Total Cost of Australia 189 PR from India 2026 — Realistic Budget

Cost guide · Australia Subclass 189 PR

Australia 189 PR from India costs INR 20-45 lakh total exposure depending on family size.

Subclass 189 visa fee ~AUD 4,640 (main applicant, CPI-indexed each 1 July) plus skills assessment, English testing, medical, and settlement. All figures verified against Department of Home Affairs published rates.

Australia''s Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) visa is one of the most-applied skilled-migration pathways from India — alongside Canada Express Entry — but the cost picture differs in important ways. Australia''s visa fees are structurally higher than Canada''s, while ongoing living costs are usually lower in non-Sydney/Melbourne cities. Here''s the realistic line-by-line breakdown for an Indian applicant in 2026.

The headline numbers

AUD 4,640

Subclass 189 main applicant

Base visa fee · indexed 1 July

AUD 2,320

Secondary applicant (18+)

50% of base

AUD 1,160

Secondary applicant (under 18)

25% of base

65 / 90+

Points test

Minimum / typical invitation

Realistic total exposure from EOI to landing:

Single applicant: AUD 7,500 - 11,000 / INR 4-6 lakh total cost outlay
Couple: AUD 10,500 - 14,500 / INR 6-8 lakh
Family of 4: AUD 13,500 - 18,500 / INR 7-10 lakh

Plus recommended pre-settlement liquidity (not a fee but a real liquidity requirement): Single AUD 20,000-25,000 / Family of 4 AUD 35,000-45,000.

Phase 1 — Pre-EOI costs

Costs incurred before submitting Expression of Interest

IELTS Academic (1 attempt)Or PTE Academic INR 16,500: INR 17,500
Realistic English-test budget (Superior English)Superior = IELTS 8.0 all bands / PTE 79 all sections: INR 50,000-80,000
Skills assessment — Engineers AustraliaINR 30,000-44,000 · varies by pathway: AUD 555-810
Skills assessment — VETASSESSINR ~63,000 · most non-IT non-engineering: AUD 1,170
Skills assessment — ACS (IT)INR ~28,500: AUD 530
Skills assessment — CPA / CAANZ (accounting)INR ~30,400: AUD 562
Document apostille via MEA DelhiPer document set: INR 1,500-3,000
Police clearance (Indian PCC)Plus PCC from each country lived 12+ months in: INR 500

Indicative skills-assessment fees from the respective authorities published rates.

Phase 1 total (typical Indian applicant, single, engineering or IT): INR 1.5-2.5 lakh before you lodge an EOI.

Phase 2 — Visa application stage (after invitation)

Department of Home Affairs visa application charges (CPI-indexed 1 July annually)

Visa Application Charge — Main applicantINR ~2.5 lakh: AUD 4,640
VAC — Secondary applicant 18+INR ~1.25 lakh · 50% of base: AUD 2,320
VAC — Secondary applicant under 18 (per child)INR ~62,500 · 25% of base: AUD 1,160
Second Instalment Charge (if applicable, English-skills based)Only if functional English not demonstrated for secondary: AUD 4,890 / adult
Medical examinations (Bupa panel, adult)INR 18,000-27,000 · in India: AUD 350-500
Medical per childINR 11,000-19,000: AUD 200-350
Biometrics (in India)Approx INR 2,200-2,700: AUD 40-50 / person

Department of Home Affairs published fees · indicative.

Phase 2 totals:

Single applicant: AUD ~5,030 / INR ~2.71 lakh
Couple: AUD ~7,750 / INR ~4.18 lakh (spouse has functional English)
Family of 4: AUD ~10,420 / INR ~5.62 lakh (spouse has functional English)

Phase 3 — Settlement liquidity

Australia doesn''t have a hard "proof of funds" requirement like Canada''s LICO-based table. But the realistic liquidity needed for first 3-6 months in Australia is significant.

Recommended liquid funds at landing:

Single applicant: AUD 20,000-25,000 (INR ~12-15 lakh)
Couple: AUD 28,000-35,000 (INR ~17-21 lakh)
Family of 4: AUD 35,000-45,000 (INR ~22-27 lakh)

Phase 4 — Pre-landing costs

One-time costs around departure to Australia

Economy one-way flight India to Australia (single)INR 55,000-1 lakh · depending on city and season: AUD 1,000-1,800
Flights — family of 4INR 2.2-4 lakh: AUD 4,000-7,200
Excess baggage / shippingINR 11,000-27,000: AUD 200-500
Initial accommodation (Airbnb 1-2 weeks)INR 44,000-1 lakh: AUD 800-1,800
Currency conversion lossesOn INR-to-AUD transfers: 1-3%

Phase 5 — First 3 months in Australia (family of 4)

Conservative budget while you find housing and employment

Rent (2BR Sydney/Melbourne with utilities)3 months: AUD 7,500-10,500: AUD 2,500-3,500 / mo
Rent (2BR Brisbane/Perth/Adelaide)3 months: AUD 5,400-7,500: AUD 1,800-2,500 / mo
Bond + 4 weeks rent in advance (one-time)Usually 4 weeks bond + 4 weeks rent upfront: AUD 4,000-7,000
Groceries3 months: AUD 2,400-3,600: AUD 800-1,200 / mo
Transport (public transport, Opal/Myki)Per adult: AUD 200-400 / mo
Phone + internetTelstra/Optus: AUD 100-200 / mo
Private health insurance (until Medicare)Bupa, Medibank, NIB: AUD 150-300 / mo
Children: school supplies, uniformsPublic school books + uniforms: AUD 200-500 / mo
Banking, IDs, household setupOne-time: AUD 1,500-3,000

First 3 months, family of 4 in Sydney/Melbourne: AUD 20,000-30,000 / INR 11-17 lakh. First 3 months, family of 4 in Brisbane/Perth/Adelaide: AUD 15,000-23,000 / INR 8-13 lakh.

Realistic total exposure by family configuration

Scenario A

Single applicant — IT professional

Pre-EOI (English + ACS + apostille): INR 1.7 lakh
Visa stage (incl. medical): INR 2.7 lakh
Pre-landing (flight, accommodation): INR 1.5 lakh
First 3 months in Sydney/Melbourne: AUD 9-12k / INR 5-7 lakh
Recommended liquidity buffer: AUD 20-25k (yours, retained)
Total cost outlay: INR 11-13 lakh + INR 12-15 lakh liquidity buffer

Scenario B

Couple, no kids — engineering

Pre-EOI (English x2, EA, apostille): INR 2.4 lakh
Visa stage (with spouse fee, medicals): INR 4.2 lakh
Pre-landing: INR 2.5 lakh
First 3 months Sydney/Melbourne: AUD 12-16k / INR 7-9 lakh
Recommended liquidity buffer: AUD 28-35k
Total cost outlay: INR 16-18 lakh + INR 17-21 lakh liquidity buffer

Scenario C

Family of 4 — couple + 2 children

Pre-EOI (English x2, skills, apostille): INR 2.6 lakh
Visa stage (full family): INR 5.6 lakh
Child medicals, additional fees: INR 25,000
Pre-landing (flights for 4): INR 4 lakh
First 3 months in Brisbane/Perth: AUD 15-23k / INR 8-13 lakh
Recommended liquidity buffer: AUD 35-45k
Total cost outlay: INR 21-24 lakh + INR 22-27 lakh liquidity buffer

Scenario D

Family of 4 — Sydney / Melbourne premium

Pre-EOI, visa, pre-landing: INR 12 lakh
First 3 months Sydney/Melbourne: AUD 20-30k / INR 11-17 lakh
Bond + 4 weeks rent: AUD 7-10k / INR 4-5.5 lakh
Recommended liquidity buffer: AUD 45-55k
Total cost outlay: INR 23-34 lakh + INR 28-34 lakh liquidity buffer

Hidden costs people don''t plan for

English test re-attempts for Superior English
Many applicants need 2-3 attempts to score Superior English. Realistic budget: INR 50,000-80,000 for the English testing alone.
Skills assessment re-applications
If your initial outcome is negative, you may need to re-apply. Each iteration costs another AUD 200-1,000 plus weeks of delay.
The Second Instalment Charge for spouse English
AUD 4,890 per secondary applicant who can''t demonstrate functional English. The most common avoidable cost.
The 4-weeks rent + bond ambush
AUD 6,000-10,000 upfront in Sydney/Melbourne before moving in.
Currency conversion costs
Moving INR to AUD typically costs 1-3% above the spot rate. On INR 25 lakh, that''s INR 25,000-75,000.
Childcare / school costs
Australian public school is free for PR holders, but uniforms, books, lunch programmes add AUD 100-300/month per child. Childcare for under-5s ranges AUD 100-180/day (CCS subsidies available for PR holders).

Australia 189 vs Canada Express Entry — quick cost comparison

Australia 189

Family of 4 from India

Total cost outlay: INR 21-34 lakh
Recommended liquidity: INR 22-34 lakh additional
Visa fee: AUD 4,640 main + 50%/25% structure
No mandatory settlement funds proof
Processing time: 12-18 months for 189
Strongest for: MLTSSL occupations, Superior English

Canada Express Entry

Family of 4 from India

Total cost outlay: INR 16-20 lakh
Settlement funds proof: INR ~17 lakh required liquid
IRCC fee: CAD 1,590 per adult (post-30-Apr-2026)
Mandatory settlement funds at submission
Processing time: 5-6 months Express Entry
Strongest for: Category-based draws, PNP, CLB 9 profile

For a detailed side-by-side, see our Canada vs Australia PR for Indians 2026 decision guide.

How Lifeset can help

We handle Australia 189 (and 190 / 491) PR pathways for Indian applicants:

Profile assessment — realistic points-test calculation, occupation list check, English strategy.
Skills assessment coordination — Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS, CPA.
EOI submission with correct points claim.
Visa application preparation — main + secondary applicants.
Honest budget planning based on family size, English level, occupation, target state.

We do not handle Subclass 482, 494, or 186 — employer-sponsored work permits requiring an MEA Recruiting Agent licence we do not hold.

We are a PTA-licensed visa consultancy at SCO 06, Bhupindra Road, Patiala 147004, Punjab — Licence No. 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024.

Total Cost of Australia 189 PR from India in 2026: Realistic Budget Breakdown