SUBCLASS 485
- To be eligible for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa you must:
- Be under 50 years of age,
- Have held a student (subclass 500) visa in the last six months,
- Provide evidence you have applied for an AFP check when you apply, and
- Provide evidence of the required level of English language with the application.
2. Graduate Work Stream:
- The Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Study Work stream is for students who have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian education provider.
- This stream is suited to international students who graduate with skills and qualifications related to an occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations. They are entitled to a visa for up to 18 months.
You can apply for this visa in the Graduate Work stream if you:
- Are at least 18 years of age and younger than 50 years of age;
- Nominate an occupation on the visas;
- Have been assessed by a relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation;
- Have the relevant English language ability;
- Have completed either a Degree, Diploma or Trade Qualification which is closely related to your nominated skilled occupation; and
- Have met the Australian Study Requirement (min. 92 weeks CRICOS registered courses) in the past six months.
- Length of stay and work rights
The length of your stay on a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) varies depending on the course you studied and the visa stream you apply for:
- Temporary Graduate visa (Post-Study Work stream) holders can usually stay in Australia for two to four years, depending on their study level and qualification.
- Graduates with selected degrees are eligible for an additional two years (see below for more information).
- A Temporary Graduate visa (Graduate Work stream) will usually allow you to stay and work in Australia for up to 18 months. This has temporarily increased to 24 months (about 2 years).
- Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders on their first Temporary Graduate visa (Post-study Work and Graduate Workstreams) may stay in Australia for five years.
- Post-Study Work Visa Stream:
This stream provides international students who have recently graduated with an eligible qualification a visa for up to 4 years depending on the qualification (automatic 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders).
You can apply for this visa in the Post Study Work Visa Stream if you:
- Are at least 18 years of age and younger than 50 years of age;
- Applied for, and were granted, your first student visa to Australia on or after 5 November 2011;
- Have completed an eligible qualification from an Australian educational institution in the past six months
- Have the relevant English language ability.
- Have met the Australian study requirement (min. 92 weeks CRICOS registered courses) in the past six months
- The length of the visa granted depends on the completion of the following:
- Bachelor’s degree (including honor’s): 2 years
- Masters by coursework: 2 years
- Masters by research: 3 years
- Doctoral degree: 4 years
- Hong Kong passport holders who complete a bachelor, master or doctoral degree: 5 years
- Eligible Qualifications
To apply for a subclass 485 visa under the Post Study Work stream, only a study that results in the conferral of an eligible degree-level qualification will be considered. An eligible degree level qualification is a:
- Bachelor degree
- Bachelor (honours) degree
- Masters by coursework degree
- Masters (extended) degree
- Master by research degree
- Doctoral degree