Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485): Eligibility, Requirements, Fees, Duration & Application Process
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is an Australian visa for international students who have recently finished an eligible Australian qualification. It lets graduates live, study, and work in Australia while preparing for a skilled visa or another long-term pathway.
The visa currently has different streams based on the type of qualification completed. The Post-Higher Education Work stream is generally for graduates with a degree-level qualification or higher, while the Post-Vocational Education Work stream is generally for graduates with an eligible associate degree, diploma, or trade qualification. For the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, the nominated occupation and applicable skills-assessment requirements must also be met.
The Second Temporary Graduate visa is available through the regional pathway for eligible first 485 holders who studied with a CRICOS-registered provider in a designated regional area and meet the regional residence requirements. Indian nationals may also be subject to specific arrangements under the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), so the applicable stay period should be checked against the applicant's qualification and circumstances.
Why Apply for Subclass 485?
Key reasons to apply for Subclass 485.
Gain Australian work experience: Eligible holders can work in Australia without employer sponsorship, subject to the conditions of their stream.
Use your Australian qualification professionally: The visa provides time to apply the knowledge and skills gained during your studies in the Australian workplace.
Stay in Australia after graduation: The length of stay depends on the 485 stream, qualification, and other eligibility factors. Current arrangements generally provide periods such as 18 months or 2–3 years, with some longer periods available for eligible applicants under specific arrangements, including certain Indian nationals.
Explore longer-term pathways: Australian work experience may support a later application for an eligible skilled or employer-sponsored visa, although meeting the requirements of another visa is not guaranteed.
Study further if appropriate: Temporary Graduate visa holders can study in Australia, subject to the applicable visa conditions and requirements. Applicants should check their specific visa conditions before enrolling in further study.
Eligibility for Subclass 485
To be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), applicants generally need to meet the following requirements:
Age: You must generally be 35 years old or younger when you apply.
Eligible visa: You must hold an eligible visa when applying and generally must have held a Student visa in the previous 6 months.
Australian qualification: You must have recently completed an eligible qualification from a CRICOS-registered course and satisfy the Temporary Graduate visa study requirement.
Choose the correct stream: You must apply for the stream that matches your qualification and circumstances. The main streams are Post-Vocational Education Work and Post-Higher Education Work. A Second Post-Higher Education Work stream is also available to eligible regional graduates who meet additional requirements.
Health and character: You and eligible family members must meet Australia's health and character requirements.
Health insurance: You must have and maintain adequate health insurance as required for the relevant Temporary Graduate visa stream.
Australian Government debts: Any outstanding debt to the Australian Government generally needs to be repaid or an arrangement made to repay it.
Subclass 485 Visa Fees
Here are Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) charges listed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
Post-Vocational Education Workstream: AUD 4,600
Post-Higher Education Workstream: AUD 4,600
Second Post-Higher Education Workstream: AUD 1,810
Duration of Subclass 485
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) has three relevant streams with durations.
Post-Vocational Education Work stream: Up to 18 months
Post-Higher Education Work stream: Usually 2–3 years, depending on qualification
Second Post-Higher Education Workstream: 1–2 years, depending on regional study/residence.
Health cover for the Subclass 485 visa
Health insurance is an important requirement for Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), which requires visa holders to maintain adequate health insurance while they are in Australia.
1) Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) is commonly used to meet the health-insurance requirement.
2) The policy should provide an adequate level of hospital and medical cover. Not every OVHC policy provides the same benefits
3) OSHC is generally associated with the student visa (Subclass 500) and should not simply be assumed to satisfy the 485 requirements after the student visa ends.
4) Most temporary visa holders do not automatically have access to Medicare.
5) If a 485 holder does not have appropriate cover, they may have to pay their medical and hospital costs themselves.
6) Home Affairs' guidance indicates that adequate private health insurance should meet specified minimum benefit levels.
Application Process for Subclass 485
The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) application is generally lodged online through ImmiAccount. Here are the steps of the process.
Check your eligibility: Before applying, check that you meet the requirements for your relevant Subclass 485 stream, including the applicable study, age, English language, health, character, and other requirements.
Prepare your documents: Gather the documents relevant to your application. These may include a valid passport and identity documents, evidence relating to your eligible Australian study or qualification, English-language evidence where required, and character or police documents where required. The application will indicate the documents you need to provide.
Create or log in to ImmiAccount: Create an ImmiAccount on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website or log in if you already have one.
Complete the application form: Enter your personal details, passport information, Australian study details, travel history, family information, and other information requested by the application.
Upload supporting documents: Attach the documents requested in ImmiAccount.
Pay the visa application charge: Pay the applicable Subclass 485 visa application charge through the online application process. The amount can change.
Complete health and character requirements: You may be asked to complete health examinations and provide police certificates or other character evidence.
Submit the application: Review the application and supporting documents, then submit it through ImmiAccount.
Receive the visa decision: Home Affairs will assess the application and notify you of the outcome. If granted, the visa grant notification will specify the visa conditions and period of stay.
Jobs After Graduation on Subclass 485
The type of job you can pursue depends on your qualifications, skills, experience, occupation, and employer requirements. Common graduate-level opportunities include:
| Area | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Information Technology & Computer Science | Software Developer, ICT Business Analyst, Systems Analyst, Data Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst |
| Business & Management | Business Analyst, Marketing Specialist, Project Coordinator, Operations Analyst, Management Consultant |
| Engineering | Graduate Engineer, Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Project Engineer |
| Healthcare | Registered Nurse, Allied Health Roles, Health Services Coordinator, Public Health Roles |
| Education | Early Childhood Teacher, Secondary School Teacher, Education Support Roles |
| Hospitality & Tourism | Hotel Supervisor, Event Coordinator, Hospitality Manager, Tourism Officer |
| Accounting & Finance | Accountant, Financial Analyst, Audit Associate, Tax Accountant, Finance Officer |
| Data & AI | Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Analyst, AI and Machine Learning Roles |
Final Words
Subclass 485 should also be viewed as a temporary post-study work option rather than an automatic pathway to permanent residence. Graduates who want to remain in Australia longer may need to explore other eligible skilled or employer-sponsored visa options based on their circumstances.
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