Visa 186 Cost: Full Fees Breakdown (2026)
When budgeting for a Subclass 186 visa, the most common mistake is to look only at the main application fee and then be surprised by the costs that come afterwards. This article gathers the items together so you can see the real budget picture, rather than just one figure.
The main application fee
The main application fee for the Subclass 186 currently sits at 6,140 AUD for the primary applicant. This is the amount paid to the Department of Home Affairs when you lodge the visa application, and it is the figure you usually see first — but it is not the total cost.
Fees for dependants
If you bring a partner and children, each dependant carries a separate additional fee, which differs between those aged 18 and over and those under 18. For a family of several people, the total can be considerably higher than for a single applicant, so calculate it based on the actual number of people in the application.
Easily missed items
Beyond the visa fee, there are some items many people forget: the required health examination, certified translation of documents, and — for the Direct Entry stream — the skills assessment fee charged by the occupation’s assessing authority, which is mandatory for most occupations. Some applications also incur English-test or police-check fees.
Items belonging to the business
Part of the cost tied to the nomination belongs to the sponsoring business and cannot be passed on to the worker. If someone asks you to pay the employer’s obligations on their behalf, that is a sign to stop and check, because passing the cost of nomination on to the worker is not permitted under the law.
Budgeting accurately
The safe approach is to add up everything: the main visa fee, the fee for each dependant, the health examination, translation, and the skills assessment fee if you go Direct Entry. Fees change with each adjustment by the Department of Home Affairs, so the figures on this page are shown with a status label and source. When you need a budget estimate close to your own situation, a registered migration agent (MARA) can help you list the items that actually apply.