What is the 485?

The Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) allows international students who have recently graduated from an Australian institution to live, study and work in Australia temporarily after they finish their studies.

There are two streams: the Graduate Stream, for people who hold a qualification that requires an Australian study requirement, and the Post-Study Work Stream, for people with a bachelor's degree or higher from an Australian institution. The length of the visa - between 2 and 6 years - depends on which stream applies and where you studied.

The Graduate Stream

The Graduate Stream is for applicants who hold a degree, diploma, trade qualification or vocational certificate that required Australian study. Most applicants who studied in Australia for the required period and meet the English requirement will qualify. The grant period is 18 months for most, or longer for certain fields.

The Post-Study Work Stream

The Post-Study Work Stream is available to people who have studied a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in Australia. The grant period ranges from 2 to 4 years depending on whether the study was in a regional area, and whether it was in a relevant field like engineering, nursing, or teaching. Perth counts as regional, which means WA graduates may qualify for longer visas than graduates in Sydney or Melbourne.

The second 485 - what almost nobody tells you

Many graduates don't know that a second 485 is available in some circumstances. If you hold a 485 and later complete a further qualification, you may be eligible to apply for a second visa. This can add significant time to your work rights and your path to PR.

The second 485 is a specialist area. The conditions are strict, and the timing matters. Read more about the second 485 here.

The sequencing question

The 485 is a transition visa, not the destination. What matters is what happens next. Most serious PR pathways - the 491, the 189, the 190 - require Australian work experience, English proficiency, a skills assessment, and time. The 485 gives you the time and the work rights to build those things. Wasting it or timing it incorrectly is the most common and most costly mistake.

This is why we offer the PR Pathway Plan specifically for graduates: a written strategy prepared and signed by our Registered Migration Agent, so you know what to do in the next 3, 6 and 12 months, in order.

Requirements for the 485

Requirements differ between streams, but the main conditions for most applicants are:

• You must have held a student visa at some point while studying
• Your qualification must have required study in Australia
• You must apply within 6 months of completing your course
• You must meet English language requirements
• You must meet health and character requirements
• You must be under 50 years of age at time of application (Graduate Stream)

English requirements

For most streams, you'll need a functional English score (IELTS 4.5 or equivalent), though some streams require competent English (IELTS 6.0 each band). If you're close but not quite there, we'll tell you whether it's worth delaying the application or whether an alternative approach is better.

How we handle 485 applications

We assess your situation before you apply to confirm which stream applies, how long your visa will be, and whether the second 485 is an option. We then prepare and lodge the application, handle any health and character requests, and make sure nothing falls through on timing - because a 485 lodged even a week late can be invalid.