Who is this visa for?

This visa is for persons that have been awarded a qualification from an Australian educational institution after a minimum of 2 years of study in Australia.


Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa - Post-Study Work Stream

This stream of the subclass 485 visa is for international students who graduate with a higher education qualification from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study. This stream is only available to students who applied for, and were granted, their first student visa to Australia on, or after 5 November 2011.


(Note: From 2021, students studying in regional areas that graduate from a higher education qualification, may be eligible for a 1 extension on their Subclass 485 (Post-Study Work) visa, if they have maintained residence in a regional area for the duration of their first 485 visa. Regional areas include anywhere outside of metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast).

A visa in this stream is granted for the following durations:

1. To applicants who complete a Bachelor qualification in Australia - 2 years;

2. To applicants who complete a Masters (coursework) qualification in Australia - 2 years;

2. To applicants who complete a Masters (research) qualification in Australia - 3 years;

3. To applicants who complete a PhD qualification in Australia - 4 years.

To be eligible for this visa applicants must meet the basic eligibility criteria. These include:

4. Being aged between 18 and 49 years of age;

5. Having a score of 'competent level' on an approved English language test or be the holder of a passport from the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Ireland or New Zealand;

6. Meeting the 2 Year Australian Study Requirement

Skilled Occupation Lists

Obligations as a Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) (Post-Study) Visa Holder

This is a temporary visa allowing the holder to remain in Australia for a period of 2, 3 or 4 years from the date of visa grant, depending on the level of the qualification completed in Australia.

There are no work or study restrictions attached to this visa, however visa holders must maintain adequate health insurance.

This visa is only available to persons whose first student visa was granted on, or after the 5th of November, 2011.