Subclass 485 visa fees and processing times: what to check

The official Home Affairs pages do not publish a specific fee or processing time for the subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa. The visa pricing table is the authoritative source for the current base application charge, and the processing times guide is the authoritative source for how long recent applications took. You should check both pages for the subclass 485 visa before you lodge, because the figures change and are not set out in the official guidance for this article.

Where the subclass 485 visa fee is published

The Department of Home Affairs publishes visa charges in the Visa Pricing Table, which is the official list of application charges for every visa subclass. The official guidance for this article does not contain a fee amount for the subclass 485 visa, so no figure can be stated here. You must open the Visa Pricing Table and locate the subclass 485 entry to see the current base application charge.

When you read the pricing table, note that the charge shown is the base application charge for the main applicant. Additional charges may apply for each family member included in the application, and the total you pay at lodgement will depend on how many people are applying. The pricing table shows these additional charges separately.

Does the subsequent temporary application charge apply to subclass 485?

The subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) is a separate charge that applies to certain temporary visas. It is payable by each person in the application and is based on their individual visa history. The charge is payable in addition to any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement.

The official guidance lists the temporary visas that attract the STAC in Table 1. The subclass 485 visa is not listed in Table 1, which lists subclasses 408, 407, 482, 500, 590 and 600. Because the subclass 485 visa does not appear in that table, the STAC does not apply to a subclass 485 application on the basis of the visa being applied for.

However, the STAC can still be relevant to you if you are applying for a different temporary visa later, after holding a subclass 485 visa. Table 2 lists previous visas that count towards the STAC when they were applied for in Australia. The subclass 485 visa is not listed in Table 2 either, so holding a subclass 485 visa does not by itself trigger the STAC for a later application. You should still check the current visa pricing table for the visa you are applying for, because the lists of visas in the STAC tables can change.

Where the subclass 485 processing time is published

The Department publishes median processing times for key visa categories, not for every individual subclass. The official guidance gives median processing times for broad categories such as Skilled (Permanent), Skilled (Temporary), Student, Visitor and Working Holiday Maker. The subclass 485 visa falls within the Skilled (Temporary) category, for which the median processing time in July 2026 was 98 days.

This figure is a median for the whole category, not a promise for your application. The Department states that processing times vary for many reasons, including whether all supporting documents were provided, whether the application was lodged online, how quickly you respond to requests for further information, how long it takes to receive information from external agencies on health, character and national security, and the complexity of the application.

The Department also notes that skilled temporary processing times are affected by Ministerial Directions on processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. Applications are not always processed in the order they are received, and some applications may be decided more quickly than others.

For a more specific indication, use the visa processing times guide tool. This shows processing times for recently decided applications for the specific visa subclass you select. The Department warns that it is a guide only and not specific to your application. If you have already applied, you can check the status of your application and whether you have provided all supporting documents through ImmiAccount.

Processing priorities for skilled visas

Since 25 July 2026, skilled nomination and visa applications are processed according to Ministerial Direction 119, which replaced Ministerial Direction 105. This direction applies to all on-hand applications, including the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) program, which was not previously covered.

Prioritisation under Ministerial Direction 119 is based on both occupation and the location of the applicant at the time of application. The order of priority is:

Priority	Category	Location
First	Law enforcement or defence interests	In Australia
Second	Law enforcement or defence interests	Outside Australia
Third	Construction, healthcare and teaching occupations	In Australia
Fourth	All other applications	In Australia
Fifth	All other applications	Outside Australia

The direction covers a list of skilled visa subclasses, including the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Skilled Independent (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated (subclass 190), Skills in Demand (subclass 482) and Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491). The subclass 485 visa is not listed in the official guidance as being covered by Ministerial Direction 119. You should check the current version of the skilled visa processing priorities page to see whether the subclass 485 visa is included, because the list of covered visas can change.

What affects your individual processing time

The Department lists several factors that cause processing times to vary. Submitting all necessary supporting documents at the time of applying helps avoid delays. Lodging online rather than on paper streamlines processing. Responding quickly to requests for further information matters, as does the time it takes to receive information from external agencies on health, character and national security requirements.

For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program also affects processing times. The complexity of the application, the volume of applications received, changes to Ministerial Directions and the need to decide older applications can all increase processing times.

The Department recommends lodging a complete application and, where possible, lodging complete nomination and visa applications together for employer-sponsored visas. For the subclass 485 visa, the practical point is to gather all required documents before you lodge, because incomplete applications can take longer to finalise.

What to do next and what to verify

Before you lodge a subclass 485 visa application, you should verify two things on the official Home Affairs pages.

First, open the Visa Pricing Table and find the subclass 485 entry to confirm the current base application charge and any additional charges for family members. Do not rely on any fee figure quoted elsewhere, because the charge can change and the official guidance for this article does not contain the current amount.

Second, open the visa processing times guide and select the subclass 485 visa to see the median processing time for recently decided applications. This gives you an indication, not a guarantee. If you have already applied, check your application status in ImmiAccount and respond promptly to any request for further information.

If you are applying for a different temporary visa after holding a subclass 485 visa, check the subsequent temporary application charge page and the visa pricing table to confirm whether any additional charge applies to that application. The STAC rules depend on the visa you are applying for and the visa you currently hold, so you need to check both against the current tables.