GRADUATE VISA

Graduate Skilled Visa (Subclass 485)

The Graduate Skilled Visa (subclass 485) provides international students with the ability to temporarily live and work in Australia after completion of their Australian studies. This visa can be granted up to 4 years depending on the qualification studied (5 years for Hong Kong passport holders).

There are four streams: The Graduate Work Stream, the Post Study Work Stream, the Second Post Study Work Stream and the new Covid-19 Replacement Stream. Your eligibility depends on the level of qualification you have completed in Australia, and when you applied for, and were granted, your first student visa to Australia.

Graduate Work Stream:

This stream is suited to international students who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation on the list of eligible skilled occupations. They are entitled to a visa for up to 24 months.

You can apply for this visa in the Graduate Work stream if you:

Are at least 18 years of age and younger than 50 years of age;
Nominate an occupation on the eligible skilled occupations list for the 485 visa;
Have been assessed by a relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation;
Have the relevant English language ability;
Have completed either a Degree, Diploma or Trade Qualification which is closely related to your nominated skilled occupation; and
Have met the Australian Study Requirement (min. 92 weeks CRICOS registered courses) in the past six months (there are new rules relating to the Australian Study Requirements: Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa).

Applications under the Graduate Work stream from 1st July 2022 to 30 June 2023, temporarily remove the requirement for a skilled occupation, closely related qualifications, and a skills assessment

Post Study Work Visa Stream:

This stream provides international students who have recently graduated with an eligible qualification a visa for up to 4 years depending on the qualification (automatic 5 years for Hong Kong passport holders).

You can apply for this visa in the Post Study Work Visa Stream if you:

Are at least 18 years of age and younger than 50 years of age;
Applied for, and were granted, your first student visa to Australia on or after 5 November, 2011;
Have completed an eligible qualification from an Australian educational institution in the past six months;
Have the relevant English language ability.
Have met the Australian study requirement (min. 92 weeks CRICOS registered courses) in the past six months

The length of the visa granted depends on completion of:

bachelor degree (including honours): 2 years
masters by coursework: 2 years
masters by research: 3 years
doctoral degree: 4 years
Hong Kong passport holders who successfully complete a bachelor, masters or doctoral degree: 5 years

Eligible qualifications

For the purposes of applying for a subclass 485 visa under the Post Study Work stream, only study that results in the conferral of an eligible degree level qualification will be considered. An eligible degree level qualification is a:

Bachelor degree
Bachelor (honours) degree
Masters by coursework degree
Masters (extended) degree
Masters by research degree
Doctoral degree

Second Post Study Work Visa Stream:

Holders of a first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream who graduated with a degree from an Australian institution located in a regional area will be granted and additional stay period of 1 or 2 Years depending on the:

Regional location of your institute from where you completed your study for the first post study visa; and
Regional area that you lived in as the holder of your first post study temporary gradate stream visa.

If you lived and studied in a Category 2* regional area, you can be granted this visa for 1 year. If you lived and studied in a Category 3** regional area, you can be granted this visa for 2 years

* Category 2 – ‘Cities and Major Regional Centres’ of Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong and Hobart.

** Category 3 – ‘Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas (Include Designated regional area postcodes as per the Designated regional area postcodes).

COVID-19 Replacement Stream:

NOW AVAILABLE

From 1 July 2022 and before 1 January 2027, current or former Temporary Graduate visa holders who lost time in Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions have the opportunity to apply and obtain a replacement 485 Temporary Graduate Visa.

To be eligible, applicants must:

hold or have held a Graduate Work stream or first Post Study Work stream Temporary Graduate visa. This visa must have been granted before 15 December 2021 and in effect on or after 1 February 2020.
have lost time on your visa because of Australia’s COVID-19 travel restrictions. This means:
- if you were in Australia when your original Temporary Graduate visa was granted, you have been outside of Australia while holding this visa between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021
- if you were outside Australia when your original Temporary Graduate visa was granted, you entered Australia on that visa, and departed Australia on that visa before 15 December 2021

You will receive the same grant period as your previous visa, except:

If you were previously granted a Post Study Work visa for 2 years as a result of your Master of Coursework qualification, you will now receive 3 years
If you were previously granted a Graduate Work Stream visa for 18 months, you will now receive 2 years. This is a temporary measure.

What you can do with the visa

Graduate Work Stream stay for up to 24 months (5 years for Hong Kong passport holders)
Post Study Work Stream stay for up to 4 years (5 years for Hong Kong passport holders)
Travel, work, and study
Bring your immediate family (spouse, dependants) with you
For those who study at a regional campus and choose to live and work in regional Australia, the pathway to permanent residency will be available after 3 years.

At Alphabetz, we understand that the Graduate Skilled Visa application process can be stressful for everyone involved. For professional services, contact one of our qualified migration agents.

To find out whether you qualify for a skilled migration visa, get in touch with us through our contact form or call our Sydney office on +61 435 440 175.

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