Temporary Graduate 485 Visa

GRADUATE 485 VISA

(SUBCLASS 485)

Temporary Graduate 485 Visa

Temporary Graduate 485 visa is introduced to provide opportunities for recent international graduates to stay in Australia after their graduations to seek work or other Australian employment opportunities for up to 4 years (depending on the streams) without the graduates first having to find any of the following:

  • an employer sponsor

  • an eligible Australian relative sponsor, living in a designated area

  • a nominating state/territory government.

+ What is 485 Visa Post-Vocational Education Work stream?

This stream is available to recent graduates with an eligible qualification, who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation that is listed on the Skilled Occupation list in Australia.

+ What is 485 Visa Post-Higher Education Work stream?

The Post-Vocational Education Work stream is open only to recent overseas students from an eligible higher education degree from an Australian educational institution, regardless of their field of study. Please note this stream is only available to visa applicant whose first student visa was granted on the basis of that application was made on or after 5 November 2011.

What is the 485 Visa Application Process?

All 485 visa streams are required to satisfy the following requirements:

  • Study requirement:

    Primary applicant must have satisfied the Australian study requirement in the period of 6 months immediately before and including the day the application was made (Please note: completion date is the critical date).

  • English requirement:

    Unless the applicant is a passport holder of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America or the Republic of Ireland, the 485 visa applicant must provide evidence of competent English. The application must be accompanied by evidence the visa applicant have already achieved required English results.

  • Visa applicant must have made adequate arrangement for health insurance.

  • Must not have an outstanding debt to the Australian government.

  • All public interest criteria are met, particularly the health and character requirement

    • Health Requirements

      • All persons included in the application will be required to undertake a medical examination prior to their visa being issued. When applying, all persons included in the application must:

      • declare whether they have a medical condition that is likely to require ongoing support from community or government services

      • declare whether they have been diagnosed with Tuberculosis or any other serious diseases that might be a threat to Australian Community

    • Character Requirements

      • All persons included in the application will be required to obtain a police clearance certificate for all countries they have lived in for greater than twelve months in the last ten years.

      • When applying, all persons included in the application must provide all requested information, declare all criminal offences, truthfully answer all questions.

    • Particularly, the applicant must show that he or she had applied for an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check during the 12 months immediately before the day the application was made (along with any other secondary applicant who is at least 16 years old).

Additional criteria are for specific streams:

+ What is Stream 1: 485 Visa Post-Vocational Education Work stream?

  1. Study requirement:

    • primary applicant must have satisfied the Australian study requirement in the period of 6 months immediately before and including the day the application was made

    • Please note: completion date is the critical date

  2. Primary applicants nominating for the Graduate Work stream must nominate in their application a skilled occupation specified, the study and nominated occupation must be closely related

  3. The 485 visa applicant must have applied for a skills assessment for the purpose of this temporary visa at the time of application and must have obtained a positive result at the time of decision

+ What is 485 Visa Stream 2: Post-Higher Education Work stream?

Study requirement:

  • primary applicant must have satisfied the Australian study requirement in the period of 6 months immediately before and including the day the application was made

  • Please note: completion date is the critical date

  • Eligible qualifications that are specified for the post-study work stream are:

    • Bachelor

    • Bachelor with Honours

    • Master by Coursework

    • Master (extended)

    • Master by Research and/or

    • Doctoral degree

What We Like About The 485 Visa

This Australian Visa provides any visa holders to:

  • live, work and study in Australia;

  • travel to and from Australia as many times as possible, while the visa is valid;

  • certain visa applicants may also apply for permanent residency and other temporary work visas, if eligible

  • there is also no sponsor or employer needed for this visa

Common Mistakes to avoid when applying for a 485 visa:

We have seen in the past that sometimes poorly prepared applications have the following mistakes:

  • the applicant sometimes misunderstood when does the period of 6 months finish

  • the applicant forgot to include the evidence of AFP checks at the time of application

  • the applicant has misunderstood what is an eligible qualification and therefore becomes ineligible for this visa