News for going overseas - Services Australia
The latest news updates and changes.
www.servicesaustralia.gov.auI can’t access live updates directly right now, but here’s the latest I can confirm:
- Australia is set to increase the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) for departures, with reports indicating an increase from $70 to $80 per passenger from January 1 next year, as part of the 2026-27 budget. This means higher costs for Australians and visitors leaving the country by air or sea.[1][2]
- The change is tied to funding for border processing and biosecurity, and comes with a transitional arrangement for tickets already purchased. Budget coverage suggests the government aims to raise hundreds of millions over five years from the PMC increase.[2][1]
- Some travel-industry groups and media outlets criticized the move, arguing it raises travel costs at a time when the sector is already facing higher operating costs, and called for freezes or better reinvestment of PMC revenue into border infrastructure.[7][2]
- In addition to the PMC change, several other travel-related fee and visa‑related adjustments have been reported in recent years (e.g., visa application charges for various categories) which collectively affect overseas travel costs, though specifics vary by visa type and year.[5][8]
If you’d like, I can translate these into concrete cost estimates for your travel plans from New York City to typical Australian routes, or pull the latest official sources and summarize them with exact figures. Would you prefer a quick summary of how much the PMC would add per person for a round trip, or a broader overview of other related travel costs Australians and visitors might face?
Note: The information above reflects reported updates around mid-May 2026. If you want the most current figures, I can guide you to official sources to verify the exact PMC rate and transition details.[9][1][2]