Subclass 485 visa: Temporary Graduate

How the 485 works

Home Affairs describes the Temporary Graduate visa as a temporary visa for people who have recently completed a qualification in Australia, with different streams and stay periods by qualification. Holders find their own work; the visa is not sponsored by an employer.

Streams

Home Affairs lists these streams for the 485:

• Post-Vocational Education Work stream: for recent graduates with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification relevant to an occupation Australia needs.
• Post-Higher Education Work stream: for recent graduates with a degree from an Australian institution.
• Second Post-Higher Education Work stream: for holders of a first Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work or Replacement visa who studied at a regional campus and have lived in a designated regional area.
• Replacement stream: closed to new applications from 1 July 2024. Home Affairs says it is no longer available for primary applicants.

485 visa requirements

The eligibility tabs on the Home Affairs stream pages include:

• Age 35 or under when applying (see Age limit below).
• Being in Australia when applying, but not in immigration clearance.
• Holding an eligible visa, and having held a Student visa in the last 6 months.
• Completing the course within 6 months before applying, and meeting the Temporary Graduate visa study requirement.
• A course with an Australian education provider registered on CRICOS.
• English: a passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, or a specified test result from the 12 months before applying.
• Adequate health insurance for all applicants.
• Evidence of applying for an Australian Federal Police check, and meeting the character requirement.
• Meeting the health requirement, signing the Australian values statement (18 and over), and having no debt to the Australian Government.
• Not having held a 485 or 476 visa before as a primary applicant (the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream is the exception for eligible holders).

Stream-specific requirements:

• Post-Higher Education Work: an eligible degree (Bachelor, Masters, Doctoral, or a related graduate diploma), in any field of study.
• Post-Vocational Education Work: an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), plus a skills assessment (or evidence of applying for one) in that occupation.
• Second Post-Higher Education Work: a degree from a campus in a designated regional area that led to the first visa, and having lived only in a designated regional area for at least 2 years immediately before applying. Any work or study on the first visa must have been in the designated regional area.

Age limit

Home Affairs says applicants must be 35 or under when they apply. In the Post-Higher Education Work and Second Post-Higher Education Work streams, applicants can be under 50 if they used a Masters (research) or Doctoral degree to qualify, or hold a Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport. In the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, the under-50 exception applies to Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders.

How long you can stay

From the Home Affairs stream pages:

Home Affairs says the default stay for a Graduate Diploma is 2 years. Indian nationals have different stay periods under the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement: 2 years for a Bachelor degree, 3 years for a Bachelor with first class honours in STEM (including ICT), 3 years for a Masters, and 4 years for a Doctoral degree. Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders may stay up to 5 years. Home Affairs says the visa can't be extended.

Regional study and the 485

Graduates of a regional campus can access extra post-study work time. Home Affairs lists 1 extra year in Category 2 areas and 2 extra years in Category 3 areas (designated regional areas). This extra time is granted through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream.

What the visa lets you do

Home Affairs says that with this visa the holder can:

• Live, study and work in Australia temporarily after finishing their studies.
• Travel to and from Australia as many times as they want while the visa is valid.
• Bring eligible family members.

Holders must find their own employment. Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Family members and cost

Members of the family unit can be included when applying, if they are in Australia. Home Affairs says children can be added before a decision, but no other family members. After the visa is granted, family members can apply as subsequent entrants from in or outside Australia, and they pay the full visa application charge.

Visa application charges, from the Home Affairs stream pages and visa pricing:

Concessions apply in limited circumstances. Other costs can include health checks, police certificates and biometrics. Home Affairs says the Temporary Graduate visa is exempt from the Subsequent Temporary Application Charge.

Step by step

Home Affairs' Post-Higher Education Work stream Step by step tab lists these steps for the applicant. No employer is involved.

1. Begins these steps as soon as the education provider confirms the course is complete.
2. Checks for a valid passport. Home Affairs says people with a "No further stay" condition (8534 or 8503) on their current visa can't apply.
3. Gathers identity, study, English, health insurance and Australian Federal Police check documents, plus documents for family members. Post-Vocational applicants also include the skills assessment, or evidence of applying for one.
4. Applies online in ImmiAccount and pays the visa charge.
5. Provides health exams and more information if Home Affairs asks, and stays lawful while the application is processed.
6. Receives a decision, in or outside Australia (but not in immigration clearance).

Must apply in Australia

Home Affairs says the main applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying. Subsequent entrants can apply from in or outside Australia. All applicants can be in or outside Australia when the decision is made.

485 visa processing time

Home Affairs publishes current processing times in its global visa processing times guide.