The subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, explained
On this page›
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is the visa most international students move onto straight after they finish their course. It gives you full work rights for two to three years with no employer sponsor, and it is the window where most people build the skilled experience and points they need for permanent residence. The subclass 485 reference page has the summary. This guide covers how the rules play out in practice.
The two streams
Home Affairs restructured the 485 in 2024. The former Post-Study Work and Graduate Work streams are gone. There are now two main streams, plus a second visa for regional graduates.
| Stream | Who it is for | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Higher Education Work | Graduates with a bachelor degree or higher | 2 to 3 years by qualification |
| Post-Vocational Education Work | Graduates with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification tied to an occupation Australia needs | Up to 18 months |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work | 485 holders who studied and lived in a regional area | Extra 1 to 2 years |
The Post-Vocational Education Work stream has an extra condition the degree stream does not: your qualification must be relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list, and you must have applied for a skills assessment in that occupation before you lodge.
How many years you get
For the Post-Higher Education Work stream, the length is set by your qualification. It is not negotiable and you cannot trade a longer course for a longer visa.
| Qualification | Stay |
|---|---|
| Bachelor degree, including honours | 2 years |
| Masters (coursework or extended) | 2 years |
| Masters (research) | 3 years |
| Doctoral degree (PhD) | 3 years |
| Graduate Diploma | 2 years by default |
Indian nationals get more under the Australia India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement: three years for a masters at any level, three years for a bachelor with first class honours in a STEM or ICT field, and four years for a PhD. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders can stay up to five years.
The regional bonus: a second 485
If the campus that awarded your qualifying degree was in a designated regional area, and you then live only in a regional area for at least two years while on your first 485, you can apply for a Second Post-Higher Education Work stream visa:
| Where you studied and lived | Extra time |
|---|---|
| Category 2: Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Hobart and similar | 1 more year (2 years for a Category 2 area in Tasmania) |
| Category 3: all other regional areas | 2 more years |
That can turn a two-year bachelor 485 into three or four years in total. It stacks with the regional study points and with 491 regional nomination. Studying at a regional university from the start is the way to keep this option open.
Eligibility checklist
- Age: 35 or under on the day you apply. You can be under 50 instead if you are using a masters by research or a PhD to meet the study requirement, or you hold a Hong Kong or BNO passport.
- Visa history: you must have held a student visa in the last 6 months, and be in Australia when you apply.
- The study requirement: at least two academic years, meaning 92 weeks of CRICOS-registered study, resulting in an eligible qualification, completed in Australia over no less than 16 calendar months, taught in English. English language and enabling courses do not count. See CRICOS and course accreditation.
- Timing: you must apply within 6 months of your course completion date. That is the date you were first told in writing that you had met every academic requirement, not the date of your graduation ceremony.
- English: IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each band, or PTE Academic 55, or TOEFL iBT 81, from a test sat in the 12 months before you apply. Citizens holding a valid passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland do not need a test. See IELTS vs PTE.
- Health cover and character: evidence of health insurance for everyone on the application, and proof you have applied for an Australian Federal Police check.
What it costs
The visa application charge is AUD 5,750 for the main applicant, with a further charge for each family member you include. The second regional 485 is cheaper, around AUD 2,265. On top of that, budget for health checks, police certificates, health cover and a fresh English test if you need one. Check the current charge on the Home Affairs site before you lodge, as it has risen sharply in the last two years.
Work rights
Full and unrestricted. Any employer, any hours, any occupation, including running your own business. Unlike the student visa work cap, there is no limit. You do have to find your own job. The visa does not come with one, and the department expects you to be looking.
How the 485 leads to permanent residence
The 485 is step two of the study to permanent residence pathway. During it you:
- Get a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation. Some authorities want a year of post-qualification work first, which is one reason the 485 matters.
- Build skilled work experience that counts for points.
- Sit a higher English test if you want the 10 or 20 points for Proficient or Superior English.
- Lodge an Expression of Interest for the 189, 190 or 491 and wait for an invitation. The invitation rounds page tracks the cut-offs.
Whether this works depends on your occupation. Check which courses lead to permanent residence before you treat the 485 as a PR step, not after you have graduated.
Can I apply for the 485 from outside Australia?
No. For the Post-Higher Education Work and Post-Vocational Education Work streams you must be in Australia when you lodge, though not in immigration clearance at an airport. You can be inside or outside Australia when the decision is made, and you can travel while it is being processed.
Does time spent overseas on a 485 extend the visa?
No. The 485 has a fixed end date. Time you spend outside Australia is not added back on. If you leave for a long stretch, you lose that part of your work window.
What happens if my 485 expires and I have not been invited?
You cannot extend it. Your realistic options are a second regional 485 if you qualify, an employer-sponsored visa such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), a state-nominated 190 or 491, or a further student visa for a higher qualification. Plan the occupation and the points maths in the first year of the 485, not in its final months.
Common questions
Can I apply for the 485 from outside Australia?
No. For the Post-Higher Education Work and Post-Vocational Education Work streams you must be in Australia when you lodge, though not in immigration clearance at an airport. You can be inside or outside Australia when the decision is made, and you can travel while it is being processed.
Does time spent overseas on a 485 extend the visa?
No. The 485 has a fixed end date. Time you spend outside Australia is not added back on. If you leave for a long stretch, you lose that part of your work window.
What happens if my 485 expires and I have not been invited?
You cannot extend it. Your realistic options are a second regional 485 if you qualify, an employer-sponsored visa such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), a state-nominated 190 or 491, or a further student visa for a higher qualification. Plan the occupation and the points maths in the first year of the 485, not in its final months.