485 Visa Overview

The 485 visa, which allows you to work full- or part-time, 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 189 or 190 skilled visas.

The 485 visa has 4 streams which are:

  • Graduate Work stream
  • Post-Study Work stream
  • Second Post-Study Work stream
  • Replacement stream

Subclass: 485 Visa
Stay Duration: Usually 18 months but 5 years for Hongkong passport holders.
Visa Cost: AUD 1,650. There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

Visa Conditions

To apply for the 485 visa you must:

  • be under the age of 50
  • satisfy additional criteria for the appropriate stream
  • be assessed as having skills suitable for an occupation on the skilled occupation list

Visa Eligibility

  • You must be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when you apply, and when the visa is granted.

Subsequent entrants can be in or outside Australia when they apply and when the visa is granted.

  • You must be under 50 years of age.
  • You must have:
    • a current student visa (but not one supported by the Defense or Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister);
    • held a student visa within the past 6 months before your application and you now have a Bridging Visa A or Bridging Visa B, granted on the basis of a valid application for a visa
    • held a student visa within the past 6 months before your application and you now hold a substantive visa
    • a situation where your student visa was cancelled, but in the past 28 days the Tribunal has notified you of a decision to set aside and substitute the Minister’s decision not to revoke the cancellation.
  • Your visa cannot be processed if you previously had a subclass 485 or a subclass 476 visa as a primary visa holder.
  • You must meet the Australian study requirement:

In the past 6 months before you applied for this visa, you must have at least one degree, diploma or trade qualification and:

  • your course was a CRICOS-registered course
  • you successfully completed all course requirements
  • your study was in English
  • you completed your course as a result of at least two academic years (92 weeks) study
  • you were physically in Australia for at least 16 calendar months to complete the study
  • you held an Australian study visa that allowed you to study
    You may combine courses in some circumstances to meet the 2 academic year components of the Australian study requirement.
  • You must have a skill and qualification that Australia needs:
    You will need to:

    • nominate 1 occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) AND
    • have a degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to that occupation AND
    • be assessed by a relevant assessing authority as having skills suitable for that occupation
  • You must meet the English language requirement or show passport from the specific countries:
    You either need to hold a valid passport from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, or prove your English proficiency.
    To do this, show us evidence that in the last 3 years, you achieved:

    • Overall score of at least 6 with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 parts in IELTS
    • Total score of at least 64 with a minimum score of 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking in TOEFL iBT.
    • Overall score of at least 50 with a minimum score of 36 for each of the 4 parts in PTE Academic
    • At least B for each of the 4 parts in OET.
    • Overall at least 169 with a minimum score of at least 154 in each of the 4 test components in Cambridge C1 Advanced Test.
  • You must have adequate health cover for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa.
  • You and any family members who apply for this visa must meet all the health and character requirements
  • If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: 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
  • If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.

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

Visa Benefits

  • stay in Australia for a limited time depending on the stream
  • travel, work or study in Australia during your stay

You must find your own employment if this visa is granted.

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 expert 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.
  • Current temporary graduate visa holders from Hong Kong will be eligible for an extension of 5 years (from 9 July 2020) in addition to the time they’ve already been in Australia. Current and future temporary graduate visa holders from Hong Kong will also have a pathway to permanent residency after 5 years.

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 personalized service for your needs and availability to ensure your visa success. We are there for you to provide in-depth understanding of what is required to get the visa and will provide help throughout the visa process.

Get in Touch

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

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

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