AllSkills Recruitment & MIgration Services
Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
About the Visa
Graduate Work stream
This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with skills and qualifications that are relevant to specific occupations Australia needs. It lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily.
Post-Study Work stream
This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian institution. It lets you live, work and study in Australia, temporarily.
Second Post-Study Work stream
This visa is for holders of a Temporary Graduate visa (first Post-Study Work stream or Replacement stream) who graduated with a degree from an Australian institution located in a regional area. It lets you live, work and study in Australia, temporarily.
Replacement stream
This visa is for current and former Temporary Graduate visa holders who lost time on their original visa due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. It lets you live, work and study in Australia temporarily.
COST
Graduate Work stream
The visa costs AUD1,895.00 for the primary visa applicant.
Post-Study Work stream
The visa costs AUD1,895.00 for the main applicant.
Second Post-Study Work stream
The visa costs AUD745.00 for the main applicant.
Replacement stream
The visa costs AUD1,895.00 for the primary visa applicant.
DURATION
Graduate Work stream
This is a temporary visa. You can usually stay in Australia for 18 months.
The stay period will temporarily be increased from 18 to 24 months for visas granted from 1 December 2021.
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay up to 5 years.
Post-Study Work stream
This is a temporary visa. The length of your stay in Australia will depend on the level of your Australian study qualification and if you have a select degree.
- Bachelor degree (including honours) – 2 years
- Bachelor degree (including honours) in select degree – 4 years
- Masters by research and masters by coursework – 3 years
- Masters by research and masters by coursework in select degree – 5 years
- Masters (extended) – 3 years
- Masters (extended) in select degree – 5 years
- Doctoral degree – 6 years
- Hong Kong and BNO passport holders who successfully complete a bachelor, masters or doctoral degree – 5 years
If you already hold a Post-Study Work visa and are eligible for the additional 2 years with a select degree.
Second Post-Study Work stream
This is a temporary visa. The length of your stay in Australia will depend on where you studied and graduated from and what degree you hold as the holder of a student visa and where you live as the holder of your first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream, or your Temporary Graduate visa in the replacement stream.
If you:
- Studied and live in Category 2 area (1 year)
- Studied and live in Category 2 area plus hold a select degree (3 year)
- Studied and live in Category 3 area (2 years)
- Studied and live in Category 3 area plus hold a select degree (4 years)
Replacement stream
This is a temporary visa. The length of your stay in Australia will depend on the level of your Australian study qualification or if you hold an eligible degree or the Temporary Graduate visa you held previously.
Stay period has been temporarily increased from 18 months to 2 years for visas granted from 1 December 2021. Applicants should check the current period that applies when they lodge their application.
Eligibility Requirements
Graduate Work stream
- Must be under 50 years of age
- Eligible prospective subclass 485 visa applicants can make their visa application outside Australia during the concession period and be granted the visa while they are outside Australia.
- Meet the Australian study requirement
- Have skills and qualifications that Australia needs
- You can either show us that you hold a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, or prove your English proficiency
- Have adequate health insurance
- Meet the health requirement
- Sign the Australian values statement
- Have no debt to the Australian government
- Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
Post-Study Work stream
- Must be under 50 years of age
- This stream is only available if you applied for, and were granted, your first student visa to Australia on or after 5 November 2011.
If you held your first student visa prior to this date, even as a child on your parent’s student visa, then you will not be eligible to apply for this stream.
Eligible prospective subclass 485 visa applicants can make their visa application outside Australia during the concession period and be granted the visa while they are outside Australia
Note: To be eligible for this visa you must have completed your course in the 6 months immediately before the day you apply.
- Hold an eligible qualification at degree-level or above
- Meet the Australian study requirement
- Have studied with an Australian education provider
- You can either show us that you hold a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, or prove your English proficiency
- Have adequate health insurance
- Meet the health requirement
- Sign the Australian values statement
- Have no debt to the Australian government
- Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
Second Post-Study Work stream
- You must be under 50 years of age.
- This stream is only available if you:
- Were granted your first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream; or
- Were granted a Temporary Graduate visa in the replacement stream based on holding your first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream.
You must continue to hold a valid first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream, or a Temporary Graduate visa in the replacement stream when you apply for a second Temporary Graduate post-study work stream visa.
Applicants with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 years on their visa.
- Have studied with an Australian education provider in a designated regional area
- Lived in a designated regional area
- Work and study in designated regional area
- Have adequate health insurance
- Meet the health requirement
- Sign the Australian values statement
- Have no debt to the Australian Government
- Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
Replacement stream
- You must be under 50 years of age.
- This stream is only available to current or former Temporary Graduate visa holders who lost time in Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
To apply for this visa you must either:
- Hold a Temporary Graduate visa as the main holder; or
- Have held a Temporary Graduate visa as the main holder and currently hold another substantive visa, or a Bridging visa A or Bridging visa B.
You will be eligible to apply if, as the main holder:
- You have held a Graduate Work stream or first Post Study Work stream Temporary Graduate visa that was:
- Granted before 15 December 2021 and
- in effect on or after 1 February 2020
- Have lost time on your visa because of Australia’s COVID-19 travel restrictions. This means:
- If you were in Australia when your original Temporary Graduate visa was granted, you have been outside of Australia while holding this visa between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021
- If you were outside Australia when your original Temporary Graduate visa was granted, you entered Australia on that visa, and the departed Australia on that visa before 15 December 2021
- Have not had your Temporary Graduate visa, or any visa granted after you held your Temporary Graduate visa, cancelled, unless it was cancelled because you asked for it to be, or the decision to cancel the visa was set aside by the Tribunal.
- You have held a Graduate Work stream or first Post Study Work stream Temporary Graduate visa that was:
Post Study Work applicants with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 years on their visa:
- Two years to four years for select Bachelor degrees
- Three years to five years for select Masters degrees
- Four years to six years for PhDs
- Apply before 01 January 2027
- Be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance
- Have adequate health insurance
- Meet the health requirement
- Meet character requirement
- Sign the Australian values statement
- Have no debt to the Australian Government
What can you do with this visa?
Graduate Work stream
With this visa you can:
- Stay in Australia, usually for 18 months. Temporarily increased to 24 months for visas granted from 1 December 2021
- Travel, work or study in Australia during your stay
You must find your own employment if the visa is granted.
Post-Study Work stream
With this visa you can:
- Stay in Australia for between 2 to 4 years after you have finished your studies
- Applicants with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 years on their visa. Check select degrees on the List of occupations and qualifications eligible for post-study work rights extension - Department of Education, Australian Government
- If you already hold a Post-Study Work visa and are eligible for the additional 2 years with a select degree, lodge your application via ImmiAccount.
- Travel, work or study in Australia during your stay
You must find your own employment while on this visa.
Second Post-Study Work stream
With this visa you can:
- Stay in Australia for between 1 to 4 years after you have finished your studies, depending on where you studied, lived and your degree.
- Travel, work or study in Australia during your stay.
You must find your own employment while on this visa.
Replacement stream
With this visa you can:
- Stay in Australia for between 18 months to 6 years after you have finished your studies, depending on your degree
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years
- Travel, work or study in Australia during your stay
- Bring your family with you
You must find your own employment while on this visa.