Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
The subclass 485 visa now provides recent graduates with the opportunity to spend more time in Australia following their studies to gain practical work experience to accompany their Australian qualification(s).
On 23 March 2013 significant changes were made to the subclass 485 visa. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) allows graduates to work in Australia temporarily after a student finish their studies.
It has two streams:
- Graduate Work stream (GSW).
- Post-study work visa (PSWV).
Graduate Work stream (GSW):
The Graduate Work stream is for international students who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to a Skilled Occupation List (SOL) in the Australian labour market.
Post-study work visa (PSWV):
The Post-Study Work stream offers extended options for international students who have recently graduated with a bachelor’s, masters or doctoral degree from an Australian educational institution, 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.
Validity Period:
Duration of the 485 visa will depend on:
Graduate Work stream (GSW): A visa in this stream is generally granted for 18 months.
Post-study work visa (PSWV): Duration of the visa depending on the highest educational qualification has been completed in Australia as follows:
2 years: completion of Bachelor Degree, Bachelor with Honours, Masters by Coursework or Masters (Extended)
3 years: Masters by Research
4 years: Doctorate
Australian study requirement
The Australian study requirement has two equally important and related components. To meet this requirement, students must relevantly have:
- attained either a single qualification requiring at least two academic years study or multiple qualifications resulting in a total period of at least two academic years study;
- registered through the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Course for Overseas Students (CRICOS); and
- undertaken this study in no less than 16 calendar months.
Two academic years study
Two academic years study is defined as 92 weeks of study in a course or courses registered by CRICOS.
Minimum of 16 months
The Australian study requirement cannot be met in less than 16 calendar months.
Completion date
Subclass 485 visa applications must be lodged within six months of the date of course completion.
Eligible qualifications
To meet the Australian study requirement, the course/courses must have resulted in an eligible qualification.
For the purposes of applying for a subclass 485 visa under the Post-Study Work stream, only study that results in the conferral of an eligible degree level qualification will be considered. An eligible degree level qualification is a:
✓ Bachelor degree
✓ Bachelor (honours) degree
✓ Masters by coursework degree
✓ Masters (extended) degree
✓ Masters by research degree
✓ Doctoral degree.