Australia runs on three very different visa categories depending on why you're going — a student visa built around a Genuine Student statement, a straightforward visitor visa, and a work-and-holiday route with its own strict eligibility. All three saw fee increases on 1 July 2026. Hike Visa has filed Australia applications from Chandigarh for 25+ years.
Current fees at a glance
Figures per Department of Home Affairs pricing, effective 1 July 2026. Confirmed current as of this page's last review.
Each route has a different purpose, a different application form, and a different way to get refused. Here's the honest breakdown of all three.
For students with a confirmed offer at an Australian institution. Approval rests heavily on your Genuine Student (GS) responses, proof of funds, and a valid Confirmation of Enrolment — not just your IELTS or PTE score.
See Australia study visa detailsFor tourism, visiting family, or attending a business event. A shorter application than the study visa, but officers still scrutinise ties to India and travel history closely — a thin file is the most common refusal reason.
See visitor visa detailsA combined travel-and-work visa for eligible young applicants, funding an extended trip through short-term work. Eligibility (age, qualifications, funds) is stricter than a standard visitor visa — we check first, before you pay any fee.
See 462 visa detailsThere's no direct "study visa to PR" switch in Australia — PR runs through a separate points-tested or employer-sponsored process. Here's the realistic sequence most of our students follow.
Your course needs to sit on Australia's relevant skilled occupation lists to count toward most PR routes later — worth checking before you enrol, not after.
Eligible graduates can apply for temporary work rights — now AUD $5,750 from 1 July 2026 — to gain local experience that strengthens a later skilled visa application.
Your qualification and experience are formally assessed against your nominated occupation by the relevant Australian assessing authority.
You either register for a points-tested skilled visa (Subclass 189/190/491) or move onto an employer-sponsored route such as the Subclass 482, if you have a sponsoring employer.
Once approved, PR grants long-term residence rights — timelines vary considerably by occupation, state nomination, and application volumes.
Not a ranking — just where we see the most applications from Chandigarh, across Group of Eight research universities and applied-focused institutions.
Genuine Student responses reviewed line by line, not templated
Funds and financial documents checked against current requirements
IELTS/PTE band requirement confirmed for your specific course
462 and visitor visa eligibility checked before any fee is paid
Honest view on your PR prospects before you commit to a course
25+ years handling Australia files from Sector 17B, Chandigarh
Subclass 500 is Australia's primary study visa, issued to applicants with a confirmed offer at an Australian institution. Approval depends on the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, proof of sufficient funds (AUD $29,710/year), valid OSHC, and meeting the English language requirement for your course.
The Subclass 600 Tourist stream costs AUD $250 when applying from outside Australia, rising to AUD $630 for onshore applications, following the 1 July 2026 fee update. Additional applicant and stream-specific charges may apply.
Subclass 462 is a combined travel-and-work visa for eligible young applicants from participating countries, currently AUD $840 from 1 July 2026. It allows short-term work to help fund an extended stay, with stricter age, qualification, and funds requirements than a standard visitor visa.
Most institutions require an approved English test such as IELTS (6.0 overall, no band below 5.5) or PTE Academic, with the required band varying by course and university. We confirm the exact requirement for your chosen course.
Not directly — there's no automatic study-to-PR conversion. Most graduates move through post-study work rights (Subclass 485), a skills assessment, and then either a points-tested skilled visa or an employer-sponsored route such as the Subclass 482 before becoming eligible for permanent residency.
The Subclass 482 is an employer-sponsored temporary skill shortage visa, allowing a sponsoring Australian employer to fill a skilled position that can't be filled locally. It's one of the more common routes graduates use on the way to permanent residency.
Processing depends on your institution's enrolment-cap priority tier under Ministerial Direction 115, application volume, and how complete your file is at submission. Priority 1 institutions can process in as little as 7 days; we confirm current expected timelines during your assessment.
Tell us your travel or study purpose. We'll tell you plainly which route fits, and what it costs under the current 2026 fees — before you spend a rupee.
No charge. No obligation. Just honest advice.
