Why it will soon cost you more to leave Australia
The federal budget contains application fee hikes for a number of visas, while another change means the cost of an overseas holiday will increase.
www.sbs.com.auHere’s the latest I can share based on recent reporting:
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Australia is increasing the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) to depart the country. Reports indicate an increase of about $10, taking the PMC to around $80 per passenger for air or sea departures, effective from January 1 of the next year. This change is part of the 2026-27 federal budget and is expected to raise substantial revenue over five years. [Source coverage from Perth Now and related Australian outlets confirms the $80 PMC and the budget context.]
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The PMC hike is drawing strong feedback from the travel industry, with tourism bodies arguing it makes travel more expensive and could impact visitation and Australians’ travel plans. Industry leaders have called for reinvestment of PMC revenues into border enhancements and border tech.
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In addition to the PMC change, Australia has previously seen other travel-related fee and visa charge adjustments tied to the annual budget cycle, including visa application charges for various subclasses (e.g., visitor, student, working holiday), which can affect the overall cost of international travel. These measures were highlighted in SBS and other outlets as part of broader travel-cost discussions.
What this means for you:
- If you or someone in your travel party is leaving Australia, plan for the PMC to be higher on tickets purchased for departures after the effective date. If you’ve already booked, many reports note there is typically a transition window, but the exact details depend on departure dates and how tickets are issued.
- Combined with any accompanying visa or application fee changes, the total cost of overseas travel could be higher than in prior years, so budgeting for a marginal increase is prudent.
Would you like a quick, country-specific snapshot (e.g., fees for a typical trip to Europe, Asia, or North America) and a rough total cost estimate for a family of four leaving Australia next year? I can compile a simple estimate using current PMC and common visa-fee levels.