The Australian Government has introduced the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, implementing a range of changes to citizenship fees, visa application charges, and skilled migration income thresholds, effective 1 July 2026.

These amendments give effect to the Government's 2026–27 Budget measures and are intended to support the sustainability of Australia's migration and citizenship programs while maintaining existing policy settings in key areas.

Key Changes:

• Citizenship application fees: Adjusted in line with CPI to reflect the cost of administering the Australian citizenship program, while concessional and nil-fee categories remain unchanged.
• Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): Increased to $79,423 and will now be automatically indexed annually through the Migration Regulations, ensuring ongoing alignment with the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT).
• Visa Application Charges (VACs): Increased across most visa subclasses, including:
  • A 25% increase to the first instalment of the VAC for most visas.
  • An increase in the base application charge for Student (Subclass 500) and Student Guardian (Subclass 590) visas from $2,000 to $2,500.
  • Continued concessional arrangements for eligible applicants from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
  • Ongoing CPI indexation for other visa application charges.