Visa law, explained by the people who lodge it.
Rule changes, thresholds, evidence and the mistakes behind refusals, for the 482, the 186 and partner visas. Written by our lawyers, not a content agency.
What we track
- Government chargesvisa application charges and levieseach July
- Income thresholdsindexed annuallyCSIT, SSIT
- Occupation listsCore Skills Occupation List456 codes
- Processing timesas the Department publishes themmonthly
-
There Is No Easiest State: How Nomination Programs Actually Rank Your Occupation
How state nomination for the 190 and 491 works in 2026: what states weigh, why lists change each July, 5 and 15 nomination points and the $6,140 charge.
Read -
Becoming a Standard Business Sponsor: Approval, 2026-27 Costs and the Five Obligations
Becoming a Standard Business Sponsor in 2026: the $420 sponsorship charge, $330 nomination, the $1,200 or $1,800 yearly levy and the five obligations.
Read -
Sponsor before you shortlist: the employer visa sequence that saves a hire
Employer sponsorship in 2026: the $420 sponsorship, $330 nomination and $1,200 to $1,800 levy, and the sequence that keeps a hire on schedule.
Read -
Skills in Demand Visa in 2026-27: Which of the Three Streams Fits You?
Skills in Demand visa 2026-27: Core Skills at $79,423, Specialist Skills at $146,576, labour agreements, the $4,015 charge and the path to the 186 visa.
Read -
Rugby World Cup 2027: The Visa Timeline for Teams, Staff and Broadcasters
408 visa at $535 for Rugby World Cup 2027 squads and staff, 400 for short broadcast crews, and the sponsor timeline from 2026. Melbourne lawyers.
Read -
Rugby World Cup 2027 for Fans: ETA, eVisitor or the 600 Visitor Visa, and What a Past Refusal Means
Free ETA or eVisitor, or the $250 subclass 600 visitor visa, for Rugby World Cup 2027 fans. Condition 8503, genuine visitor evidence and refusals in 2026.
Read -
Rugby World Cup 2027 for Employers: Staffing the Hospitality Surge With 482 Sponsorship and Working Holiday Makers
482 at $4,015, CSIT $79,423, SAF levy $1,200 or $1,800, working holiday makers at $840 and 28-day labour market testing in 2026 for Rugby World Cup 2027.
Read -
A Natural Justice Letter Citing PIC 4020: The Deadline That Decides Your Partner Visa
PIC 4020 and partner visas in 2026: triggers, the three and ten year exclusion periods, answering a natural justice letter, and the $3,727 review fee.
Read -
Why Two Partner Visa Files Lodged the Same Week Finish Years Apart
Partner visa processing in 2026: how priorities and lodgement order work, where files lose time, and how to keep an $11,710 application moving.
Read -
One Request, No Reminders: The Pre-Lodgement Audit for a Partner Visa
Partner visa applications in 2026 may get one request for missing material, or none. Audit your file before paying the $11,710 charge with this checklist.
Read -
Financial, Household, Social, Commitment: Partner Visa Evidence That Reads as One Story
Partner visa evidence for 2026: the four aspects the Department must consider, documents that carry weight, and how to organise an $11,710 application.
Read -
The $11,710 Question: Partner Visa Charges for 2026-27 and What Sits on Top
Partner visa cost 2026-27: $11,710 main applicant, $5,860 adult dependant, $2,935 child, $1,955 after a subclass 300, plus health, police and review fees.
Read
Reading about your own situation?
A consultation with a migration lawyer turns an article into a plan: your pathway, your dates, your costs, in writing.