GRADUATE WORK 485 VISA

The Graduate Work 485 Visa is an 18-month visa offered to international students who have completed two academic years or more of study in Australia.

It’s a fantastic choice for those who want to stay in Australia after finishing their education. It also assists those seeking permanent residency in Australia, whether through General Skilled Migration or employer sponsorship.

The visa is valid for 18 months after it is issued. It comes with all work and study rights. During the term of the Visa, you are free to travel to and from Australia.

You must nominate a job from the 189-485-489 Visa- Skilled Visa Occupation List | Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).

For a complete application, 485 visas are currently taking 2-3 months to process.

COVID-19 & Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)

Changes and updates to the 485 visa can be found here:

International graduates from regional institutions are eligible for a one- or two-year extension of their visa.
Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visas are eligible for COVID-19 concessions.
Secondary applicants are not barred from applying for a 485 visa.


STUDY REQUIREMENTS IN AUSTRALIA	You must have completed the Australian study requirement in the six months before to applying for this visa. If you have at least one degree, diploma, or trade certificate, you will meet this requirement: Your course was a CRICOS-registered and you completed all course requirements successfully. Your research was conducted in English. You finished your course after studying for at least two academic years (92 weeks). To complete the study, you had to be physically present in Australia for at least 16 calendar months. You were able to study in Australia since you had an Australian student visa. In some cases, you may be able to combine courses to complete the two-year component of the Australian study requirement. The course or courses must have resulted in a degree, diploma, or trade qualification when applying for this stream of subclass 485. For example, a student may satisfy the Australian study requirement under the Graduate Work stream by completing two consecutive Diploma level courses, providing the other components of the requirement are met.
SKILLS ASSESSMENT	You must pass a skills- exam in your specified occupation. The assessment will be based on your qualifications, English language proficiency, and any registration requirements, and will vary depending on the occupation. Many skill assessment authorities, including as accounting bodies, VETASSESS, Trades Recognition Australia, and the Australian Computer Society, have reduced standards for 485 applicants. The skills evaluation must be submitted prior to the 485 visa application, but it is not required to be completed at the time of submission. It’s critical to make sure you can meet the skills assessment requirements for your occupation; otherwise, your visa application will be denied.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE	When you apply for a 485 visa, you must demonstrate your ability to communicate in English. One of the following methods can be used to demonstrate this: Have a passport from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, or New Zealand; or an IELTS (Academic or General Training) score of at least 5 in each band; or B Pass in each band on the Occupational English Test (OET); or Pearson (PTE Academic): a score of 50 overall, with at least 36 in each band; or TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test): total score of 64, with at least 4 in Listening and Reading and at least 14 in Writing and Speaking; or Cambridge (CAE): a total score of 169, with a minimum of 154 in each band.
HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS	If your 485 visa is granted, you must show that you have suitable health insurance arrangements. While having OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) at the time of application is acceptable, you will require Working Visa coverage in order for your 485 visa to be approved. You must also keep your Working Visa coverage active while on your 485 visa. Your 485 visa may be terminated if you do not maintain this level of coverage.
MEDICAL CHECK	Medicals are usually required for the grant of a 485 visa. You may be permitted to re-use these medicals if you’ve recently applied for a student visa extension.
POLICE CHECK	You and any family members aged 16 and up will require an Australian Federal Police (AFP) Check. Prior to submitting your 485 visa, you must apply for AFP checks.
TIME LIMITS	You have 6 months from the end of your Australian studies to apply for your 485 visa. You must either have a student visa or have had a student visa within the last 6 months to apply. You must also apply before your student visa expires, or at the very least have applied for another visa and are on a bridging A or B visa at the time the 485 application is submitted.
BRIDGING VISA	When you apply for a 485 visa, you will usually be granted a Bridging A visa, which allows you to stay in Australia while your 485 visa application is being processed. The Bridging A visa allows you to work full-time. If you applied for your 485 while holding a substantive visa (for example, a student visa), the work privileges on the bridging visa will take effect after the substantive visa expires. If you leave Australia, your Bridging A visa may expire. If you want to travel while you wait for a decision on your 485 visa, you can apply for a Bridging B visa to help you get around.