Fees approach
Know who you pay, and for what.
A visa usually involves three kinds of cost. We keep them separate, quote ours in writing, and point you to the official figure for everything else.
Who gets paid
Paid to us
Professional fee
For Sukh Sandhu's advice and our work on your matter. Quoted in writing and set out in your service agreement.
Paid to government
Visa charges
Visa application charges and any review fee, set by law and paid to the Department or the Tribunal.
Paid to others
Third-party costs
Skills assessments, health examinations, police certificates, English tests and translations, paid to whoever provides them.
Our professional fees
Our fee depends on the visa, your circumstances and how much work is involved, so we do not publish a price list. Instead:
- Initial consultation. If there is a fee for the first consultation, we tell you the amount and Sukh's MARN before it starts. It is a reasonable, fixed fee, and you receive an invoice and a receipt.
- Written quote. After the first conversation we quote in writing, either as a fixed fee or as an hourly rate with a reasonable estimate of the time needed. Both include GST.
- Service agreement. The fee, the likely disbursements, the payment terms and our refund policy are written into your service agreement before work starts.
- No early deposits. We do not take money for visa work before the service agreement is in force.
- Client account. Money paid in advance is held in a separate client account until it is earned or paid out for you.
- Refunds. The refund policy in your agreement is fair and reasonable, and refunds that become payable are paid within 14 days.
For Canada, the UK, New Zealand and the USA, we do not charge for a referral unless agreed with you in writing. The overseas professional sets and charges their own fees.
Government charges from 1 July 2026
Most visa application charges rose by about 25 per cent on 1 July 2026. These are base charges for the main applicant. Family members, later instalments and some other charges are extra.
| Visa or application | Before | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studentsubclass 500 | A$2,000 | A$2,500 |
| Skills in Demandsubclass 482 | A$3,210 | A$4,015 |
| Employer Nomination Schemesubclass 186 | A$4,910 | A$6,140 |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regionalsubclass 494 | A$4,910 | A$6,140 |
| Temporary Graduatesubclass 485 | A$4,600 | A$5,750 |
| Citizenship by conferralapplication fee | A$575 | A$595 |
| Migration review at the Tribunalmost applications | A$3,580 | A$3,727 |
Sources: Study Australia (Student and Temporary Graduate); other figures as published for 1 July 2026. Confirm every charge in the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before you pay. Updated 21 October 2026.
The Skilling Australians Fund levy, nomination fees and sponsorship fees did not change on 1 July 2026. Student visa concessions continue for some groups, including ASEAN, Pacific and Timor-Leste passport holders and some English language and non-award students.
Questions about fees
Why don't you publish your professional fees?
Two applications for the same visa can involve very different amounts of work. A single published price would either overcharge simple matters or hide extra costs in complex ones. We quote in writing after the first conversation, and the quote goes into your service agreement.
Do I pay the visa charge to you?
Visa application charges are paid to the Department, usually by card when the application is lodged. If you ask us to pay a charge for you, the money is held in our client account until it is paid.
Will I get a refund if my visa is refused?
A refusal does not by itself mean professional fees are refunded, because the work has been done and the decision belongs to the Department. Your service agreement sets out the refund policy, including what happens if the work is not completed. Government refund rules for visa charges are set by the Department.