Skilled Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa

This is a temporary visa for international students who have completed a degree from an Australian educational institution. Depending on the stream, visa holders can live, study and work in Australia for 18 months or up to 4-5 years. The main applicant must be in Australia when they apply and must have held an eligible student visa within the 6-month period prior to lodgement.

Three streams available:

Graduate Work Stream

This stream is for international students who have studied 2 academic years (92 weeks) in a CRICOS registered course in the past 6 months before they apply for 485. They can remain in Australia usually up to 18 months. There is no occupation list for this stream. No skill assessment is required. They cannot extend this visa however might be eligible for other work visas.

You must:

  • Be under 50 years of age
  • Have a qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list
  • Meet the Australian study requirement in the past 6 months
  • Have an occupation on MLTSSL and a degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to that occupation
  • Be assessed by a relevant assessing authority as having skills suitable for that occupation
  • Meet English requirment
  • Meet health and character requirements
Post Study Work Stream

This stream is for international students who have studied 2 academic years (92 weeks) at the Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate level in the past 6 months before they apply for 485.  Duration of the visa as follows:

  • Bachelor Degree: 2 years
  • Masters By Research: 3 years
  • PHD: 4 years

You must:

  • Be under 50 years of age
  • Hold an eligible qualification at degree-level or above
  • Meet the Australian study requirement in the past 6 months
  • Meet English requirement
  • Meet health and character requirements
Second Post Study Work Stream

International students who complete their studies at regional universities will be eligible for longer 485 visas.  Duration of the visa depends where international students studied and graduated as the holder of a student visa and where they lived as the holder of their first Post Study Work visa. 

1 additional year If studied and lived in Cities and Major Regional Centres of Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart.

2 additional years if studied and lived in Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas