VISA 485 – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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What is visa 485?

Visa subclass 485 or Temporary Graduate visa is a temporary visa that allows international students to live, study and work after you have finished your studies.

General Requirements:

  • Be younger than 50 years of age at the time you apply for this visa
  • Hold an eligible visa at the time you apply for this visa, e.g. student visa
  • Meet the two-year Australian study requirement in the past six months; this is 2 academic years duration.
  • IELTS (or equivalent) test result with at least 6 in each band with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 parts
  • Have acceptable health insurance in Australia and meet Australian health and character requirements.

There are 2 streams for Temporary Graduate visa:

  1. Graduate Work stream

This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with skills and qualifications that are relevant to specific occupations in Australia needs. It lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily.

The Graduate Work Stream 485 visa is for those who:

  • Can nominate an occupation that is on the Medium to Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
  • Has a degree, diploma or trade qualification that is closely related to the nominated occupation
  • Have been assessed by the appropriate assessing authority to have a suitable temporary/graduate level skills assessment

Duration: up to 18 months

  1. 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.

The Post Study Work Stream 485 is for those who:

  • Hold an eligible Australian qualification
  • Have had the first Student visa in Australia applied for and granted after 5 November 2011

It allows its holder to stay in Australia for between two to four years:

  • Bachelor degree (including honours): 2 years
  • Masters by coursework: 2 years
  • Masters by research: 3 years
  • Doctoral degree: 4 years

Eligible qualifications for the Post Study Work stream (AFQ level 7 and above) include:

  • An Australian Bachelor Degree (including Honours)
  • A Masters by Coursework Degree
  • A Masters Extended Degree
  • A Masters by Research Degree or
  • A Doctoral Degree.