Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) Visa Application
The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa allows you to obtain a work visa in Australia for up to four years.
This visa is for people that have undertaken study in Australia and allows them to work in Australia for a certain period of time after their studies. It is a common pathway for people looking to secure permanent residency in Australia.
The visa has three streams:
- Post-Vocational Education Work Stream
This stream is for international students who have studied in Australia for at least two years and who have recently graduated with skills and qualifications in demand in Australia. To obtain a visa within this stream, you must be nominated for a qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list.
- Post-Higher Education Work Stream
This stream is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree or higher qualification from an Australian CRICOS approved institution.
- Second Post-High Education Work Stream
The second Post-Higher Education Work stream is for holders of a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa in the Post-Higher Education work stream who have completed a qualification in a regional area, were granted a Temporary Graduate visa and continued to live in a regional area. The amount of time this visa is granted for is dependent on the regional area(s) the visa holder has lived.
- You must be under 35 years of age
- You must have met the Australian Study Requirement
- You must have a provisional skills assessment in an eligible occupation
- Must meet the English requirements
- Must obtain adequate health insurance and relevant police clearances for your time in Australia
- Applicants must be under 50 years of age
- Applicants must have met the Australian Study Requirement
- You must have completed Bachelor degree, Masters or Doctoral degree (PhD) from an Australian university that is CRICOS-registered
- Must meet the English requirements
- Must obtain adequate health insurance and relevant police clearances for their time in Australia
Schedule a Consultation with Ethos Migration Lawyers for Assistance with your Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa application
Currently, 90% of Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visas are processed within five months of application. This is always subject to change.
You cannot apply for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa twice unless you meet the requirements for the Second Post-Higher Education stream on the basis of studying and living in a regional area of Australia.
Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders from Hong Kong are eligible for a five-year extension on their current visa in addition to the time they have already spent in Australia.
It is important that you meet the ‘Australian Study Requirement’ (2 years study in Australia) to ensure you are eligible to be granted a SC485 visa. Generally, exemptions and credits due to previous study overseas does not count towards the Australian Study Requirement.
If you do not hold a passport from the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Canada or New Zealand, then you must show that you have achieved a certain score in one of the following English tests: International English Language Testing System, Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test, Pearson Test of English Academic, Occupational English Test or Cambridge C1 Advanced test.
You can be in Australia when you apply for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa however you can be inside or outside of Australia when the visa is decided.
If you do not hold a passport from the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Canada or New Zealand, then you must show that you have achieved a certain score in one of the eligible English tests.
No, you must have sat an applicable English test prior to applying for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa.
You do not need a skills assessment to be able to apply for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, you must hold an eligible visa, meet the English proficiency requirement, be below the relevant age limit and have a recent qualification from the skilled occupation list in a CRICOS-registered course.
Yes, you can include family members in your application when you apply.
When you finish your student visa and apply for the Temporary Graduate visa, you will need to switch your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to an adequate health cover.
You must still maintain adequate health cover for the whole duration of your stay in Australia.
You will hold full-time work rights on your Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, meaning you can work unrestricted hours.
When you finish your student visa and apply for the Temporary Graduate visa, you will need to switch your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) to an Overseas Visitor’s Cover (OVC). You must maintain adequate health cover for the whole duration of your stay in Australia.
