Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) allows international students to live, study, and work in Australia after their studies.
To be eligible for the Subclass 485 visa, applicants must:
- Be under 35 of age (except for those holding a Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport, who may be under 50 years of age)
- Hold an eligible visa and have held a student visa in the last 6 months
- Have a recent qualification in a CRICOS-registered course
- Meet the health requirements
- Meet the character requirements
- Have adequate health insurance
- Sign the Australian values statement
- Have no debt to the Australian Government; and
- Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.
Applicants may also include family in their application.
The Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 Streams
The Subclass 485 visa is made up of four streams:
- Post-Vocational Education Work Stream
- Post-Higher Education Stream
- Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream, and
- Replacement Stream. The Replacement Stream is no longer available for new applicants as of 1 July 2024.
As of 1 July 2024, the Subclass 485 visa streams have been renamed:
- The Post-Vocational Education Work Stream was formerly the Graduate Work Stream.
- The Post-Higher Education Stream was formerly the Post-Study Work Stream.
- The Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream was formerly the Second Post-Study Work Stream.
1. Post-Vocational Education Work Stream
The Subclass 485 Post-Vocational Education Work Stream is for international students who have recently graduated within 6-months of completing their studies and are seeking employment in Australia (in-demand occupations).
The applicable occupations must be listed on the Skilled Occupation List, including Nursing, Medical Laboratory Scientists, and Medical Practitioners.
Subclass 485 holders may stay in Australia for up to 18 months (although this was temporarily increased to 2 years for visas granted from December 2021) and holders of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passports may stay for up to 5 years.
Post-Vocational Education Work Stream Requirements
The Post-Vocational Education Work Stream requirements include:
- At the time of application, the required qualification must be a trade, diploma, or associate degree, and it must be closely related to the applicant’s nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
- Meet the Australian study requirement (including at least 2 years of study at a CRICOS-registered institution)
- Have skills and qualifications that Australia needs; and
- Hold a valid passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland (or can prove English proficiency).
2. Post-Higher Education Stream
The Subclass 485 Post-Higher Education Stream is for international students who have recently graduated in Australia with one of the following qualifications:
- Bachelor degree
- Bachelor (Honours) degree
- Masters by coursework degree
- Masters (extended) degree
- Masters by research degree; or
- Doctoral degree.
Applicants must have applied for and been granted their first student visa on/after 5 November 2011.
Duration of Post-Higher Education Stream Stay
Depending on the level of qualification, Subclass 485 visa holders stay for 2-3 years (although Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years) via the Post-Higher Education Stream.
Generally:
- Bachelor’s degree (including honours) – up to 2 years.
- Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years.
- Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years.
Post-Higher Education Stream Requirements
The Post-Higher Education Stream requirements include:
- Hold an eligible qualification at degree level or above
- Meet the Australian study requirement (including 2 years of onshore study)
- Have studied with an Australian education provider; and
- Hold a valid passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, (or can prove English proficiency).
3. Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream
The Subclass 485 Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream is for holders of the Post-Higher Education Stream who graduated from an Australian institution located in a regional area.
They must also have lived in a regional area for at least 2 years before applying for a post-study stream.
Duration of Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream Stay
Subclass 485 holders may stay in Australia for 1-2 years via the Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream, depending on the regional location the visa holder studied and resided in.
- Studied and lived in Category 2 area: 1 year.
- Studied and lived in Category 3 area: 2 years.
For example, the majority of South Australia, including Adelaide, is classified as Category 2, and some regional areas are classified as Category 3.
In contrast, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are classified as Category 1, so visa holders cannot live in those capital cities via the Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream.
Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream Requirements
The Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream requirements include:
- Have studied with an Australian education provider in a designated regional area
- Lived in a designated regional area; and
- Work and study in a designated regional area.
4. Replacement Stream
The Replacement Stream was introduced in July 2022 to assist Subclass 485 visa holders impacted by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
As of 1 July 2024, the Replacement Stream is no longer available for new applicants.
Read more about the Replacement Stream here.
Contact Us
Have questions or need personalised guidance regarding your Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) application? Our dedicated migration team at Bambrick Legal is here to assist you every step of the way.
Feel free to reach out for a consultation to discuss your specific circumstances and ensure a smooth transition to your post-graduate journey in Australia.
- Fill in our enquiry form here
- Call us on 08 8362 5269
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on LinkedIn
Read more about our Visa and Migration services here.
Related Blog – New Changes to the Temporary Graduate Visa Program: How Will This Affect New Applicants?