Subclass 485 visa for international students after graduation

What is a Temporary Graduate visa – Subclass 485 visa?

The Temporary Graduate visa – Subclass 485 allows international students who have recently completed an eligible course in Australia to extend their stay to live, study, and work in the country.

While holding the Subclass 485 visa, you can also apply for other visas, such as a skilled visa provided you meet the necessary requirements.

Which stream of a Subclass 485 visa suits you?

There are 2 streams of Subclass 485 visa: Graduate Work stream and Post-study Work stream:

Graduate Work stream

The Graduate Work stream enables international students to remain in Australia for 18 months after graduating. Applicants must possess skills and qualifications pertinent to specific occupations to fulfill the visa requirements.

Post-study Work stream

Applicants must be international students who have recently completed a degree or higher education from an Australian university or education institution.

You can apply for the Post-study Work stream visa to stay in Australia longer for at least another 2 years after graduation.

For further information, please contact VEM.

The benefits of a Subclass 485 visa

Holding a Subclass 485 visa provides you with the opportunity to undergo skills assessment and improve your English proficiency, which can increase your points for applying for Skilled visas such as subclass 189 or subclass 190 visa. Below are the key benefits while holding this visa:

• Residency:
  • Graduate Work stream: 18 months
  • Post-study Work stream: 2-4 years.
  • 2 extra years for a STEM course.
• Work and study: To work and study in Australia within the visa validity.
• Family members: Allow your eligible family members to apply for the visa together with you.
• Multiple entries: Travel to and from Australia within the visa validity.

The requirements of a Subclass 485 visa Australia

To be eligible for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Age limit: Under 35 years of age.
• Study course/ Occupation: Your study course/ occupation must be included in the MLTSSL – Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List
• Visa status: Must hold a Student visa – Subclass 500 and applying for the visa within 6 months after graduation
• English language proficiency: At least 6.5 IELTS overall band score (at least 5.5 in each of 4 parts), or an equivalent result.
• Health insurance: Have health insurance at the time of making a visa application.
• Police checks: No criminal record proved by AFP – Australian Federal Police.
• Skills assessment (SA): While Graduate Work stream visas don’t required SA, Post-study Work stream visas do.
• Qualifications:
  • Graduate Work stream: Students have graduated from a 2-year course in Australia. Skills and qualifications must be relevant to specific occupations for this visa.
  • Post-study Work stream: Students have graduated from an at least 2-year course in Australia and must have one of the following degrees:
    • Bachelor/ Bachelor (honours) degree
    • Masters by Coursework/ Masters (Extended)/ Masters by Research degree
    • Doctoral Degree

The English test result date must be within 3 years when lodging the subclass 485 visa application.

To know whether you meet subclass 485 visa requirements, contact VEM. Our consultant – Mr. Peter Cao, a registered migration agent (MARN: 1577877), with more than 10 years of experience in the migration field, will assist you.

Changes in requirements of subclass 485

Currently, there are changes in the Subclass 485 visa requirements (Graduate Work Stream). The 485 visa holders will gain more benefits as follows:

• Stay in Australia in 24 months (instead of 18 months as before).
• The age limitation has been reduced from 50 years to 35 years.
• The English language requirement has been raised from equivalent IELTS 6.0 to IELTS 6.5.

Required documents to apply for a Subclass 485 visa Australia

To apply for a Temporary Graduate visa, you typically need to provide the following documents:

Identification papers:

• ID card photos
  • Certified copy of your passport
  • Certified copy of your birth certificate
  • Proofs of legal name change (if necessary)
• Academic performance evidence:
  • Certificate of a 2-year course in Australia.
  • English language certificate
  • Skills assessment
• Insurance confirmation letter
• AFP application evidence (valid within 12 months from the visa lodgement).
• Documents for additional applicant:
  • Evidence of having a relationship with the sponsor.
  • Meet the 485 visa requirements for additional applicants.
• Your subclass 485 visa required documents must be comprehensive and precise to ensure your visa is granted as quickly as possible.

Steps to apply for a Subclass 485 visa

Applying for subclass 485 visa involves 4 main steps as below:

• Step 1: Check whether you meet the subclass 485 visa requirements and take skills assessment (if required).
• Step 2: Prepare the Subclass 485 visa required documents and apply for the visa.
• Step 3: Provide additional documents (if required).
• Step 4: Receive a Subclass 485 visa.

Get in touch with VEM. Our qualified and experienced migration consultant will ensure a smooth visa application process for you.

The cost to apply for subclass 485 visa

According to the latest update of the DHA, the subclass 485 visa cost is as follows:

• For the applicant: AUD1,945
• For the additional applicant:
• From and over 18 years of age: AUD975
• Under 18 years of age: AUD490

Note: The 485 visa cost listed above do not include a 1.4% surcharge.

The processing times of a subclass 485 visa

The subclass 485 visa processing time (Temporary Graduate visa) varies based on the stream and the completeness of the application:

Graduate Work stream

• 50% of applications are processed in 6 months.
• 90% of applications are processed in 8 months.

Post – Study Work stream

• 50% of applications are processed in 3 months.
• 90% of applications are processed in 5 months.

The Subclass 485 visa processing time may exceed the estimated timeframe if your documents are incomplete or inaccurate.

Contact VEM and consult with Mr. Peter Cao, a registered migration agent (MARN: 1577877) and member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648), to ensure your visa application is meticulously prepared and legally compliant.

By: Peter Phong D Cao – Registered migration agent
(MARN: 1577877, MIA: 12648)

Frequently asked questions