485 to PR in Australia (2026): The Visa Pathways Compared

There is no direct 485 to PR step. Home Affairs calls the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) a temporary visa and says it cannot be extended. Permanent residence comes through a separate visa. The main ones are the points-tested 189, 190 and 491, and the employer-sponsored 482, 186 and 494, each with its own rules.

Rules checked against Home Affairs on 12 November 2026.

Is the 485 a PR visa?

No. Home Affairs' page for the Post-Higher Education Work stream says "This is a temporary visa" and "We cannot extend this visa". The Post-Vocational Education Work stream page uses the same words.

Both pages add: "You might be eligible for other skilled work visas." Those are separate applications with separate rules. What the 485 itself covers is in the 485 Temporary Graduate visa, explained and on the Settledin 485 visa page.

What are the pathways from a 485 to PR?

Home Affairs does not publish one list of pathways for 485 holders. The table sets out the skilled visas it lists, and the main requirements on each visa's page.

Pathway	Visa type, per Home Affairs	Main requirements on the Home Affairs page
189 Skilled Independent	Permanent	Invitation after an expression of interest (EOI), at least 65 points, under 45 at invitation, a suitable skills assessment, at least Competent English
190 Skilled Nominated	Permanent	The same points-tested requirements, plus nomination by a state or territory government agency
491 Skilled Work Regional, then the 191	Temporary, 5 years	Nomination by a state or territory, or sponsorship by a relative, plus the points-tested requirements. Holders live, work and study in a designated regional area
482 Skills in Demand, then the 186	Temporary, up to 4 years	Nomination by an employer for an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, and at least 1 year of relevant work experience
186 Direct Entry	Permanent	Nomination by an employer. Most applicants need a skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience. Usually under 45
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional, then the 191	Temporary, 5 years	Nomination by an employer in a designated regional area, a skills assessment, at least 3 years of full-time work in the occupation, under 45

Three of these are permanent visas: the 189, the 190 and the 186. Home Affairs describes the 189 and the 190 as "a permanent visa" that "lets you stay in Australia indefinitely". The 491, 482 and 494 are temporary visas with a later permanent step.

The general picture, beyond graduates, is in How to get PR in Australia.

What does the points-tested route ask for?

The 189, 190 and 491 share a core set of requirements. Home Affairs' 189 page lists:

An invitation to apply, after submitting an EOI through SkillSelect.
A score of 65 points or more on the points test.
Age under 45 at invitation.
A suitable skills assessment at the time of invitation.
At least Competent English at the time of invitation.
An occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list.

Several rows in the official points table relate to study and work in Australia:

Points table item	Points
At least a Bachelor degree	15
A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution	10
Meet the Australian study requirement	5
Study in regional Australia	5
Masters by research or Doctorate from an Australian institution, with at least 2 academic years in a relevant field	10
Completion of a Professional Year in Australia	5
Australian skilled employment, at least 1 but less than 3 years	5

Points table last updated by Home Affairs on 4 November 2026.

Home Affairs awards education points for the highest qualification only. For employment points, it counts work in the nominated occupation or a closely related one, for at least 20 hours a week, in the 10 years before invitation.

The other categories are covered in the Australian PR points test, explained, age points for PR and PTE score for PR. The Settledin PR points calculator adds up an indicative total from the same table. How assessing authorities work is in Skills assessment in Australia.

How does the 491 lead to PR?

The 491 is a 5-year temporary visa. Home Affairs' 491 page says holders can apply for permanent residence through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191). It also says: "You cannot apply for other permanent visas until you have held your subclass 491 visa for 3 years."

The 191 page asks for a 491 or 494 held for at least 3 years, and notices of assessment from the Australian Taxation Office for 3 income years. It states: "There is no minimum income requirement." More detail is in the 191 visa: PR after a 491.

How does employer sponsorship work from a 485?

Employer sponsorship starts with the employer, not the visa holder. On each route, the employer lodges a nomination before the visa application.

482 Core Skills stream. Home Affairs asks for "at least 1 year relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field", gained in the last 5 years on a full-time, part-time or casual basis. The page says there is no age requirement. The visa lasts up to 4 years.
186 Temporary Residence Transition stream. The 186 TRT page asks, usually, for at least 2 years of full-time sponsored employment while holding a 482 or 457 visa. It also asks for at least Competent English and, usually, age under 45.
186 Direct Entry stream. Most applicants need a skills assessment and at least 3 years of relevant work experience. Home Affairs adds: "We do not accept skills assessments obtained for a subclass 485 visa."
494. The employer's position is in a designated regional area. Home Affairs asks for at least 3 years of full-time employment in the nominated occupation and a skills assessment. It says an assessment obtained for a 485 "is not a valid assessment for this visa". After holding the 494 for at least 3 years, holders may apply for the 191.

The streams are compared in employer sponsored visas in Australia and the Skills in Demand visa, explained. Occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List are on the Settledin CSOL page.

Settledin's sponsor jobs page shows job ads at employers on the Home Affairs sponsor list, as at 15 January 2025. Being on that list is not a job offer. Confirm with the employer, never pay for sponsorship.

What about state nomination for graduates?

The 190 needs a nomination from a state or territory. The 491 needs either that nomination or sponsorship by a relative. Home Affairs' 190 page says: "All state and territory government agencies have their own criteria for deciding who they will nominate."

Those criteria sit on each state's own website. The state nomination tracker links every state's page and its current status. Settledin also has a post on each state:

How long does the 485 last, and can it be extended?

Home Affairs lists these stay periods:

Stream	Stay, per Home Affairs
Post-Higher Education Work	Usually between 2 and 3 years, depending on the qualification
Post-Vocational Education Work	Up to 18 months
Second Post-Higher Education Work	Between 1 and 2 years

The visa cannot be extended. The Second Post-Higher Education Work stream is a separate, second visa. Home Affairs lists it for holders whose degree came from a campus in a designated regional area, and who lived only in a designated regional area for at least 2 years immediately before applying.

Home Affairs also says time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 485 visa a PR visa?
No. Home Affairs describes it as a temporary visa. PR comes from a separate visa, such as the 189, 190, 191 or 186.

Can the 485 be extended?
No. Home Affairs says "We cannot extend this visa". It lists the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream as a separate visa for graduates who studied and lived in a designated regional area.

Does work on a 485 count for points?
The points table gives 5 points for at least 1 year of Australian skilled employment. Home Affairs says the work must be in the nominated or a closely related occupation, for at least 20 hours a week. The worker must have held a substantive visa, or a Bridging A or B visa, and complied with its conditions.

Can a skills assessment obtained for a 485 be used for PR?
Not on every visa. Home Affairs' 186 Direct Entry page says it does not accept skills assessments obtained for a subclass 485 visa. The 494 page says the same for that visa.

Is there an age limit on the PR pathways?
For the 189, 190 and 491, Home Affairs says under 45 at invitation. For the 186 and 494, it says under 45 at application, with listed exemptions. The 482 Core Skills page says there is no age requirement.

Is there a separate pathway for Hong Kong passport holders?
Home Affairs' 485 page says Temporary Graduate visa holders from Hong Kong "may have a pathway to permanent residency after 5 years". It lists stays of up to 5 years for Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders.

Settledin adds up an indicative points total from the official points table, including the Australian study and work rows above.

Work out your indicative points

This article describes published Department of Home Affairs rules, checked on 12 November 2026. It is general information, not migration advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a registered migration agent. Check the register.

485 to PR: the pathways from a Temporary Graduate visa