Australia and UK Tighten Student-to-Work Migration Rules
Published: 21 May 2026
Higher visa costs and stricter migration rules are reshaping overseas education plans for Indian families.
Key Highlights
- Australia has sharply increased Temporary Graduate Visa application fees for international students.
- The UK has raised English-language requirements and tightened migration compliance checks.
- Rising visa and living costs may affect long-term overseas career plans for Indian students.
What it means for NRI
Students and young professionals may now need higher budgets and stronger documentation before planning migration. Post-study work pathways are becoming more competitive across major destinations.
Brief Context
Australia has introduced major policy changes affecting international students and graduate workers. The Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485), widely used by Indian students for post-study work rights, has become significantly more expensive under the new migration reforms.
Authorities are also tightening rules around English-language scores, visa eligibility and migration pathways. In the UK, updated immigration compliance measures and stricter language requirements are increasing documentation standards for work and student visa applicants.
From March 2026, Australia doubled the Subclass 485 visa fee from AUD 2,300 to AUD 4,600 for the main applicant. Partner application fees increased from AUD 1,150 to AUD 2,300, while dependent child fees rose from AUD 580 to AUD 1,160. Australia also increased the minimum IELTS requirement from 6.0 to 6.5 and reduced the eligible applicant age limit from 50 to 35 years in many cases.
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