'Robbing people using visas': Applicants shocked by sudden price hike

Visa fees increase without warning, sparking outrage and disappointment Thu 2 Jul 2026 at 5:30pm Qiu Long was outraged when he discovered the price of a graduate visa had been quietly hiked overnight, just months after the government had already doubled the fee. The Chinese international student, who recently completed his Diploma of Hospitality Management in Melbourne, said all his classmates were in shock. In March, the government doubled the cost of the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) from $2,300 to $4,600. The fee jumped to $5,750 earlier this week — which students said came without warning. "The increase in March was already painful, and now it's gone up by more than $1,000. I feel like the government is robbing people using visas," the 34-year-old told the ABC. "People are anxious about what surprising policy change might hit next." The temporary graduate visa was among dozens of visa categories that became more expensive from July 1. Among the most notable changes, the fee for the Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155) rose sharply from $490 to $1,475, while Bridging Visa B increased from $190 to $575 — both surging by more than 200 per cent. Meanwhile, the cost of a Partner Visa jumped from $9,365 to $11,710. Experts say visa fee increases would have been accounted for as part of the federal budget. Abul Rizvi, former deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration, said that would be why there was no formal announcement in the lead-up to the price increase. "The government doesn't want a rush of applications ahead of the date the fee increase takes effect, so they only announce it on the day," Dr Rizvi said. 'Treating me like a cash cow' Many international students have taken to social media saying they have been exploited. "Australia, you really are treating me like a cash cow!" one user wrote on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote. "When will the Home Affairs list on the stock market? I really want to buy its stock because it's a sure-fire money maker," another user jokingly said. For Mr Qiu, who arrived in Australia in 2024, the latest increase was yet another financial blow. He had already paid nearly $63,000 in tuition fees and related costs for two certificates and one diploma — and that's not including living costs. But Mr Qiu said he will not give up his plan of staying in the country. "I've come too far and sunk too much cost already. Giving up now would mean quitting halfway," he said. "It just means I'll have to work even harder and grit my teeth to save more money." The International Students Representative Council (ISRC) said major changes had been made repeatedly to international student visas "with little or no notice" over the past three years. "The problem is not only the amount. The deeper issue is the way these decisions are being made," the council said in a statement. They said student representatives had not been consulted. "A country cannot market itself globally as a welcoming education destination while repeatedly imposing sudden and substantial costs on the very students it seeks to attract." Trapped in 'stressful' situations Iris Verbaant has lived in Australia for 13 years with her partner and their three-year-old-son. She is currently on a bridging visa and has been trying to apply for a partner visa. Last week she was informed via email that her visa application had been deemed "not valid", and that her application fee had been fully refunded. She said now she must restart the entire application, which required "tonnes of documents" to be verified, at the new price of $11,710. "I don't understand why it costs that much, and then where is the money going?" she said. As a bridging visa holder, she said she was not eligible to apply for any loans and credit cards despite facing ongoing cost-of-living pressures. She said her visa status also prevented her from returning to the Netherlands for important family occasions. Ms Verbaant, who works as a marketing manager, said her son has special needs but was not eligible to access NDIS services because she, as his main carer, was not a permanent resident. "The system is really stressful, and it doesn't make sense," she said. "It seems like the country doesn't want me anymore even though I contribute to the economy and community in every way possible. "We just want to be treated as humans, not just numbers," she said, adding that temporary visa holders also needed "security and certainty". 'Rising fees won't fix the system' Migration lawyer Sean Dong said the latest round of fee increases was far beyond the usual annual adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). "I think this has something to do with the current anti-immigration political mood in Australia," Mr Dong said. "Home Affairs needs more budget, and in the current political climate, squeezing money out of visa applicants carries relatively low public backlash, so I think that's why they made that choice." Dr Rizvi said the immigration system faced three major risks: missing the net migration target, a backlog of partner visa applications and a significant increase in unsuccessful asylum claims. "And I don't think this fee increase addresses any of them," Dr Rizvi said. In a statement to the ABC, a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said the government was "reforming the migration system to ensure it operates in the national interest." "It is standard departmental practice not to announce VAC changes ahead of implementation," the spokesperson said. "The cost of visas remains a small proportion of the overall costs of visiting or migrating to Australia. "Australia remains an attractive destination, and Visa Application Charges (VAC) increases are unlikely to materially affect demand for most visas."