Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa allows international students who have recently graduated from an Australian educational institution to live, work, and study in Australia temporarily. This visa enables graduates to work in an Australian company in roles related to their field of study, while also offering opportunities to enhance their chances of becoming eligible for a permanent or provisional skilled visa. It has three primary streams:

1. Post-Higher Education Work Stream

This stream is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian education provider.

• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Applicants must be aged 35 years or under at the time of application.
  • Applicants must be in Australia when applying for this visa.
  • Applicants must hold an eligible visa.
  • Applicants must have held a Student visa in the last six months.
  • Applicants must have completed a degree from a CRICOS-registered course.
• Duration of Stay:
  • The length of stay varies depending on the qualification completed:
    • Bachelor degree (including honours): up to 2 years.
    • Master’s degree (coursework, extended, and research): up to 3 years.
    • Doctoral degree (PhD): up to 4 years.
  • Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for up to 5 years.

2. Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

This stream is for international students who have recently graduated with qualifications relevant to specific occupations Australia needs.

• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Applicants must be aged 35 years or under at the time of application.
  • Applicants must be in Australia when applying for this visa.
  • Applicants must hold an eligible visa.
  • Applicants must have held a Student visa in the last six months.
  • Applicants must have completed an associate degree, diploma, or trade qualification that is closely related to a nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
• Duration of Stay:
  • Up to 18 months.
  • Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for up to 5 years.

3. Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream

This stream is for Temporary Graduates holding a Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work or Replacement visa with a degree from an Australian institution located in a regional area. It allows you to live, work, and study in Australia temporarily.

• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Applicants must be 35 years old or younger at the time of application (exceptions may apply).
  • Applicants must be in Australia when applying for this visa.
  • Applicants must hold a Temporary Graduate visa under the Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work, or Replacement stream, and have previously held a Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Higher Education Work or Post-Study Work stream as the primary applicant.
  • Applicants must have obtained a degree from a CRICOS-registered course at an educational institution located in an eligible designated regional area, which led to the grant of their initial Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Higher Education Work or Post-Study Work stream.
  • Applicants must have lived in an eligible designated regional area for at least 2 years before applying for their Second Temporary Graduate visa under the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
  • Applicants must provide evidence of sufficient health insurance coverage for all applicants when applying.
• Duration of Stay:
  • Between 1 and 2 years, depending on:
    • The regional location of the educational institution from which you graduated.
    • The regional area in which you live as a holder of the Temporary Graduate visa.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

To apply, you must:

• Be aged 35 years or under at the time of application.
• Hold an eligible visa.
• Have held a Student visa within the last 6 months.
• Have a recent qualification from a CRICOS-registered course.
• Provide evidence of sufficient health insurance for all applicants when applying.
• Submit proof that you’ve applied for an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check.
• Demonstrate the required English language proficiency, with an overall score of 6.0 and no band lower than 5.0.

International graduates studying in a regional area

As of November 16, 2019, international students who complete their studies at regional universities in Australia are eligible for extended durations on the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. The length of the visa extension depends on the location of the educational institution attended, as defined by specific postcodes.

From 2021, holders of the Temporary Graduate visa under the Post-Study Work stream, who have graduated from a regional educational institution and resided in regional Australia during their first visa period, are eligible to apply for a second Temporary Graduate visa. Applicants must continue to reside in a regional area for the duration of the new visa.

Eligibility extends to international students who studied at a regional campus of a metropolitan university.

The duration of the second Temporary Graduate visa is determined by the category of the regional area where the studies were undertaken:

• Category 2: Study completed in regional cities and major regional centres.
• Category 3: Study completed in regional centres and other regional areas.

Eligible regional areas

The regional definition is comprised of the following three categories:

• Category 1: Major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, which do not receive regional incentives.
• Category 2: Cities and major regional centres including Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, and Hobart.
• Category 3: Regional centres and other regional areas, which are defined by specific postcodes.

To encourage skilled migration to regional Australia, international graduates who have studied and lived in designated regional areas may qualify for an additional year (Category 2) or two years (Category 3) on a second Temporary Graduate visa. This incentive aims to support the growth and development of regional communities by attracting and retaining skilled talent.

For more detailed information on designated regional areas, click here.

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