Migration
Australian Immigration Detention Costs Increase in 2026: What the New Daily Maintenance Amount Means?
The Australian Government has introduced a new daily maintenance amount for certain people held in immigration detention. From 1 July 2026, the daily amount will increase from $538.79 to $702.31 per day. At first, this may sound like every person in immigration detention must now pay more than $700 per day. However, that is not correct. This change only applies to limited categories of people who are legally liable to repay detention costs under the Migration Act 1958. It does not apply to most ordinary immigration detainees, visa applicants, overstayers, or people waiting for immigration decisions. In this blog, we
Kerusha Kharel
