35 Years or Under Age Limit for 485 Visa – (50 for Masters by research and PhD)

The Department have updated their website to outline the changes to the Temporary Graduate (sc 485) visa program as announced as part of the Migration Strategy.

The Department will be maintaining the maximum age at 50 for masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) graduates applying for a sc 485 in the Post-Higher Education Work stream (former Post-Study Work stream) after 1 July 2024.

The changes to the Sc 485 should take effect from 1 July 2024, subject to the passage of legislative amendments. The changes are the following:

• The Graduate Work stream will be renamed to the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.
• The maximum eligible age for Post-Vocational Education Work stream applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under.
• Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
• Applicants for the “post-Vocational Education Work Stream” must hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification, closely related to their nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
• Applicants with a degree level qualification or higher (Bachelor, Master, PhD, etc) will no longer be eligible for this stream. If an applicant holds one of these qualifications, they must apply through the Post-Higher Education Work stream (below).
• The stay period will remain up to 18 months, with Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders eligible to stay for up to 5 years.

• The Post-Study Work stream will be renamed to the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
• The maximum eligible age for Post-Higher Education Work stream applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under.
• Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
• The ‘select degree’ 2 year extension will cease.

Stay periods will change to the following:

Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may be able to stay for up to 5 years.

Stay periods for Indian nationals, as agreed in the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), remain as:

• 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.

The Second Post-Study Work stream will be renamed the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. There are no other changes to this stream.

The Replacement stream will cease. This stream was introduced to applicants who were unable to stay in Australia for the full period of their previous visa due to the COVID restrictions in force from 1 February 2020 to 14 December 2021.