Updated 2026 Guide | Temporary Graduate Visa
Current subclass 485 age limits, eligible qualifications, English scores, application deadlines and government fees.
The 485 visa requirements determine whether an international graduate can remain in Australia after completing an eligible qualification. In 2026, the key checks include your age, Australian study history, visa status, English evidence, health insurance and application timing. Additional rules depend on whether you apply under the vocational, higher-education or second regional stream.
Quick answer: Most first-time applicants must be 35 or younger when they apply, apply in Australia within six months of completing an eligible qualification, satisfy the Australian study requirement, have recently held a Student visa, provide valid English evidence, arrange adequate health insurance and meet health and character requirements. The standard first-visa government charge starts at AUD 5,750.
What is the Temporary Graduate 485 visa?
The Temporary Graduate visa, subclass 485, allows eligible international students to live, work and study in Australia after graduation. It provides unrestricted work rights once granted, but it is a temporary visa and does not automatically lead to permanent residence.
The visa 485 requirements differ between three current streams:
Vocational pathway
An eligible associate degree, diploma or trade qualification, a related skilled occupation and the appropriate skills assessment.
Higher-education pathway
An eligible Australian bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, usually without a nominated occupation or skills assessment.
Second regional pathway
An eligible first 485 visa, qualifying regional study and at least two years of residence in a designated regional area.
| Stream |
Who it suits |
Typical stay |
Skills assessment? |
| Post-Vocational Education Work |
Graduates with an eligible associate degree, diploma or trade qualification related to a nominated skilled occupation. |
Usually up to 18 months. |
Generally required for the nominated occupation. |
| Post-Higher Education Work |
Graduates with an eligible Australian bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. |
Usually two or three years, depending on the qualification. |
Not generally required for this stream. |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work |
Eligible existing 485 holders who studied and have lived in designated regional Australia. |
One or two additional years. |
Not generally required. |
Eligible Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders may receive longer stays. Some nationality-specific arrangements can also affect visa duration, so check the stream page that applies to you.
485 visa eligibility: Main requirements
To assess the requirements for a 485 visa, start with the common criteria before looking at stream-specific rules.
- Apply within the age limit: most applicants must be 35 or younger at lodgement, unless a specific exception applies.
- Apply from Australia: first-time primary applicants generally need to be physically in Australia when they lodge.
- Hold an eligible visa: your 500 visa and immigration history must meet the stream’s application rules.
- Have held a Student visa recently: first-visa applicants generally need to have held a Student visa within the previous six months.
- Complete eligible Australian study: your qualification must satisfy the Australian study requirement and suit your chosen stream.
- Apply within six months of course completion: count from the official completion date, not the graduation ceremony.
- Meet the English requirement: provide a valid accepted test result unless an eligible passport exemption applies.
- Arrange health insurance: provide evidence of adequate cover for everyone included in the application.
- Meet health and character requirements: this can include medical examinations and an Australian Federal Police check.
Important: Having six months after course completion does not mean you can remain in Australia without a valid visa. You must manage both deadlines: your eligible application window and the expiry date of your current visa.
Age limit
The standard 485 visa age limit is 35 years of age or under when you lodge. In practical terms, an applicant can apply while aged 35 but will generally become ineligible on turning 36 unless an exception applies.
The main exceptions are:
- Master’s by research graduates: may be eligible while under 50 for the relevant higher-education stream.
- PhD or doctoral graduates: may be eligible while under 50 for the relevant higher-education stream.
- Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders: may access an under-50 age concession under the applicable stream settings.
A master’s by coursework is not the same as a master’s by research for the research-degree age exception. Your age is assessed at application, not on the date you finished studying or when Home Affairs decides your case.
Study requirements
A central 485 visa requirement is completing eligible study in Australia. Under the Australian study requirement, your qualification or combination of qualifications generally needs to involve:
- A course or courses registered on CRICOS.
- At least two academic years of registered study, equal to 92 weeks.
- At least 16 calendar months spent completing the study in Australia.
- Instruction conducted in English.
- Study undertaken while holding a visa that permitted it.
- A completed qualification appropriate to the selected 485 stream.
Credits, exemptions and recognised prior learning can affect whether you genuinely completed enough eligible Australian study. A course’s advertised duration alone is not always enough. Check your CRICOS details, academic transcript and completion letter together.
When does the six-month application period start?
The clock usually starts when your education provider officially confirms that you have completed the requirements for the qualification. It does not wait for your graduation ceremony or the date you receive a printed certificate.
For example, if your university confirms course completion on 10 September, calculate the relevant six-month application period from that completion date. If your Student visa expires earlier, you must also deal with that earlier deadline.
English requirements
Meeting the English-language rules is an essential visa 485 requirement. For most applicants, an approved test must have been taken within the 12 months before lodgement, and both the overall result and each required component must meet the relevant threshold.
| Accepted test |
Overall minimum |
Minimum individual components |
| IELTS Academic or General Training |
6.5 |
Listening 5.5; Reading 5.5; Writing 5.5; Speaking 5.5. |
PTE Academic
Test taken on or after 7 August 2025 |
55 |
Listening 40; Reading 42; Writing 41; Speaking 39. |
Avoid the wrong score table: Subclass 485 has its own English evidence settings. Do not assume that the separate “Competent English” table used for some skilled visas is the same as the Temporary Graduate visa requirement.
Post-Vocational Education Work stream requirements
The Post-Vocational Education Work stream is designed for applicants with an eligible associate degree, diploma or trade qualification. In addition to the general 485 graduate visa requirements, you must usually:
- Nominate an occupation included on the skilled occupation list applicable to this stream.
- Show that your Australian qualification is closely related to that occupation.
- Apply to the correct assessing authority for a suitable skills assessment.
- Provide the required skills-assessment evidence at the correct stage of your visa application.
The usual stay period is up to 18 months. Eligible Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders may qualify for up to five years.
Post-Higher Education Work stream requirements
The Post-Higher Education Work stream generally suits graduates who have completed an eligible Australian bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral qualification. Unlike the vocational stream, it does not usually require you to nominate a skilled occupation or obtain a skills assessment simply to qualify for the visa.
The standard stay periods are commonly:
- Bachelor’s degree: up to two years.
- Master’s by coursework: up to two years.
- Master’s by research: up to three years.
- Doctoral degree: up to three years.
Different periods can apply under arrangements for particular passport holders, including eligible Indian nationals, Hong Kong passport holders and British National (Overseas) passport holders. Confirm your exact entitlement against the current Home Affairs stream page.
Can you get a second 485 visa?
A second visa may be available under the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream if you hold an eligible first Temporary Graduate visa, your qualifying education was undertaken in a designated regional area and you have lived in an eligible regional area for at least two years immediately before applying.
Depending on the regional classification, this stream may provide another one or two years. It is not an automatic extension and requires a separate application. The former additional two-year extension for selected degrees closed to new applications from 1 July 2024.
You can refer to 485 Visa Extension Eligibility in 2026.
Health insurance, medical checks and police certificates
The 485 visa Australia requirements include 485 health insurance for the primary applicant and any accompanying family members. Graduates commonly move from Overseas Student Health Cover to an appropriate Overseas Visitor Health Cover policy, but the policy must actually meet their situation and visa obligations.
You may also need to complete a health examination, depending on your circumstances. For character evidence, prepare an Australian Federal Police National Police Check and check whether you must show that you applied for it before lodging the visa. Overseas police certificates may also be requested where relevant.
Medicare access depends on an independent legal basis, such as an applicable reciprocal healthcare arrangement; holding a 485 visa does not automatically make every graduate eligible.
485 visa document checklist
Prepare documents early enough to satisfy each requirement for a 485 visa before your Student visa or application window expires.
- A valid passport and identity documents.
- Your Australian completion letter showing the official completion date.
- Academic transcripts, qualification certificates and relevant CRICOS information.
- An approved English test result or evidence of an eligible passport exemption.
- Evidence of adequate health insurance for every included applicant.
- Evidence of an Australian Federal Police check or its application, as required.
- Health examination results if Home Affairs requests them.
- Skills-assessment application or outcome documents where required for the vocational stream.
- Marriage, relationship or birth certificates for eligible family members.
- Regional study and residential evidence if applying for a second regional 485 visa.
How much does a 485 visa cost in 2026?
For applications lodged from 1 July 2026, the standard government application charges are:
| Applicant |
First 485 visa: vocational or higher-education stream |
Second Post-Higher Education Work stream |
| Primary applicant |
AUD 5,750 |
AUD 2,265 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or over |
AUD 2,875 |
AUD 1,140 |
| Additional applicant under 18 |
AUD 1,450 |
AUD 575 |
Budget separately for English testing, health insurance, police certificates, medical examinations, skills assessments and any professional assistance. Lower charges may apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. Always confirm the exact amount immediately before lodging because government charges can change.
How to apply for the 485 visa
- Identify the correct stream: match your completed qualification to the vocational or higher-education criteria.
- Check your dates: confirm your age, course-completion date, current visa expiry and English-test validity.
- Arrange required evidence: obtain your completion letter, test result, health cover, police-check evidence and any required skills assessment.
- Prepare your ImmiAccount application: answer every question accurately and include eligible family members where appropriate.
- Upload documents and pay: lodge a valid application before the relevant deadlines.
- Manage your status after lodgement: check any bridging-visa grant notice, complete requested medical examinations and respond promptly to Home Affairs.
If you lodge a valid onshore application while holding an eligible substantive visa, you may receive a Bridging Visa A that generally becomes effective after your current substantive visa ends. Check its actual conditions. A Bridging Visa A does not provide permission to leave and re-enter Australia; a suitable Bridging Visa B is generally required for travel.
Unsure whether you meet the 485 visa requirements?
Check your age, course completion date, English scores and eligible visa before lodging your Temporary Graduate application.
Contact VEM Visa
FAQs
Can I apply for a 485 visa if I am 35 years old?
Yes. The usual limit is 35 or younger at the time you apply, so an applicant who is still 35 can generally lodge if all other requirements are met. Once you turn 36, you generally need an applicable research-degree or passport-based age exception.
Can I apply for a 485 visa after turning 36?
Only if you qualify for a specific concession. Relevant exceptions can include eligible master’s by research graduates, PhD graduates, and Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport holders who are under 50 and satisfy the rules for their stream.
What English score is required for a 485 visa?
Most applicants need IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or an accepted equivalent. For PTE Academic tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the usual threshold is 55 overall, with Listening 40, Reading 42, Writing 41 and Speaking 39.
Do I need a skills assessment for every subclass 485 application?
No. A skills assessment is generally relevant to the Post-Vocational Education Work stream because the qualification must relate to an eligible nominated occupation. It is not normally a visa requirement for the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
When must I apply after finishing my course?
You generally need to apply within six months after the official date your education provider confirms that you completed the qualification. Your current visa may expire sooner, so the six-month period does not override your obligation to remain lawfully in Australia.
How much is the 485 visa application fee in 2026?
From 1 July 2026, the standard first-visa charge is AUD 5,750 for the primary applicant, plus AUD 2,875 for an additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 1,450 for an additional applicant under 18. Different charges apply to the second regional stream and some eligible nationalities.
Does the 485 visa guarantee permanent residency?
No. The 485 is a temporary graduate visa. Australian work experience, stronger English scores, employer sponsorship or regional residence may support a later application, but any permanent or skilled visa has its own eligibility requirements and must be assessed separately.
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