TEMPORARY GRADUATE (485) VISA

This is an onshore temporary graduate viisa specifically designed for overseas students who have completed their studies in Australia but do not as yet meet requirements for the permanent visas. By applying for the 485 visa as an interim measure, it may give them a chance to gain working experience, attend a professional year, or improve their English language skills before applying for a permanent visa.

Primary applicants applying for this visa from within Australia must 

• hold an eligible student visa, or
• hold a qualifying substantive visa or bridging A or B visa, and have held an eligible student visa at some time within the last 6 months, or
• apply for this visa within 28 days of notification of the Tribunal decision (for those whose eligible student visa was cancelled and the Tribunal had set aside the Minister’s decision not to revoke the cancellation)

Threshold criteria

Primary applicants for this visa must

• be under 50 at time of application and
• have satisfied the ‘Australian study requirement’ within the last 6 months prior to application,
• each degree, diploma or trade qualification used to satisfy the ‘two year study requirement’ must be closely related to applicant’s nominated occupation and
• have ‘competent English
• give evidence that everyone included in the application had applied for an Australian Federal Police check within the last 12 months [applicable only to persons aged 16 years or over], and
• had made arrangements to undergo a medical examination for the purpose of the application,
• not have held another 485 visa or a Skilled – Recognised Graduate (476) visa granted on the basis that the applicant had satisfied the primary criteria for that 485 or 476 visa

In line with the Knight Review recommedations, the Minister has, from 23 March 2013, implemented a “post-study work stream” to the 485 visa whereby students who graduated from a tertiary institution in Australia with bachelor degrees or higher will be able to be granted the 485 visa for up to 4 years. The arrangements under this “post-study work stream” are such that graduates with:

• A bachelor degree (pass or honour) will get the 485 visa for 2 years stay,
• A masters degree (pass or honour) will get the 485 visa for 3 years stay, 
• A doctor degree will get the 485 visa for 4 years stay.

The 485 visa in the Post-Study Work stream is available to international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider following at least 3 academic years of study, regardless of their field of study. Applicants under this stream are not subject to the Skilled Occupations List.

the original arrangements remain as an option under the “graduate work stream” for others who graduate with an award other than a degree, or those who got their first student visa prior to 5 november 2011. Under this “graduate work stream”, successful applicants will be granted the 485 visa for 18 months.

Applicants for the 485 visa in the Graduate Work stream are subject to the Skilled Occupations List, and

• must nominate a prescribed skilled occupation list and
• have applied for assessment of their qualifications by a relevant assessing body for that nominated occupation and
• the assessing body must have completed assessment of the applicant’s qualifications to be suitable for the nominated occupation