Australian Government Announces Visa Application Fee Increase from July 1st
In a recent development, the Australian federal government has unveiled its plan to raise visa application charges for several visa categories, effective from July 1st. This announcement, made on budget night and confirmed to SBS News, includes various visa types such as visitor visas, working holiday visas, work and holiday visas, training visas, temporary activity visas, and temporary work short stay specialist visas.
The government aims to generate approximately $665 million over the next five years through these increased charges, with the funds allocated towards enhancing visa processing times and supporting other government priorities.
Visa Fee Adjustments:
The impending fee adjustments are expected to impact individuals applying for certain visa types. Tourists planning to visit Australia will be affected by the increased charges for the visitor visa subclass 600, while international students will also face higher application fees for the student 500 visa. Additionally, backpackers who rely on the working holiday visa will also experience a fee hike. It is important to note that the specific details regarding the magnitude of the fee increases for each visa type have not been disclosed.
Exemptions and Utilization of Funds:
While visa applicants across several categories will face heightened charges, it is worth highlighting that the Pacific Engagement Visa and Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme will be exempt from these fee adjustments. These programs, designed to facilitate regional cooperation and labor mobility, will remain unaffected by the fee changes. The government has indicated that the additional revenue generated from these fee increases, estimated to reach $665 million over a span of five years, will be channeled towards two main objectives. Firstly, the funds will be utilized to improve visa processing times, aiming to provide faster and more efficient services to applicants. This improvement will benefit both individuals and businesses reliant on the visa system. Secondly, the government plans to allocate a portion of the funds towards addressing broader government priorities, although specific details regarding these priorities have not been disclosed.
Source: Australian visa changes for 2023-2024 explained | SBS News
