Australia’s post-study work visa fee doubles

The fee rise, which took effect on March 1, applies to the Subclass 485 visa – a popular pathway that allows international students to live and work in Australia after completing their studies.

The increase was introduced without prior warning to the sector, prompting criticism from the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA). The organisation said the sudden change places an “unfair financial burden” on international graduates.

“Doubling the Temporary Graduate visa fee overnight sends a clear message that international graduates are being treated as revenue sources rather than valued contributors to Australia’s workforce and society,” said CAPA national president, Jesse Garden-Russell.

Graduates finish their studies hoping to gain work experience here, contribute to their fields, and build networks – not to be hit with unpredictable, punitive costJesse Garden-Russell, CAPA

“Graduates finish their studies hoping to gain work experience here, contribute to their fields, and build networks – not to be hit with unpredictable, punitive costs.”

Qiuming Zhang, CAPA international student officer, also commented on the decision: “Sudden and significant policy shifts of this nature risk undermining Australia’s reputation as a stable and reliable education destination. Over time, this may affect international education partnerships, diplomatic relationships, and long-term economic competitiveness.”

A recent survey by CAPA’s member organisation of around 8,500 postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne found that work opportunities are a key priority for international students, with 55% citing difficulty finding work as a major issue, compared with 32% of domestic students.

The survey also identified a lack of career support as the biggest study-related concern (28%), underscoring strong demand for employability initiatives and reflecting international students’ desire to transition into skilled migration.

“Australia’s society centres around the fair go. We are meant to be a country which gives a leg up to battlers to help them succeed,” added Gardner-Russell.

“The Australian job market is already seen to be exclusionary to temporary migrants trying to transition to skilled work, as many employers require permanent residency for graduate positions.”

“In a period where the job market is already tough for our international students, doubling the cost of their ticket to play, the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa means that those who have already integrated into Australian society and want to contribute to growing our economy, will be unable to participate.”

Australia is also home to the world’s highest study visa fee – sitting at $2,000 since a hike in July 2025.

“When student visa fees were doubled – pushing Australia to among the most expensive in the world – it followed the same structural logic we’re seeing now with the 485,” said Weihong Liang, president of the International Students Representative Council of Australia (ISRC).

“Both decisions target a group with extremely low demand elasticity and extremely high exit costs. By the time someone reaches the 485 stage, there is almost no room to adjust behaviour. The fee doubling will not reduce applications. It will not achieve any visible policy objective. This is not a policy instrument — instruments have purposes. This is extraction from a captive population.

“A government’s self-restraint derives from one of two sources: genuine commitment to administrative ethics, or calculation of political consequences. These two decisions, taken together, tell us clearly which one is doing the work. International students have no votes, limited capacity for political mobilisation, and in the current climate, limited public sympathy.”

According to Liang, this makes international students “the lowest-cost target for this kind of logic”.

“And yet this government depends on them – the 485 is one of the most critical channels in the skilled migration pipeline. What we are watching is a precise operation: extract maximum fiscal value from this group, while signalling toughness on migration to a domestic audience, while continuing to rely on their economic contribution. All three, simultaneously, from a group with no effective means of response.”