Australia Immigration News Update for 2023

Visa application fees are set to increase by between 6 and 40 per cent above inflation from July 1.

The rise in charges for visitors and migrants was revealed in last night's budget, with the federal government saying the extra $665 million raised over five years would go towards improving visa processing and "other government priorities".

The government has made reducing visa processing times a focus since winning last year's election.

The fees for visa subclasses including visitor, working holiday, work and holiday, training, temporary activity, and temporary work (short stay specialist) will all increase by 15 per cent.

Meanwhile, the cost to apply for business innovation and investment visas — for prospective business owners, investors and entrepreneurs — will increase by 40 per cent, from $9,195 to $12,873.

The fees for the Pacific Engagement Visa and Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme will not be bumped up in the same way.

The government's budget set the total for the 2023-24 permanent migration program at 190,000 places, 5,000 fewer than 2022-23.

The majority of the other immigration-related measures had already been revealed through leaks and announcements over the past few weeks.

Those include:

• An increase in the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold from $53,900 to $70,000

• The return of a cap on the hours international students can work, but increased by eight hours to 48 hours per fortnight (the aged-care sector will be exempt from the cap until the end of 2023)

• An extra two years of post-study work rights for international higher education graduates 

• A direct pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens

• A pathway for Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders to access permanent residency