Graduate Temporary 485 Visa

The Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa is work visa for international students who have completed 2 years of study in Australia. It can last from between 18 months and 4 years depending on your situation.

It is a good way to extend your stay in Australia to improve your chances of becoming eligible for a permanent or provisional skilled visa.

The primary applicant must be in Australia when they make their application for a 485 visa, and must have held an eligible student visa within the 6 month period prior to lodgement.

Latest 485 visa changes and updates:

End of the two-year extension of post-study work rights

The Department of Education have noted on their website that the extended post-study work rights which provided international graduates with select degrees an additional two years on their Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) will no longer be available from mid-2024.

The Department has confirmed this information and noted that there is currently no set date for when the two year extension will cease but they will update their website when further information becomes available. 

Temporary 485 Graduate Visa changes 2024

As part of Australia’s new migration strategy, there will be considerable change to the 485 visas as they become more targeted towards international graduates with skills required by Australian employers, including:

  • reducing the length of stay for these international graduates
  • preventing holders of the new graduate visas from moving back onto student visas
  • preventing the stay of International graduates without skills in demand from remaining in Australia.
  • reducing the age eligibility from 50 to 35 years of age

Temporary Graduate visa applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024 have an increased English requirement:

  • The minimum score required increases from IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 (or equivalent) with a minimum score of 5.5 for each component of the test (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
  • Passport holders from Hong Kong and British National Overseas (BNO) are not required to meet this increases minimum English language requirement. The settings for this cohort remains at IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent), with a minimum score of 5.0 for each component of the test (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
  • The test validity window for all Temporary Graduate visa applications decreases from three years to one year. Applicants must provide evidence that they have completed an English language test no more than one year immediately before the date of the visa application.
485 visa to PR

Two Eligibility Streams for the Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa: Post Study Work Stream (PSWS): This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree (at least Bachelor or above) from an Australian institution. It lets you live, work and study in Australia, temporarily.
The Graduate Work Stream: This visa is for international students who have recently graduated (at least Diploma) with skills and qualifications that are relevant to specific occupations in Australia needs. It lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily.
COMMON CRITERIA

 

 There are a number of criteria which are common to both the PSWV (Post Study Work) stream and the Graduate Work Stream:

  • Age: The main applicant must be under 50 at the date of lodgment.
  • English: The main applicant must demonstrate their English language ability, either through holding certain types of passport or by undertaking an English test. Evidence of threshold English must be provided at date of lodgement
  • Study in Australia: You must meet the 2 year study requirement and have completed qualifications within six months of applying for the visa.
  • Point Test: The Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa is not points-tested.
INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS

 

 You can include the following types of family members in your application:

  • Spouses, de facto partners and same-sex partners
  • Dependent children

If you already hold a 485 visa, you can apply for family members to join you in Australia on 485 visas.
DURATION AND CONDITIONS

 

 Duration of the 485 visa will depend on your circumstances. Gradate Work stream visas are valid for 18 months from the date of grant of the application.

Duration of the PSW depends on which qualification and whether you have completed your study in a regional area in Australia. If you study in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane your PSW duration will be:

  • 2 years: completion of Bachelor Degree, Bachelor with Honours, Masters by Coursework or Masters (Extended)
  • 3 years: Masters by Research
  • 4 years: Doctorate

Whilst on a 485 visa, you have unrestricted work rights in Australia.

You must maintain private health insurance whilst on a skilled graduate visa. A list of the major providers is at 485 Visa Insurance page.

Related: Extra 1 or 2-year visa for international graduates from regional institutions
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR 485 VISAS

 

 The new English requirements for both the Post Study Work Stream and Graduate Work Stream are as follows:

  • Hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or New Zealand; or
  • IELTS (Academic or General Training): overall average of 6 and at least 5 in each band; or
  • Occupational English Test (OET): B Pass in each band; or
  • Pearson (PTE Academic): overall average of 50 with at least 36 in each band; or
  • TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test): total score of 64, with at least 4 in Listening and Reading, and at least 14 in Writing and Speaking; or
  • Cambridge (CAE): 169 overall average with at least 154 in each band.

Temporary Graduate 485 visa applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024 have an increased English requirement.
A couple of Important Points to note:

 
  • Some skills assessment authorities (eg the Accounting Professional Bodies) require English testing for the Graduate Work skills assessment – there is no indication as yet as to whether the assessment authorities will change their English language requirements.
  • If completing the OET, the required scores have not changed.
  • The English requirements for the Recognised Graduate Subclass 476 visa are similar.
Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)-DoHA Fees
Application $1,920
Additional applicant Charge $960
Additional applicant Charge -18 $485

Standard VisaEnvoy professional fees for 485 visas (case by case for complex cases):

From 1 July 2022, applicants for a 485 visa will no longer require a skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority.

They will instead be able to apply directly to Department of Home Affairs for the visa itself.

As a result of this, many skills assessing authorities will not accept new skills assessment applications for candidates applying for this visa from 10 June 2022.

From 1 February 2025 the base application charge component of the VAC for an initial Subclass 485 visa primary applicant is increased to $2,235, for secondary applicants over 18 to $1,115 and for those under 18 to $560.

For holders of a Sc 485 visa in the Post‑Study Work stream, the Post‑Higher Education Work stream or the Replacement stream, applying for subsequent Subclass 485 visa in the Post‑Higher Education Work stream, the VAC is increased to $880, secondary applicant over 18 to $440 and under 18 to $225.

These amendments apply to applications made on or after 25 February 2025.

Changes to 485 Graduate Work Stream visa

Department of Home Affairs have temporarily removed the requirements for applicants for a Subclass 485 visa in the Graduate Work Stream to nominate an eligible skilled occupation and to obtain a skills assessment for applications made between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 inclusive.

This brings in the Graduate Work Stream in line with the Post Study Work Stream in this respects.

These amendments would encourage a broader range of graduates with degree, diploma and trade qualifications that satisfy the Australian study requirement but are not currently eligible for the Subclass 485 visa in the Graduate Work stream as their related occupations are not included in the current list of specified eligible occupations, to live and work in Australia for a further temporary period.

The Australian Government will increase the duration of post study work rights of international students to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour.

Post study work rights for select degrees in areas of verified skill shortages will be increased from:

  • Two years to four years for select Bachelor’s degrees
  • Three years to five years for select Masters degrees
  • Four years to six years for select PhDs.
25 November 2023 update and 485 visas

From 25 November 2023, online study requirements reverted to pre-COVID settings. However, online study undertaken during the COVID concession period (1 February 2020 to 25 November 2023) will continue to count towards the Australian Study Requirement (ASR).

As all students were required to return to in-person study in July 2023 by TEQSA, the tertiary education regulator, we anticipate that this position should not disadvantage any students, but also provide a clear end date to the announcement of the previous government made in November 2021.

From 25 November 2023, the subclass 485 can now be granted no matter the location of the applicant at the time of grant.

Related: Migration cap increase to 195,000

Book a meeting today for a commitment free briefing with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.