The Temporary Graduate (485) Visa
Are you an international student who’s completed your study and looking for temporary work opportunities in Australia?
The subclass 485 visa might be the right visa option for you to extend your stay. There are two streams available.
The Graduate Work Stream
To be eligible to apply for a 485 visa under this stream one must:
- complete a minimum 2-year course in an Australian educational institution.
- be able to find your nominated occupation on the current Skilled Occupations List.
- achieve an IELTS (or other equivalent English test) overall score of at least 6.0 with no less than 5.0 in each component of the test.
- obtain a positive skill assessment from the relevant skill assessment bodies.
Once granted the visa permits its holder to remain in Australia for up to 18 months with unlimited work right.
The Post-study Work Stream
To be eligible to apply for a 485 under this stream, one must:
- obtain your first student visa on or after 5 November 2011
- complete a minimum 2-year course in a tertiary educational institution in Australia.
- achieve an IELTS (or other equivalent English test) overall score of at least 6.0 with no less than 5.0 in each component of the test.
If one has completed a bachelor degree, masters degree (course work) they will be granted a visa to remain in Australia for up to 24 months with unlimited work right.
If one has completed a masters degree (research) they will be granted a visa to remain in Australia for up to 36 months with unlimited work right.
If one has completed a doctorate degree they will be granted a visa to remain in Australia for up to 48 months with unlimited work right.
International students who studied at one of the universities in Perth will be eligible to access an additional year visa.
Visa processing time
The current processing time for a subclass 485 visa is 7 months.
Pathway to a permanent residency visa
Normally a 485 visa holder has the following options:
- if their occupation is on the current eligible skilled occupation list they may have sufficient points to apply for a SkillSelect visa.
- if their occupation is not on the eligible skilled occupation list their best option will be seeking for an employer sponsored visa.
Require further assistance?
If you prefer to book a private appointment to see our registered migration agent please call us on 0861899070.
