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 could gather about Australia’s overseas travel fee change.
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The Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) to depart Australia has been increased. As of the 2026–27 budget, the PMC rose by about $10, taking it from $70 to $80 per passenger departing by air or sea. This applies regardless of citizenship or whether the traveler plans to return. The change is part of the federal budget measures and is expected to raise substantial revenue over several years. [Source coverage around May 2026 reports in Australian outlets noting the $10 increase and the reiteration of the PMC as a departure tax] [news coverage: May 11–12, 2026, across PerthNow and Nightly］
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The policy includes a six-month transition for passengers who have already purchased tickets, with applicability tied to the passenger’s departure date rather than ticket purchase date. This transitional arrangement is designed to soften the immediate impact for travelers who already booked flights or cruises. [transition detail reported in early May 2026 coverage]
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Industry reaction has been largely critical, with travel associations and some businesses calling the hike a burden on households and tourism competitiveness. Critics argue the increase could dampen overseas travel demand, especially for families and price-sensitive travelers. [industry quotes and sentiment from May 2026 coverage]
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Related international travel costs (e.g., ETIAS for Europe or ESTA-type fees in other regions) have been noted in various outlets, but the PMC increase is a specifically Australian domestic departure charge. Australians traveling overseas should budget the higher PMC when booking flights or cruises.
Illustrative example:
- For a family of four, the PMC increase could add roughly $320 in departure tax across a single trip, depending on departure timing and ticketing rules. This rough figure is based on the $10 uplift per passenger on a family of four, assuming immediate application to the departure.
If you’d like, I can pull the latest government or airline guidance and present a concise, up-to-date summary with exact figures and links.