Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

You don’t need to complete a bachelor’s to work in Australia – a vocational qualification is enough thanks to the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream of the 485 visa.

This visa stream allows international students with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification to start a career in their field of expertise. It’s also a stepping stone for recent graduates to earn points for permanent residency.

In this blog, learn about the eligibility requirements, application steps, fees and processing times.

Post Vocational Education Work Stream vs Graduate Work Stream 

How different is the new Post-Vocational Education Work stream from the former Graduate Work stream? We’ve summarise the changes in the table below to give you a quick overview.

There are no changes in the eligibility requirements for Hong Kong/BNO passport holders.

Benefits of the 485 Visa Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

International students with a Temporary Graduate Visa in the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream can enjoy the following benefits:

• work full- or part-time in Australia without work hours restrictions
• pursue further Australian studies
• include family members in the application
• travel in and out of Australia
• earn points for permanent residency application

Eligibility Criteria

Age Requirement

You must be under 35 when you apply.

Exemptions: If you hold a Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport, you might be eligible provided you are under 50 years old.

Appropriate Visa Held

You must have held or currently hold a Subclass 500 Student visa.

If you currently hold a student visa, it must not be one that’s supported by the Defence or Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister.

If you previously had a student visa, you can only apply if you’ve held it in the past 6 months and:

• you currently hold a Bridging Visa A or Bridging Visa B granted as part of your new visa application; or
• you hold a different valid visa

Australian Study Requirement

You must meet the Australian Study Requirement.

This means you’ve:

• completed at least one associate degree, diploma or trade qualification within 6 months before application
• achieved a CRICOS-registered qualification in at least 2 academic years of study, either by:
  • completing a single eligible qualification; or
  • completing two or more qualifications that lead to an eligible qualification
• completed your Australian studies in no less than 16 calendar months
• undertaken your studies at an Australian educational institution, with English as the medium of instruction
• completed your studies while holding a valid visa that grants study rights

Skills and Qualifications

You will be required to nominate an occupation in your TGV application. Your nominated occupation must be:

• included in the Skilled Occupation List Australia, specifically the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
• related to the eligible qualification you achieved

You must also get a positive skills assessment from a relevant assessing authority. This will demonstrate sufficient skills for your nominated occupation. 

If you haven’t been assessed, at least show that you have applied for a skills assessment.

English Language Requirements

You must have taken an English language test in the last 12 months before applying and achieved the following test scores:

Exemptions: 

Citizens and passport holders of the countries listed below are exempted from taking an English language test:

• The United Kingdom
• The United States of America
• Canada
• New Zealand
• The Republic of Ireland.

For British National (BNO) or Hong Kong passport holders, below are the required English test scores, which must be achieved within the 12 months before application.

Visa Stream Conditions

To avoid visa cancellation or refusal, keep in mind the following visa conditions:

• As the primary applicant, you can only apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa while in Australia.

Subsequent entrants may be outside of Australia upon application.

• You cannot apply for this visa if you’ve previously been granted either of the following visas:

• Temporary Graduate Visa
• Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognized Graduate Visa

• You and any family members included in your application must have adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Australia

• You must meet Australia’s health and character requirements.

• You can travel in and out of Australia on your Temporary Graduate Visa. 

However, any time spent outside Australia will not extend the duration of your visa.

• You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. 

Explore other visa options, such as skilled work visas, with the help of a registered migration agent.

How to Apply for the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

1. Prepare These Documents

Below is a list of evidence you must submit along with your Temporary Graduate Visa application:

• Identity documents:
  • passport bio page (name, passport number, issue and expiry dates)
  • national identity card (if applicable)
  • proof of name change, such as marriage or divorce certificates (if applicable)

• Certified copy of the letter of completion from your education institution.

This should include the following details:

• course start and end dates
• whether you did any distance learning
• certified copies of your academic transcripts
• the date of course completion
• campus location
• whether you studied full-time or part-time
• the language in which you received instruction

• English language test scores (unless exempt)

• Skills assessment documents

• Health insurance documents, including:
  • letter from your health insurance providers
  • Proof of enrolment with Medicare
  • evidence of health insurance

• Police certificates

2. Submit Your Online Application

You must lodge your online application and supporting documents through ImmiAccount. Create an ImmiAccount if you don’t have one yet.

Complete the online application form, including partner details and details of any family members included in the application. 

The ImmiAccount system will guide you through all the evidence to be attached.

Once you submit your application, wait for a visa decision. In this period, the Department may reach out and ask you for additional information, such as biometrics.

Visa Fee and Processing Times

The base visa application fee for the Post-Vocational Education stream is AUD 1,945.

Based on data from the Department of Home Affair’s website, the processing times are as follows:

• 50% of applications: 6 months
• 90% of applications: 8 months

Personal Temporary Graduate Visa Assistance Here For You

Make sure you don’t miss visa requirements and policy changes during your application to avoid visa delays or refusals.

With over 10 years of experience, KBA Global’s migration agents are happy to guide you closely through your visa application. We’ll handle the paperwork and take care of visa communications – so you can focus more on your future.

Book a free consultation today!

Disclaimer: The above information is a general guide and not professional immigration advice. Be aware that immigration laws and regulations can change swiftly, potentially rendering some or all of the information outdated. Thus, before using the information above, we recommend checking the current laws through assistance from a migration agent or the Department of Home Affairs website.