Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) Melbourne, Australia
Is your student visa about to end but you wish to extend your stay in Australia for further studies or professional experience? International students keen on pursuing graduate, post-graduate, or Ph.D. degrees from accredited educational institutions can apply for the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). The visa option after 485 expire is to apply for a separate visa to work, study, and live in Australia.
Connect with Australia Migration Services in Melbourne has some of the most trusted migration agents that can assist you in submitting a temporary graduate visa application. Before filing for a visa, it’s best to find out what subclass 485 temporary graduate visa is all about, its fees, processing time, and eligibility.
What is a 485 Visa?
The subclass 485 temporary visa allows eligible students to stay and study in Australia after the completion of their graduation course. They can get professional experience and become eligible for a work visa and PR later. International students can enrol in a CRICOS registered course and stay in the country for up to 18 months to 4 years – depending on their visa type and the duration of the course. They can apply for this student visa only once and must meet the study requirements.
The 485 visa is for international students who have already completed a 2-year degree course from an accredited Australian educational institution. With the temporary graduate extension visa you can extend your stay to get a second degree and also work with an Australian company. You must have the skills relevant to specific occupations that are on the skilled occupation list. Moreover, you can include your family members to stay with you while applying for this visa.
485 Temporary Graduate Visa Streams
Graduate visa (subclass 485) offers distinct streams tailored to various qualifications and circumstances. Understanding these streams is pivotal for making informed decisions about your stay, work, and study options in Australia. The four streams under this visa include the following:
1. Graduate Work Stream:
Here are the criteria and perks that you get with this visa:
Criteria:
- You should be a recent graduate from a CRICOS registered course
- Must be under 50 years of age
- Course should be related to an occupation that has a skill shortage in the Australian labour market
Benefits:
- Stay in Australia for up to 18 months or the duration of the course
- Sponsor family members
- No travel, work, or other restrictions with this visa
2. Post-study Work Stream:
Criteria:
- Recent graduation from an Australian institution with a degree
- Qualification level and type determine the visa duration
- Select degree holders may apply for an extended 2-year stay
Benefits:
- Bring eligible family members to Australia to live with you for the duration of this visa
- Study, live, and work without restriction
- Opportunities for career growth and skill development
3. Second Post-Study Work Stream
Criteria:
- Apply for this visa if you have studied with an Australian educational institution
- Lived in an eligible designated regional area for at least 2 years
- Holder of a temporary graduate visa (post-study work stream) or temporary graduate visa (replacement stream) or have held a temporary graduate visa (post-study work stream) in the past
Benefits:
- Family members can accompany you
- Live, work, and study in Australia for a period between 1 and 4 years
4. Replacement Stream
Criteria
- Must lodge your visa application before 1 January 2027
- Must hold a temporary graduate visa issued before 15 December 2021
- Have had no visa cancellation unless you asked for the cancellation yourself
- COVID-19 travel restrictions have resulted in lost time on your previous visa granted
Benefits:
- Temporary stay in Australia, overcoming travel challenges
- Opportunity for career progression and skill enhancement
- Include of family members in your application
Duration and Conditions – 485 Visa Australia
Embarking on a journey with the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) in Australia opens doors to diverse streams, each with unique durations and conditions. It ensures a tailored experience for international graduates.
1. Graduate Work Stream:
- Stay: Up to 18 months
- Extension: Temporary increased to 24 months for applications lodged on or before 2 September 2023.
- Special Stay: Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders enjoy an extended stay of up to 5 years.
2. Post-Study Work Stream
- Stay: Usually between 2 and 4 years, dependent on the applicant’s qualifications.
- Extension: Select degree holders may be eligible for an additional 2 years.
3. Second Post-Study Work Stream
- Stay: Between 1 and 4 years, contingent on the regional location of the educational institution and the applicant’s residence in the regional area.
- Extension: Applicants with select degrees might gain an extended 2-year stay..
4. Replacement Stream
- Stay: Typically ranges from 18 months to 6 years, depending on the time lost on your original visa due to COVID-19 travel restrictions
- Special Stay: Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders have the opportunity to stay for 5 years.
- Family Inclusion: Applicants can include their spouses or children in the application, fostering family connections.
Benefits of 485 Visa Australia
The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) offers a range of advantages to international students looking to extend their stay in Australia after completing their studies. Here’s what you need to know about its benefits:
- Stay in Australia and continue your education
- Work without restrictions with this visa
- Sponsor eligible family members to come and live with you
- Helps to pave the way for permanent residency
- Opportunity to acquire skills and professional experience to become employable
- Enter and leave Australia multiple times
Health and Character Requirements
In Australia, maintaining health and character standards is paramount. To ensure these standards are preserved, most visa applicants must meet specific health and character criteria before being granted a visa. Seeking guidance from professionals is advisable to navigate these requirements successfully. These are the health and character requirementsfor applicants:
- Health Requirements: You and your family members included with your application need to appear and clear the medical application before the grant of the visa. A Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) assesses your health. They consider the impact of your medical condition on public health, healthcare costs, and demand for services.
- Police Check: You need to show proof that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police check with 12 months validity at the time of your visa application. Security assessments and Interpol notices are taken seriously and can affect your character evaluation.
Health Insurance Requirements
Both you and your family members are responsible for your healthcare costs while in the country. Adequate medical insurance helps mitigate financial liabilities associated with necessary treatments. These are the essential health requirements for applicants:
- Must have adequate health coverage for you and your family member accompanying you
- Can choose health insurance from your home country or Australia
- For temporary graduate visa applicants in Australia, an active health insurance policy is an essential requirement
- The Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is acceptable only if you are holding a student visa
- OSHC is not acceptable in case you do not hold a student visa or are on a bridging visa
- Visitors from countries without Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) coverage must bear the full cost of medical care in Australia. Travel insurance may partially cover these expenses.
The visa subclass 485 cost is as below:
Graduate Work stream | AUD1,895 |
Post-Study Work stream | AUD1,895 |
Second Post-Study Work stream | AUD 745 |
Replacement stream | AUD 1,895 |
The processing time for 485 visas is:
Percentage of applications processed | Time taken |
25% of applications | 72 days |
50% of applications | 5 months |
75% of applications | 10 months |
90% of applications | 13 months |
Please note that these costs and processing times are indicative only. For exact cost and processing time, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website or check with your visa agent.
Eligibility for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)
These are the various eligibility requirements for a temporary graduate visa:
- Must be less than 50 years of age
- Need to be onshore when you apply for this visa
- Must be holding a valid first temporary graduate visa when you apply
- Must meet the Australian study requirements
- Need to apply within 6 months of receiving your degree in a CRICOS-registered course
- Should have adequate health insurance coverage
- Must have meet the health and character requirements
- Should not have had any visa refusals in the past
- Must have at least competent English
- Can apply for this visa only once in your lifetime
Australian Study Requirements for 485 Visa
To meet the Australian study requirement for this visa, you must adhere to the following guidelines within the 6 months before your application:
- Been awarded at least one degree, diploma, or trade qualification
- Hold an Australian visa that allows you to study
- Should have successfully completed all course requirements
- Must be CRICOS-registered course
- Should complete the course in Australia in not less than 16 calendar months that is at least two academic years (92) weeks of study
- Finish course in Australia within a duration of not less than 16 calendar months
- Hold an Australian visa that allows you to study, such as a student visa
- Must have completed Form 1545 – COVID-19 Impacted Students by education providers, which verifies the impact of the pandemic on their studies
How to Apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa?
Step 1:
To apply for a 485 visa, applicants need to understand their eligibility and collect all the relevant and required documents. It can be helpful to have an experienced MARA registered visa agent helping you through the process of ensuring an error-free application.
Step 2:
Ensure that you have a valid passport and do not have a ‘No further stay’ condition.
Step 3:
Organise health exams arrange a skill assessment.
Step 4:
Then apply online for the visa subclass 485 with all required documents and the fees. After submitting your application, you can check the updates on the application via the IMMI account.
Step 5:
Any request for additional information, documents or clarifications that the immigration department may require needs to be provided.
Step 6:
Then, the applicants are required to wait for the visa outcome.
Please be aware that you can apply for this visa only once. The visa option after 485 expire is to apply for a separate visa to work, study, and live in Australia.
Based on your eligibility, you can apply for a training visa – subclass 407, TSS visa – subclass 482, ENS visa – subclass 186 or SESR visa – subclass 494.
What Documents are required for a Temporary Graduate Visa 485?
Here are the documents that you need while applying for a visa 485:
- Current passport with photo and personal details
- Study-related documents include the start & end date of the course and the institution’s CRICOS code
- Course transcript’s certified copy
- English languages test results like IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE and CAE
- Skill assessment by relevant authorities
- Proof of adequate health insurance
- Character documents (complete disclosure national police certificate)
Please note that the relevant documents of the family members and dependent children need to be submitted separately.
Recent Temporary Graduate Visa Updates & News:
- From mid-2022, the COVID-19 temporary graduate replacement stream is open for new applications.
- This is a replacement visa for an initial temporary graduate visa and is only available to students whose travel restrictions across Australia have impacted in the wake of the pandemic.
- The benefit of this visa is that the students in Australia can stay for the entire period allowed by their earlier temporary graduate visa.
For eligibility for this visa, the applicant must be:
- Holder of a temporary graduate visa that has expired on or after 1st February 2020
- Has been outside Australia between 1st February 2020 and 15th December 2021.
You will receive the entire validity of your initial temporary graduate visa based on your qualification.
To check the complete list of terms & conditions and the supporting documentation required, look at the Department of Home Affairs website or consult with your visa agent.
Updates
- International graduates from regional educational institutions get an extra 1 or 2-year visa
- Secondary applicants can be included
- COVID-19 concessions for Visa 485
Our Temporary Graduate Visa Consultant in Melbourne Will Make Your Migration Journey Easy
Connect with Australia Migration Services is a MARA-registered immigration services provider in Melbourne. Over the years, we have helped hundreds of immigrants successfully apply for visas to visit, live, or work in Australia. As every client and case is different, we provide you with personalised services for your visa application.
Applying for an Australian visa is a stress-free experience when our team guides you every step of the way. From the initial consultation to paperwork assistance, visa application submission to liaison with the immigration authorities, and regular updates until the grant of the visa – our experts will be there to help. This way, we are renowned as a preferred visa consultant in Australia.
With us, you get:
- Experienced visa agents
- High success rate
- Quick turnaround time
- MARA registered and licensed immigration agents
- Hassle-free application process
- Transparent communication
- Personalised assistance for visa refusal and complicated cases
For appointments and consultation with your visa agents regarding 485 visas, call us on 0413 441 213 or email us at info@connectwithaustralia.com.au. You can also send your queries or requests through our online form and we will get in touch with you.