SUPRA joins with student unions and peak bodies to call on the Australian Government to reverse its decision to double the cost of the Temporary Graduate visa.
On 1 March 2026 the Australian Government increased the application cost for the Subclass 485 visa, an important pathway for graduates wishing to remain in Australia and work after completing their studies. The increase, from $2,300 to $4,600, came without notice or consultation with stakeholders, and caught international students and their families by surprise when many were in the process of applying for the visa.
The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA), National Union of Students (NUS), and International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) have all condemned the sudden cost increase. The International Students Representative Council of Australia (ISRC) – the national peak body for international students in Australia – called out the decision as unfair, wrong, and undermining of the trust built by student unions in respectful dialogue with the government. SUPRA is a member of the ISRC and supports this statement.
SUPRA will work with other student unions and peak bodies to insist this decision be reversed and to call for the government to recommit to genuine consultation with stakeholders when determining policies that impact students.
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