Specialist migration practice Kris Ahn Lawyers released a detailed client alert on 6 July breaking down how the 1 July Visa Application Charge increases affect different visa classes. While most visas climbed about 25 %, the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and Skilled Independent (189) surged 46 %, adding more than AUD 3,000 to each application.
![Law-firm briefing reveals biggest winners and losers from July VAC rise]()
Businesses and private applicants scrambling to recalculate their budgets can streamline the process by using VisaHQ’s Australia platform, which tracks the latest VAC tables in real time, alerts you to STAC and additional-applicant costs, and provides end-to-end document checking services so you submit complete, compliant files the first time.
Partner visas rose to AUD 11,710 – their first above-CPI jump in four years. The briefing notes that Administrative Review Tribunal fees rose only 4.1 %, underscoring that the VAC hike is a deliberate structural change rather than routine indexation. The firm warns that employers budgeting for large sponsorship intakes could face six-figure cost blowouts and urges them to audit active pipelines immediately. Applicants with complex family compositions or multiple dependants are particularly exposed, as additional-applicant charges increased in parallel. The alert recommends checking for Subsequent Temporary Application Charges (STAC) that apply later in the process – a cost often overlooked in budgets. HR and mobility professionals are advised to (1) verify current fees by subclass and stream before lodgement, (2) forecast extra budget for dependants, and (3) reassess cost-sharing policies with sponsored staff. Failure to factor in the new fees could delay critical hires or breach corporate budget controls. Migration advisers expect the sudden spike to slow demand in cost-sensitive categories such as Regional Skilled Work (491) and Training (407) visas, while high-value employer-sponsored pathways are likely to continue albeit at higher cost.
Businesses and private applicants scrambling to recalculate their budgets can streamline the process by using VisaHQ’s Australia platform, which tracks the latest VAC tables in real time, alerts you to STAC and additional-applicant costs, and provides end-to-end document checking services so you submit complete, compliant files the first time.
Partner visas rose to AUD 11,710 – their first above-CPI jump in four years. The briefing notes that Administrative Review Tribunal fees rose only 4.1 %, underscoring that the VAC hike is a deliberate structural change rather than routine indexation. The firm warns that employers budgeting for large sponsorship intakes could face six-figure cost blowouts and urges them to audit active pipelines immediately. Applicants with complex family compositions or multiple dependants are particularly exposed, as additional-applicant charges increased in parallel. The alert recommends checking for Subsequent Temporary Application Charges (STAC) that apply later in the process – a cost often overlooked in budgets. HR and mobility professionals are advised to (1) verify current fees by subclass and stream before lodgement, (2) forecast extra budget for dependants, and (3) reassess cost-sharing policies with sponsored staff. Failure to factor in the new fees could delay critical hires or breach corporate budget controls. Migration advisers expect the sudden spike to slow demand in cost-sensitive categories such as Regional Skilled Work (491) and Training (407) visas, while high-value employer-sponsored pathways are likely to continue albeit at higher cost.
