Evidence of financial capacity for subclass 500 and 590 visas: LIN 19/198

The Migration (LIN 19/198: Evidence of financial capacity–Subclass 500 Visa and Subclass 590 Visa) Instrument 2019 was signed on 4 October 2019 by Michael Willard, a delegate of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, under subclauses 500.214(4), 500.313(4) and 590.216(4) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 (section 3). It was registered on 23 October 2019, commenced on 24 October 2019 and repealed IMMI 18/010. LIN 23/070 amended it from 1 October 2023 and LIN 24/042 from 10 May 2024. The figures on this page are from Compilation No. 2, dated 10 May 2024.

The explanatory statement for the 2019 instrument says its operation is to specify requirements an applicant must meet where the Minister requires evidence of financial capacity from a primary or secondary subclass 500 applicant or a primary subclass 590 applicant. The dollar amounts in that 2019 statement, such as AUD21,041 for a primary applicant’s living costs, are the as-made figures; sections 6 to 9 of Compilation No. 2 carry the current amounts set out below.

Ways a primary subclass 500 applicant can show financial capacity

Under section 6(1), a primary applicant provides evidence that satisfies any one of subsections 6(2) to 6(6):

• section 6(2): evidence of funds, in a form listed in section 10, covering travel, living costs, course fees and the costs of each secondary applicant in a combined application;
• section 6(3): official Government documentation of personal income issued in the 12 months before the application, showing that the applicant’s parent, spouse or de facto partner had a personal annual income in those 12 months of at least AUD87,856, or at least AUD102,500 if there is a secondary applicant;
• section 6(4): the applicant’s completed AASES form (secondary exchange students);
• section 6(5): for a Foreign Affairs student, a letter of support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade;
• section 6(6): for a Defence student, a letter of support from the Department of Defence.

Funds figures under section 6(2)

Annual amounts for a stay of 12 months or more (LIN 19/198, Compilation No. 2, section 6(2))

Cost	Amount	Provision
Primary applicant annual living costs	AUD29,710	s 6(2)(b)(ii)(A)
Spouse or de facto partner	AUD10,394	s 6(2)(c)(ii)(A)
Dependent child	AUD4,449	s 6(2)(c)(ii)(B)
Annual school costs for each school-age dependant staying more than 12 months	AUD13,502	s 6(2)(c)(iv)(A)

The funds must also cover travel expenses for each applicant and course fees, minus any amount already paid: the fees for the first 12 months where the period of study in Australia is more than 12 months, or the fees for the course or its remaining components where it is less than 12 months (section 6(2)(b)(iii)). School costs are nil where a school-age dependant attends a State or Territory government school that has waived the fees and the primary applicant is a doctoral degree student, a Foreign Affairs student, a Defence student or a Commonwealth sponsored student (section 6(2)(c)(iv)(C)).

For a stay of less than 12 months, section 11 sets the pro rata amount: the annual amount divided by 365, multiplied by the number of days the applicant intends to stay in Australia. Section 10 lists the accepted forms of funds evidence: a money deposit with a financial institution, a loan with a financial institution, government loans, and a scholarship or financial support.

Secondary applicants and Student Guardian applicants

Requirements for other applicants (LIN 19/198, Compilation No. 2, sections 7 to 9)

Applicant	Funds option	Income option
Secondary subclass 500 applicant included in the primary student visa holder’s application (s 7)	Funds for the primary student visa holder’s costs in s 6(2)(b)(i) to (iii) and each secondary applicant’s costs in s 6(2)(c)	Parent, spouse or de facto partner income of at least AUD102,500 (s 7(3))
Secondary subclass 500 applicant not included in the primary student visa holder’s application (s 8)	Funds for the primary student visa holder’s living costs, course fees for components completed while the secondary applicant is in Australia (up to 12 months of fees), and the living and travel costs of the secondary applicants	Parent, spouse or de facto partner income of at least AUD102,500 (s 8(3))
Primary subclass 590 applicant (s 9)	Funds for the applicant’s own travel and AUD29,710 living costs, the nominating student’s travel, AUD29,710 living costs and up to 12 months of course fees, AUD4,449 for each secondary applicant and AUD13,502 annual school costs	Spouse or de facto partner income of at least AUD102,500 (s 9(3))

Sections 7(4), 7(5), 8(4) and 8(5) accept a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Department of Defence letter of support for a secondary applicant where the letter indicates that the department will meet the living costs and expenses of each secondary applicant.

Which applications it applies to

Section 12 applies the LIN 23/070 amendments to an application for a Student (Temporary) (Class TU) visa made on or after the day that amending instrument commenced, 1 October 2023. Section 13 does the same for the LIN 24/042 amendments, which commenced on 10 May 2024 (Endnote 3).