The 485 Temporary Graduate visa

The 485 Temporary Graduate visa has 2 main streams – the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.

Graduate Work stream

This is available to all international students and usually allows holders to stay in Australia for 18 months.

To be eligible to apply for this visa, your qualification must be relevant to an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List. If it is, you’re also required to have your skills assessed. The occupations on the list can change so always check the list as a first step.

There are further eligibility requirements. You must also:

  • be under 50 years of age
  • hold, or have held, a student visa within the last 6 months
  • have met the Australian Study Requirement
  • meet the English Language Test (some limited passport exceptions)
  • have Overseas Visitor Health Cover
  • meet character and health requirements
  • have no debt to the Australian Government
  • have not had a previous visa cancelled or refused.

Post-Study Work stream

Most postgrads from Usyd will apply for this stream. To be eligible for this visa, your future job doesn’t have to be on the Skilled Occupation List. You can work in any field. The time you can stay in Australia depends on the level and specific degree you completed here:

  • Bachelor’s degree (including honours): 2 years (4 years for select degrees in health, teaching, ICT, agriculture and engineering).
  • Master’s degree (research or coursework including coursework degrees with the term doctor; e.g. JD, MD, DVM, DDS): 3 years (5 years for select degrees in health, teaching, ICT, agriculture and engineering).
  • Doctoral degree (by research): 6 years regardless of the field.

If you are a Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holder, you may stay for 5 years and will have pathways to permanent residency after 3 or 4 years depending on where you live, work, and study. You’ll still be required to go through all the usual migration processes, and meet the health, character, English-language and other requirements.

To be eligible for the 485 Post study work stream you must also:

  • be under 50 years of age
  • apply within 6 months of your course completion. This is the date your completion letter states that you completed the requirements for your course and is earlier than your conferral or graduate dates. For HDR students, it is not when you submit your thesis, or receive notification that you have been awarded the degree or need to make correction. It is also not when you upload your thesis to the repository. These all happen earlier.
  • be in Australia when you apply. You do not need to be in Australia when the decision is made. Visas granted while you are overseas will include a date by which you must first enter Australia. This may be any period up to 12 months from the date your visa is granted.
  • have been granted your first student visa after 5 November 2011
  • meet the Australian study requirement
  • hold a qualification of bachelor’s degree or higher from a registered Australian provider
  • meet the English Language Test (some limited passport exceptions)
  • have Overseas Visitor Health Cover
  • meet character and health requirements
  • have no debt to the Australian Government
  • have not had a previous visa cancelled or refused.

Australian study requirement

Before you can apply for a 485 visa you must meet this requirement. The course you studied must:

  1. have been taught in English
  2. be registered on CRICOS as taking at least 2 academic years to complete (92 weeks or more). You may also be able to combine shorter courses to meet the 92-week threshold in very limited circumstances.

In addition, you must:

  • have undertaken the study in a minimum of 16 calendar months while in Australia on a visa permitting study. Online study undertaken offshore during the COVID concession period (1 February 2020 – 25 November 2023) will continue to count towards the Australian Study Requirement provided you held a valid student visa.

Can I take credits for prior learning?

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to accept all or some of the credits you are offered by the University and still meet the Australian study requirement. We suggest you contact our Legal Service before accepting any offer of credits so we can help you calculate what you can accept while still meeting the Australian study requirement.

Further assistance

If you need advice or assistance with any area of migration law,  contact our Legal Service for help.

For more information about the law relating to your workplace, read Rights and responsibilities at work. For assistance with any area of employment law, contact our Legal Service for help.

Disclaimer

This information is current as at December 2023 and is intended as a guide to the law as it applies to people who live in or are affected by the law as it applies in NSW. It does not constitute legal advice.

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Written by SUPRA Legal Service December 2023. 

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