School fees for children of 457 and 482 visa holders

NSW school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders:

The tuition fees for a temporary resident student are determined by the visa subclass held by the student. The tuition fees for the one-year enrolment of a temporary resident student (excludes visitor visa and a dependant of an international student) are as follows:

School years 2020 & 2021

Tuition fees for one year (40 school weeks)

Primary school (years KG-6) $5,600

Junior high school (years 7-10) $5,600

Senior high school (years 11-12) $6,400

When are these fees paid?

The education fee may be paid annually in advance (representing 40 school weeks) or half yearly in advance (representing 20 school weeks). The education fee is charged on a whole week basis. If for any reason a student only attends school for a part week, the whole week rate is charged.

How are these fees paid?

For initial enrolments, payments are to be made in Australian dollars by credit card (Visa Card or Mastercard), bank cheque, bank draft or Australia Post money order. Bank cheques, bank draft or postal money orders are payable to the NSW Department of Education. Cash, personal cheques and company cheques are not accepted. Upon request, the Temporary Residents Program will issue an official receipt of payment. Payment methods using BPay, internet and telephone banking are made available for ongoing enrolments.

Is my child exempt from paying tuition fees?

Temporary resident students in the following specific circumstances are exempt from paying tuition fees to the NSW Government:

• Dependants of international students who have a full scholarship from the Australian Government or who are sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Department of Defence.
• Exchange students who enrol in NSW government schools through organisations that manage student exchange programs and are registered with the NSW Department of Education.
• Dependants of teachers on exchange programs organised by the NSW Department of Education or in agreements or memoranda of understanding recognised by the department.
• Temporary residents enrolled in a NSW government hospital school and receiving in-patient care.
• Temporary resident students with links to an Australian citizen or permanent resident by birth, marriage or adoption, who have applied for permanent residency and do not hold, or have applied for, a dependant student visa.
• Temporary resident students with links to an Australian citizen or permanent resident by a de facto relationship, who have applied for permanent residency under family stream migration and do not hold, or have applied for, a dependant student visa.
• Students who are holders of an ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs.

Victoria school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders:

Dependent children of 457 and 482 visa holders are not required to pay tuition fees at government schools in Victoria, however they may be required to pay a levy or other fees specific to the school that they enrol in.

South Australia school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders.

A fee applies for families on 457 and 482 visas whose children attend government schools in the greater Adelaide region. Students attending some schools in country areas of South Australia no longer have to pay a fee as of January 2019. The amount payable is based on family circumstances. Students can enrol in their local schools (subject to availability).

The temporary resident student fee is set each year and is based on the annual combined family income you will earn while working in Australia.

The maximum annual fee payable by a family in Adelaide on a 457 and 482 visa for 2021 is:

• $5400 for each primary school student
• $6500 for each high school student.

This amount is charged for the eldest child in a family. Fees for all siblings have a 10% discount. For families with 4 or more children, only the 3 youngest children are charged. The eldest child is charged the full fee. All children must be included in your registration.

You can pay the fee either:

• up-front annually via BPay or, BPoint
• in weekly, fortnightly, monthly or per term instalments via BPay, BPoint or direct debit.

Can my child’s tuition fee be reduced or waived?

If your family’s circumstances change, you can apply to waive or reduce the temporary resident student fees.

Income Decrease

If your income decreases, the primary applicant may apply for a fee waiver or reduction.

You must provide:

• your and your partner’s 3 most recent pay slips
• income reported on PAYG payment summary from all employment in the last 12 months
• your 457 or 482 visa grant notice.

Financial Hardship

If unplanned changes happen to your financial circumstances that will impact on paying the fee, the primary applicant can apply for a fee waiver or reduction.

Unplanned changes can include:

• serious illness
• unemployment
• change of employment conditions
• family breakdown
• death
• change in your financial circumstances.

Applications will be considered on a case by case basis. You’ll need to give evidence to support your application.

If you are no longer eligible to pay the fee

You may no longer be eligible to pay the fee if:

• your children leave the public school system
• your visa status changes
• your gross family income falls below the minimum threshold.

Western Australia school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders.

There is a tuition fee for Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) and the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) holders with dependant children enrolled in public schools. The tuition fee is $4,000 per annum regardless of the number of children (Pre-primary to Year 12) a family have enrolled.

In Western Australia, the visa 457 and 482 fee collection is managed on behalf of the Department of Education by TAFE International Western Australia.

You will receive a Fee Advice for $4,000 from TAFE International Western Australia, the State Government agency responsible for overseas fee paying students attending Western Australian public schools. The Fee Advice will be sent to you as an email or in the post. You can elect to pay the tuition fee upfront or in instalments (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) via direct debit.

Full payment must be received before the end of the school calendar year in which the invoice is issued.  If payments are made by instalments then the final instalment must be completed by the end of the last week of the school year.

There is no restriction on who pays the tuition fee – for example, your employer can pay the fe​e.

Can my child’s tuition fee be reduced or waived?

An application for a fee waiver must be made within the year that the fee is incurred. Financial hardship applications for the 2015 and 2016 tuition fee can no longer be submitted.

There are two different kinds of financial hardship applications.

1. If your combined gross family income is $75 000 or less a year, you are eligible to apply for a fee waiver. The waiver is not ongoing. You will need to apply each year and produce evidence to support your application.
2. If there are unforeseen changes to your financial circumstances which have impacted your ability to pay the fee you are eligible to apply for a fee waiver within six months of the event. These unforeseen changes include illness, unemployment, change of employment conditions, family breakdown and death.

Applications will be considered on a case by case basis. A fee waiver is only for the period where you do not have the ability to pay the tuition fee; it is not ongoing. You will need to provide evidence to support your application.

Northern Territory school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders: No fees are applicable to dependents of 457 and 482 visa holders.

ACT school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders:

The Education Directorate welcomes the dependants of temporary residents to enrol in ACT public schools from Preschool through to Year 12, noting that Preschool is not within the mandatory years of schooling and placement is subject to availability.

Only children of 457/482 visa holders whose occupation is on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List or Regional Occupations List are eligible for a fee exemption, and must provide a copy of employment contract in ACT (including start and end dates), noting contract must align with approved occupation as stated in visa grant notification.

The following fees and charges are for the dependants of temporary residents who are not eligible for fee exemption:

Students Studying           Amount (A$)                      Payable with

Preschool                            4,200*                                   Acceptance of offer of place

Years K-6                             11,100*                                Acceptance of offer of place

Years 7-10                           14,500*                                Acceptance of offer of place

Years 11-12                         16,200*                                Acceptance of offer of place

Tasmania school fees for children of 482 TSS visa and 457 visa holders.

If you are moving to Tasmania to study or work on a temporary resident visa, your children (referred to as dependants) are welcome to study. The Temporary Resident Program (TRP) helps a significant number of students on temporary visas enrol into Tasmanian Government Schools.

The Temporary Resident Program (TRP) enrols school-aged children at any time during the year. The school year consists of four terms and caters for the following year groups:

• Primary school – Kindergarten to Year 6
• Secondary (High) school – Years 7-10
• Senior Secondary (College) – Years 11-12
• The compulsory school starting age in Tasmania is five years on or by 1 January.

Dependents of 457 and 482 visa holders are exempt from paying tuition fees at Tasmanian Government Schools, however they do need to pay the school levy.  School levies are approximately AUD $300 – $750 per year and are charged by the school directly.

Financial Assistance

• Families on low incomes who meet the eligibility conditions of the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) will not be required to pay school levies.  Grandparents raising grandchildren may also be eligible for STAS.
• Families who are not eligible for STAS, but who may experience financial hardship should talk to the school about payment arrangements and other financial assistance which may help.
• School staff understand that financial matters are highly sensitive, so your questions will remain completely confidential.
• These matters will also be dealt with directly with you and not through your child.
• Your child’s participation in learning will not be affected.