Temporary Graduate Visa-Subclass 485

What is a Temporary Graduate Visa- Subclass 485 visa for Australia?

The 485 Visa or Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) is a visa that allows international students to live, study and work in Australia for up to 18 months after completing a vocational qualification, or up to 5 years after completing a higher education degree. 

The 485 TGV visa, which allows for full- or part-time work, is a fantastic opportunity to acquire useful job experience in Australia. It may also offer a route to other types of visas, including the subclass 186, 189 or 190 skilled visas.

These are the 3 Temporary Graduate Visa streams:

• Post-vocational Education Work stream
• Post-Higher Education Work stream
• Second Post-Higher Education Work stream

Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

Fornerly known as ‘Graduate Work stream’, this 485 visa stream is for international students who have recently graduated with vocational qualifications (such as diplomas or certificates) that are relevant to specific occupations in demand in Australia.

Duration of Stay:

• Up to 18 months.
• Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for up to 5 years.​

Cost:
From AUD 1,945.00

Processing Time
Based on data from the Department of Home Affairs:

• 50% of applications are processed in 6 months
• 90% of applications are processed in 8 months

Post-Higher Education Work Stream

Previously known as the ‘Post-Study Work stream’, this visa stream is for international students who have recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree or higher from an Australian institution.

Duration of Stay:
You can stay between 2 and 3 years, depending on your qualification:

• Bachelor degree (including honours) – 2 years
• Masters (coursework and extended) – 2 years
• Masters (research) – 3 years
• Doctoral degree – 3 years

For Indian nationals, the specified durations below are based on the Australia India – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA):

• Bachelor degree (including honours) – 2 years
• Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – 3 years
• Masters (coursework, extended and research) – 3 years
• Doctoral degrees (PhD) – 4 years

Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders can stay for up to 5 years.

Cost
From AUD 1,945.00

Processing Time
Based on data from the Department of Home Affairs:

• 50% of applications are processed in 3 months
• 90% of applications are processed in 5 months

Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream

Previously known as the Second Post-Study Work Stream, this visa is for Temporary Graduate visa holders in the Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work, or Replacement stream who completed their higher education degree at an institution located in a designated regional area of Australia.

Duration of Stay

The stay period for the Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa can be either 1 year or 2 years, depending on:

• The regional location of the educational institution where you completed your qualifying course for your first Temporary Graduate visa.

• The regional area where you lived as the holder of your first Temporary Graduate visa.

• The type of degree you completed while holding a Student visa prior to your first Temporary Graduate visa.

Specifically, if you lived and studied in:

• a Category 1 area (Cities and Major Regional Centres) during your first TGV, you may be granted a 1-year stay period

• a Category 2 area (Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas) during your first TGV, you may be granted a 2-year stay period.

Refer to the table below for a summary:

Cost
From AUD765.00

Processing Time

• No data is available based on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Subclass: 485 Visa

Stay Duration: From 18 months up to 5 years

Visa Cost: 

• AUD 1,945, for the Post-Vocational Education Work and Post-Higher Education Work streams
• AUD 765, for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

485 Visa Eligibility

To be eligible for a TGV, you must:

• Be 35 years of age or younger. 

If you are older than 35 but under 50 years old, you may be eligible, provided that:

• You are a Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holder (eligible for all streams); or
• You hold a Master’s (research) or doctoral degree (PhD) (eligible only for the Post-Higher Education Work stream).

• Have held or currently hold a Student visa:
  • You are in Australia with an eligible student visa that is not supported by the Defence or Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister.
  • You held a Student visa in the past 6 months and now have a Bridging Visa A or Bridging Visa B granted based on a valid visa application.
  • You had a Student visa in the past 6 months and now have a different substantive visa.

• Meet the Australian Study Requirement: 

Your qualification must:

• Either be a bachelors degree or higher, a diploma, an advanced diploma or a trade qualification
• Have been undertaken at an Australian educational institution in Australia 
• Have been taught in English
• Be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
• Have been undertaken while you held a visa authorising you to study
• You must have completed at least 2 academic years of study resulting in an eligible qualification.

You may combine courses in some circumstances to meet the 2 academic year components of the Australian study requirement.

• Have been completed in Australia for no less than 16 calendar months

• Nominate an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).

• Hold an eligible qualification related to your nominated occupation.

For the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

• associate degree;
• diploma; or
• trade qualification closely related to your nominated occupation

For the Post Higher Education Work Stream: 

• Bachelor degree
• Bachelor honours degree
• Graduate certificate
• Graduate diploma
• Masters (coursework) degree
• Masters (extended) degree
• Masters (research) degree
• Doctoral degree (research)
• Doctoral degree (professional)
• Higher doctoral degree

• Have completed your qualifying degree, diploma or trade qualification sometime in the past 6 months.

• Have a suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation.

• Meet the English language requirement.

You must show that in the 12 months before applying for your visa,  you achieved one of the following English scores:

If you are a British National (BNO) or Hong Kong passport holder, show that you achieved one of the following English scores in the 12 months before applying for your visa:

You are exempt from this requirement if you hold a passport from one of these countries:

• The United Kingdom
• The United States of America
• Canada
• New Zealand
• The Republic of Ireland
• You must be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when you apply.

Subsequent entrants can be in or outside Australia when they apply

• Meet all health and character requirements.

• Have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet AND sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws (for 18 years and above)

• Have paid back or arranged to pay back any debt to the Australian Government.

Note: If you have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused, you may not be granted a visa

485 Visa Conditions

Take note of the following conditions associated with the Temporary Graduate Visa:

• You will not be eligible for a 485 Temporary Graduate Visa if you’ve been the primary holder of one of these visas:
  • Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa – Post-Vocational Education Work stream (previously the Graduate Work stream)
  • Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa – Second Post-Higher Education Work stream (previously the Second Post-Study Work stream)
  • Subclass 476 Skilled Recognised Graduate visa

• You will not be eligible to apply for a Student visa while holding a 485 Temporary Graduate visa in Australia.

• You can travel in and out of Australia as often as you want while your Temporary Graduate Visa is valid. However, any time spent outside Australia will not extend the duration of your visa.

• You must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Australia.

• If you are over 35 years of age and hold a Temporary Graduate visa (TGV) in the Post-Higher Education Work stream, you are not eligible to apply for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream visa. 

The maximum eligible age for the Post-Higher Education Work stream is 35 years old.

Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders are exempt from this 35-year age limit.

• Holders of the 485 visa must find their own employment.

485 Visa Benefits

With a Temporary Graduate Visa, you can:

• work or study in Australia during your stay
• bring your family members with you 
• travel in and out of Australia 
• work either full-time or part-time
• gain necessary points for permanent residency applications

General Notes

• You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You might be eligible for other skilled work visas. 

Consult with our registered migration agents to explore your options for work.

• You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply. Your family can also apply to join you in Australia as a subsequent entrant (dependent) after the visa is granted.

• The visa is granted with multiple entries. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

How can KBA Global assist you with this visa application?

With a team of experts led by registered migration agents, KBA Global proudly stands as one of the very few highly trusted consultancies for its efficient, reliable services, and high visa success rates. At KBA Global, all of our clients are served by highly qualified and trained migration agents who review each case thoroughly in adherence to the requirements set by the respective authorities.

Our expert and experienced migration agents will provide personalised service for your needs and availability to ensure your visa success. We are there for you to provide an in-depth understanding of what is required to get the visa and will provide help throughout the visa process.

No matter your needs, we’ve got you covered.

• We offer English test preparation courses for selected locations.
• We help you get an in-depth understanding of what is required to get the visa
• KBA Global provides consultancy before, during and after if required.
• We personalise service for your needs and availability.
• We offer expert and experienced migration agents that you can trust.

485 Visa Frequently Asked Questions

Can a 485 visa lead to permanent residency?

Yes, although indirectly, a 485 visa can lead to Australian permanent residency. The 485 visa gives you time to gain valuable work experience, which is required for common PR pathways such as: Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage visa, Subclass 491 Skilled Regional Visa-Provisional visa, and Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa.

Can I work full-time with a 485 visa?

Definitely, you can absolutely work full-time with a 485 visa in Australia. This is one of the primary benefits of the visa, allowing you to gain work experience in your field of study. There are no restrictions on the number of hours you can work, and you can even have multiple jobs. However, do remember that the main purpose of the 485 visa is to allow you to gain skilled work experience in Australia, so focus on jobs relevant to your field of study to maximize your future permanent residency options.

Who is eligible for a 485 visa extension?

485 Visa extension eligibility are open for the following;

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