Post-Study Work Stream (485 Visa)
Post Study Work Stream (485 Visa)

Temporary Graduate Visa (Post-Study Work Stream)

If you’ve graduated from a bachelor’s degree or higher, AIS Immigration Solutions can help you obtain a post study work visa to extend your stay. Based in Brisbane, our migration agents can provide guidance and assistance with your application, or provide you with key advice to identify the right visa scheme for your needs. Get in touch with us today on +61 7 3216 0052 or by sending an enquiry. If you can’t make it to our Brisbane offices, we provide booked skype meetings for one-on-one assistance.

Features and Overview:

This visa allows you to obtain temporary permanent residency for two to four years, dependent on the degree you received at an Australian university. You must apply for it within six months of receiving the qualification and you must either be on an Australian visa, or have been on an Australian visa in the last six months. This visa is a fantastic option for international graduates of an Australian university to work in any field and eventually upgrade to a permanent working visa later if desired.

Eligibility:

To obtain a Graduate Work Stream (subclass 485) visa, you must:

  • Be under 50 years of age
  • Hold an eligible visa and meet the English proficiency requirement
  • Have a recent degree in a CRICOS-registered course (all bachelor degrees and above taught in a public Australian university will meet this criteria)

Application Process:

90% of applications for this visa are processed within five months of applying. You must be in Australia when you apply for this visa.

Australian Education Requirements:

In the past 6 months before you applied for this visa you must have met the Australian study requirement. You will meet this if you are awarded at least one degree 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

To meet the 2 academic year component of the Australian study requirement, you may combine courses in some circumstances.

Your eligible duration of stay will depend on the degree you obtained:

  • Any Bachelor’s Degree: Two years
  • Coursework Master’s Degree: Two years
  • Research Master’s Degree: Three years
  • Doctoral Research Degree: Four years

Other Requirements:

  • You must pass the character and health requirements, plus have adequate health insurance.
  • You must obey all Australian laws during your residency.
  • You must be under 50 years of age.
  • You and your parents must have paid back any debt owing to the Australian government, if any.
  • You must have not had a visa previously cancelled.
  • You cannot have previously held a 485 or 476 visa.
  • Pass English requirements (usually a 6+ overall and 5+ in each area of the IELTS test). Holding a passport from Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada or New Zealand exempts you from this requirement. Further details on English requirements are available here.
  • You must currently hold a student visa or have previously held a student visa in the past six months and are currently on a bridging visa. You must not have held a student visa prior to 5 November 2011.

Cost:

The base application fee for this visa stream starts at $1,535. Additional fees apply for any dependent family members you have on your application. Police and health checks will also likely be necessary.

Is this visa right for me?

Select this visa if you’ve graduated from an Australian bachelor’s degree or higher. You are also eligible for the temporary graduate (graduate work stream) visa, however it has more conditions. This visa stream is advantageous because it costs the same, takes the same time to process, and doesn’t require you to work in a specific field. You’ll also have access to a longer stay.

Still unsure whether this visa suits your circumstances? Get in touch with AIS Immigration Solutions today to speak to a skilled migration agent. Our team have decades of experience in helping students just like you obtain working visas to extend their stay in Australia. If you can’t make it to our Brisbane office, why not book a one-on-one skype meeting with one of our migration agents?

Send us an enquiry for advice on your temporary graduate work visa or give us a call on +61 7 3216 0052. Our migration agents are ready to assist.