Australia to double graduate visa fees from 1 March 2026, adds curb on 'visa-hopping'

Australia will double application fees for two streams of the subclass 485 post-study graduate visa from $2,300 to $4,600, effective 1 March 2026. The change targets the post-study pathway used by international graduates, with the government setting a clear start date for the higher charges.

Alongside the fee hike, the government has introduced a ban on so‑called “visa‑hopping,” preventing people on visitor visas or on a 485 visa from applying for student visas. The measure is intended to close off that pathway between visa categories. Separately, the government has introduced legislation to impose a temporary ban on travellers from certain countries applying for specific Australian visas.

The proposal outlines a country‑specific, time‑limited restriction, though further details were not included here. Taken together, the policy steps mark significant changes to visa settings affecting international students and recent graduates.

The fee increase is scheduled to take effect on 1 March 2026, while the “visa‑hopping” restriction has been introduced and the temporary, country‑specific measure is before Parliament as proposed legislation.