With the new Australian budget in place, many changes have come forth. This mainly includes the hike in the application fee for the visa processing. It clearly shows the demand for Australia as an immigration destination. The procedure includes the evaluation of the visa application fee before the release of new Budget. The visa application fee is meant to take care of the expenditure incurred in the migration programs and other visa programs.

Usually, the fee is hiked based on the trends in Consumer Price Index. This has led to an increase of AU$40 – AU$60 on the application fee for the skilled migration visa. However, this year the increase is a full AU$420 increase from the previous fee. As a result, the skilled migration application fee stands at AU$2,525 from 1st July 2009.

If the above is to be believed, an applicant has to pay an additional sum of AU$400. However, the Australian government has ensured that visas such as those of the tourist ones where in the application fee was increased in the previous year would be unaffected by this change.

It is important to understand the above mentioned changes for an applicant. This is because paying the right amount is highly crucial for an application to be processed without any delays. Also, if the right amount is not paid, the application might not even be considered or accepted for that matter. To know more, it is recommended to visit the website of Department of Immigration and Australian Citizenship. The entire list of specifications is mentioned and could be downloaded for free.

Above all, it is best to consult a visa and immigration specialist on the same. An immigration expert would be updated with all the latest in the immigration sector and would further guide you in your application process.