Government Application Fees (2025)
Student visa (500): $710. Tourist visa (600): $190-1,065. Skilled Independent (189): $4,640. State Nominated (190): $4,640. Regional (491): $4,640. Partner visa (820/801): $8,850. Parent contributory (143): $4,765 + $47,455 second instalment. Employer Sponsored (482): $1,455-2,645. Citizenship: $490.
Additional Costs
Skills assessment: $500-4,000 depending on assessing authority. English test: IELTS $395, PTE $410, TOEFL $310. Health examination: $400-700 per person. Police check (AFP): $42. Chinese police check: $50-200 (varies by province). Document translation (NAATI): $100-300 per document. Migration agent fees: $1,000-8,000 depending on visa type.
Total Cost Examples
Skilled Independent (189) total: Government fee $4,640 + skills assessment $1,500 + English test $395 + health check $500 + police checks $100 + agent fee $4,000 = approximately $11,135. Partner visa total: Government fee $8,850 + health check $500 + police checks $100 + agent fee $4,000 = approximately $13,450. Parent contributory total: Government fees $52,220 + AoS bond $14,000 + health check $700 + agent fee $5,000 = approximately $71,920 per parent.
Saving Money
DIY applications save agent fees but increase refusal risk. Some costs are unavoidable (government fees, health checks). Shop around for skills assessments — some authorities are cheaper than others for the same occupation. Book English tests early for lower-demand dates. Consider whether IELTS or PTE better suits your strengths (many Chinese test-takers prefer PTE for the computer-based format).