Australia Visa Costs - Complete Fee Breakdown

When I applied for my own Australian visa, the biggest surprise was not the visa fee itself - it was everything else. Here is the full breakdown of what you should budget for.

Visa application charge

The Department of Home Affairs charges a visa application fee for every application. Current fees for the main skilled visas:

• Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): $4,640
• Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): $4,640
• Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): $4,640
• Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage): $1,455-$3,035

These are for the primary applicant only. Adding a partner costs approximately $2,320 extra, and each child is around $1,170.

Skills assessment fees

Every skilled visa applicant needs a positive skills assessment. Fees vary by authority:

• ACS (IT occupations): $500-$600
• Engineers Australia: $600-$1,200
• VETASSESS: $630-$880
• TRA (trades): $300-$600
• ANMAC (nursing): $540-$680

English language test

You need a valid English test result. Typical costs:

• IELTS Academic: $395-$420
• PTE Academic: $395-$420
• OET (healthcare professions): $590

Health and police checks

• Medical examination: $300-$500 (varies by clinic)
• Police clearance (per country): $50-$150
• You need clearances from every country you have lived in for 12+ months

Optional costs

• State nomination fee: $200-$500 (varies by state, check each state)
• Migration agent: $3,000-$8,000 (or use MigrateYou from $199)
• Document translations: $50-$150 per document
• Professional year (if applicable): $10,000-$15,000

Total estimated cost

For a single applicant on a 189 visa with no agent:

• Visa fee: $4,640
• Skills assessment: $500-$1,200
• English test: $400
• Health check: $400
• Police clearances: $100-$300
• Total: approximately $6,000-$7,000

With a migration agent, add $3,000-$8,000. With MigrateYou, add just $199.

Use our points calculator to check your eligibility before investing in the process.