The second Subclass 485 visa for regional graduates.
If you studied and lived in a regional area while holding a 485, you may be able to apply for a second 485 and add another one to two years of work rights. It is the part of the graduate program that rewards studying regionally, and Perth currently counts as regional.
The bonus year regional graduates often miss.
Most graduates know about their first 485, the post-study work visa they apply for after finishing study in Australia. Fewer know that a second 485 exists. It is a further Temporary Graduate visa that gives extra time, generally between one and two years, to graduates who studied at a regional institution and lived in a regional area while holding their first 485. This page is the deep-dive on that second visa; for the first 485 and the streams generally, see the main 485 graduate visa page.
The point of it is to reward studying and living outside the big capital cities. Because Perth currently counts as a regional area for these programs, graduates of WA institutions are often well placed to benefit, which is one of the quiet advantages of studying in Perth.
It hinges on where you studied and lived.
Eligibility broadly turns on having held a first 485 and on your regional connection. In general terms, you usually need to:
- have held an eligible first 485 (such as the Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work, or Replacement stream);
- hold an eligible qualification from an institution in a regional area;
- have lived in a designated regional area while you held your first 485; and
- apply within the relevant window and meet health and character requirements.
The streams and settings for the 485 changed from 1 March 2026, including how the second visa works, so the exact stream names, eligible qualifications and timing should be confirmed against the current rules rather than older guidance. We check your specific study and residence history against the settings that apply to you.
An extra one to two years, depending on where.
The second 485 generally grants an additional one to two years, with the exact length depending on the regional location of the institution where you studied and the regional area you lived in. That extra time is valuable: it is more runway to gain skilled work experience, sit a skills assessment, lift your English, and build points for a permanent skilled visa. Perth currently being treated as regional is a state-level setting that can change, so we confirm the current position when we plan your sequence.
Costs and timing (current as at June 2026 - verify at homeaffairs.gov.au). A visa application charge applies to the second 485, set by the government and subject to change, so confirm the current amount before you budget. Timing matters: the window to apply is tied to your first 485, and applying late can cost you the option, so plan it early. We quote our own professional fee in writing before any work.
Second 485 questions.
The graduate-to-PR pathway.
Department of Home Affairs - Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, and the 1 March 2026 program changes; Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). Current as at June 2026 and verified live at publish. Confirm streams, eligibility and charges at homeaffairs.gov.au.
Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)
Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.
Studied regionally? Do not leave the second 485 on the table.
We can check whether you qualify, how long you would get, and how to time it so it builds toward permanent residence.