Temporary Graduate 485 Visa
The 485 visa is for international students who completed at least 2 years of study in Australia and are looking to remain in the country.
Work experience gained on this visa can be a useful to gain additional points score when applying for a provisional or permanent visa under the General Skilled Migration program, to gain the minimum work experience necessary to qualify for an employer sponsored work visa.
The 485 visa itself does not require employer nomination, family nomination or state or territory nomination but, 485 applicants will need to meet the Australian study requirements and be in a position to lodge the application within 6 months of their course ending and student visa expiring.
There are two streams in the Graduate 485 visa program and applicants will need to select the one that is most suitable for them:
Post-Vocational Education Work (PVEW) stream formerly known as Graduate Work stream: This visa is valid for either 18 months or 5 years. Applicants must:
Have completed studies at the level of Associate Degree, Diploma or Trade
Nominate an occupation from the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), and
Have a positive skills assessment in that MLTSSL occupation
Post-Higher Education Work (PHEW) stream formerly known as Post Study Work stream: This visa is valid for either 2, 3, 4 or years. Applicants must:
Have completed studies at level of Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate
An extension of 1 or 2 more years may be granted to this visa in either stream if a degree was completed in an area of Australia.
General Requirements
General requirements for applying for the 485 visa include:
Age limit
50 years of age for Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders applying in either stream
50 years of age for graduates of Masters (research) and Doctoral degree (PhD) applying in the PHEW stream
35 years of age for all other applicants
Demonstrate Competent level in English
Meet the Australian Study Requirements relevant to the stream, common criteria include:
Studies must be registered on CRICOS
The total registered study period must be at least 92 weeks
You may be able to count more than one course
Provide a positive skills assessment in the nominated MLTSSL occupation in PVEW stream
Meet the health requirements
Have suitable health insurance in Australia
Meet the character requirements
Hold an eligible visa:
You are the primary holder of a student visa, or
You hold a Bridging Visa A or B and your student visa expired no more than 6 months ago
Validity Period
Bachelor 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
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may be able to stay for up to 5 years
Indian nationals, as agreed in the Australia India – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA):
Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.
Did You Know?
Many students use the 485 visa as a pathway to permanent residency and it is a good option to develop skillsets while in Australia.
However, although the 485 visa appears simple, the process of submitting a valid and good application can be a little more complex than first thought.
Timing is Critical
The 485 visa application must be lodged within 6 months of students completing their course, otherwise referred to as ‘course completion’.
The date of completion is the date students are informed of their results. This is different to the graduation date which can often be some time after course completion.
Additionally, the application must be lodged between the date of course completion and the date the student visa expires.
It is critical that the 485 visa is submitted as a ‘complete application’ to reduce the risk of the application being refused but, this may be tricky for students to manage if there is minimal time between course completion and visa expiration.
If the 485 visa application is refused while the applicant holds a bridging visa, their options for submitting another application inside Australia are significantly limited to almost nothing by virtue of section 48 Bar of the Migration Act 1958
Select the Correct Stream
Often, the Post Study Work stream is the preferred option because it has a longer validity period and it does not require the applicant to nominated an MLTSSL occupation nor obtain a relevant positive skills assessment is that occupation.
Similarly, students who have not completed studies at the level of Bachelor, Masters or PhD need to consider whether they can qualify for the Graduate stream only.
Evidence of Study
Demonstrating the Australian Study Requirement is also important. This includes:
Duration of course – it is critical that the courses completed were registered with CRICOS for a period no less than 92 weeks and it may be possible to combine completed courses to meet this requirement.
Course completion – as part of the application, students must submit a letter of completion. This outlines the exact dates of study and confirms the course completed
Duration of Time Spent in Australia
Part of the Australian Study Requirement also means applicants need to have been in Australia for at least 16 months from the course commencement to course completion. For this reason, it’s important that applicants seek expert advice where they received exemption or spent time overseas while studying (especially if the course itself was 16 months in duration).
Contact Us
Making a simple mistake with a 485 visa application may prevent applicants from being able to remain in Australia. We recommend seeking expert guidance to help get it right on the first attempt so, contact us to learn how you can create your opportunities for permanent residence.