From 1 July 2023 visa application charges will increase by the 2023-24 forecast CPI of 3.25% and more.
Visitor visa, working holiday visa, training visa, temporary activity visa, and temporary work (short stay specialist) visas charges will also increased by about 24%
The Business Innovation and Investment visas are seeing the greatest hike in charges and is being increased by about a further 49%.
All of the remaining visas will be increased by about 9%. Australian student visas are already the most expensive visas in the world according to research by the William Russell company and yet the demand seems to continue rising.
Australian Working Holiday Maker visas is expected to cost $640 from 1 July 2023, that’s an increase of $130 making it one of the world’s most expensive visas of its type. Working Holiday Maker visas are offered to those aged 18-30 years from 48 countries including the UK, South Korea and China. Those from Canada, France, Ireland, Denmark and Italy have a cut off of 35 years of age.
This rise in the cost of the Working Holiday type visas may lead to backpackers and holiday makers avoiding Australia and thereby resulting in further shortages of important labour.
Many farmers and rural industries rely heavily on overseas ‘backpackers’ to help with harvesting and other rural jobs and they are already struggling to find workers. Australia regularly has around 112,000 people on Working Holiday Maker visas, and they make up around 80 percent of the harvesting workforce.
Currently Working Holiday Maker visa holders in the 417 and 462 visa categories can stay in Australia for 12 months and they can apply to extend this if they work in certain regional areas. This is now under a review commissioned by Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neill the basis of concerns about these visitors working for little remuneration.
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