- Easy Aussie Migration
- July 23, 2025
Australian Migration Changes (Visa Application Charges)– Effective from 1 July 2025
From 1 July 2025, the Australian Government has introduced updated visa application charges (VACs) under the Migration Amendment (Visa Application Charges) Regulations 2025. These changes include a general 3% increase across most visa categories, in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2023–2024, as outlined in the Federal Budget.
There is also a targeted increase for Student (Subclass 500) and Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visas. The base application fee for these visas has risen from $1,600 to $2,000, as part of the Government’s broader Building Australia’s Future strategy, which focuses on strengthening the integrity of Australia’s international education sector.
Applicants from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste remain exempt from these increased fees, reaffirming Australia’s commitment to regional cooperation and equitable access to education.
These amendments, made under the Migration Regulations 1994, aim to maintain the sustainability of Australia’s migration system while supporting key diplomatic and regional partnerships.
Source: Migration Alliance
Migration-Amendment-Visa-Application-Charges-Regulations-2025.pdf
Migration-Amendment-Visa-Application-Charges-Regulations-2025—explanatory-statement.pdf
Migration (Arrangements for Protection, Refugee and Humanitarian Visas) Amendment (Internet Lodgement) Instrument 2025
The Department of Home Affairs has introduced a new legislative instrument titled Migration (Arrangements for Protection, Refugee and Humanitarian Visas) Amendment (Internet Lodgement) Instrument 2025, which comes into effect on 1 July 2025.
The instrument facilitates a significant procedural change by allowing internet-based lodgement of Subclass 202 (Global Special Humanitarian) visa applications under the Special Humanitarian Program (SHP). Specifically:
- Applicants using Form 842 (Application for an SHP visa) and proposers using Form 681 (Refugee and Special Humanitarian Proposal) will now be able to lodge online via the Department’s ImmiAccount portal.
- The new arrangements apply only where both forms are completed electronically.
- Existing arrangements under the Community Support Program (CSP) remain unaffected.
The measure is part of the Department’s broader digital transformation strategy and is aimed at streamlining application processes and improving efficiency.
Commencement: 1 July 2025
Legislative Basis: Migration Act 1958 – Section 46; Migration Regulations 1994 – Schedule 1
Source: Migration Alliance
Migration (IMMI 18/033 Specification of Income Threshold and Annual Earnings and Methodology of Annual Market Salary Rate) Amendment (Annual TSMIT Increase) Instrument 2025
The Migration (IMMI 18/033) Amendment (Annual TSMIT Increase) Instrument 2025 implements an increase to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), raising it from $73,150 to $76,515, effective 1 July 2025.
This adjustment applies to the following visa subclasses:
- Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
- Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa
The increase reflects a 4.6% rise in Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and aligns with the federal government’s commitment under the Migration Strategy 2023 to index TSMIT annually.
The purpose of the increase is to:
- Ensure that employer-sponsored visa holders receive wages aligned with prevailing Australian labour market conditions
- Help protect against migrant worker exploitation
- Maintain the integrity of the skilled migration program
Nominations lodged before 1 July 2025 will be assessed under the TSMIT rate applicable at the time of lodgement.
The amendment is made under regulation 2.72(10)(aa) of the Migration Regulations 1994. As this is a legislative instrument of a minor or machinery nature, no formal public consultation was undertaken.
Source: Migration Alliance
