
Frequently asked questions
When must Home Affairs refund a visa application charge?
Only in a short list of cases: the application was unnecessary when made, the department made a mistake, the applicant dies before a decision, or the sponsorship or nomination stage failed. Refusal of the visa itself, or a change of mind, is never refunded. The full list is on the department’s refunds page.
If the nomination is refused, does the visa applicant get the charge back?
Yes, if the visa application is withdrawn rather than refused. The visa application form asks whether to treat your application as withdrawn if the nomination fails; answer yes and the charge is refundable. The employer’s nomination fee and SAF levy are not returned.
Is anything refunded if a 482 or 186 worker never starts the job?
The SAF levy: the employer claims it back if the visa was granted but the worker never started. A 482 worker leaving within the first 12 months of a multi-year visa also triggers a refund of unused full years (not the 186). The worker’s own visa charge is not refunded.
