Graduate Work Visa (Subclass 485)

Introduction

The Subclass 485 visa, commonly known as the Graduate Work Visa, is valid for 18 months to 4 years, depending on the specific stream. Designed for Australian graduates, this visa allows international students to stay in Australia after completing their studies for purposes such as traveling, working, or pursuing further education.

The 485 visa has no restrictions on work or study, enabling graduates to work full-time, study further, or travel in and out of Australia without limitations. For students who have studied Engineering, IT, or Accounting, holding a 485 visa allows them to undertake the Professional Year Program (PY), earning an additional 5 points for migration and meeting the criteria for a skills assessment with reduced requirements.

As a benefit-focused visa exclusive to Australian graduates, each individual can be the primary applicant for the 485 visa only once in their lifetime.

Visa streams

• The 485 visa includes two streams: Post-Higher Education Work (PHEW) Stream and Post-Vocational Education Work (PVEW) Stream
• Post-Higher Education Work (PHEW) Stream: Validity ranges from 2 to 3 years depending on the qualification level.
  Post-Vocational Education Work (PVEW) Stream: Valid for 18 months.

Application Requirements

1. Age Requirements:

Bachelor’s and Coursework Master’s: Must be under 35 years old;
Research Master’s and Doctoral Graduates: Must be under 50 years old;
Hong Kong Passport and BNO passport holders: Must be under 50 years old, regardless of qualification level

2. Visa Status at the Time of Application:

• A valid student visa.
• A bridging visa A or B, issued within six months of holding a student visa.
• A valid substantive visa (bridging visas are not considered substantive).
• If the student visa was canceled, it must have been reinstated within 28 days of the cancellation.

3. English Language Proficiency:

• Passport holders from specific countries (e.g., UK, USA, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong) must meet a minimum score of IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no band below 5.0.
• IELTS overall score of 6.5 (or specified equivalent) with a minimum score of 5.5 in each test component (reading, writing, speaking and listening). The validity of English language tests for all temporary graduate visa applications has been reduced from three years to one year. Applicants must provide evidence that they have completed an English language test within one year of their visa application date.

4. Australian Study Requirement: Applicants must have completed at least two years of full-time study in Australia.

5. Application Timeline: The visa application must be submitted within six months of completing the course.

6. Health Requirements: Applicants who have not completed a medical examination in the past 12 months must undergo required health checks.

7. Character Requirements: Applicants must provide evidence of applying for an AFP (Australian Federal Police) check when submitting the visa application.

8. No Outstanding Debts: Applicants and their family members must not owe any debt to the Australian government.

9. Health Insurance: Applicants must have purchased appropriate health insurance at the time of application. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is not acceptable.

Subclass 485 Visa Success Stories