Temporary Graduate Visa - Subclass 485
Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate Visa Eligibility Requirements
Generally, an applicant must have completed at least two years of studying eligible course(s) in Australia whilst holding student visa(s). Applicants who completed a bachelor’s degree or higher would be eligible for the Post-Study Work stream, otherwise, they may be eligible for the Graduate Work Stream.
Considering the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Australian Government has introduced additional streams for certain cohorts of people, called the Replacement stream.
Graduate Work Stream
The Graduate Work stream is for students who completed their study in Australia at a lower level than a bachelor’s degree (such as trade certificates or diplomas), and their skills and qualifications are relevant to the occupation list that the Australian Government has specified for this visa. A positive skills assessment is also required to be obtained before lodging a subclass 485 visa application in this stream.
Certain applicants who submitted their 485 visa application between 01 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 will be exempted from having to obtain a skills assessment and will not be subject to any occupation lists.
Post-Study Work Stream
Replacement Stream
The subclass 485 replacement stream was introduced to allow current and former 485 visa holders who lost their time on the original visa due to COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions.
The 485 visa holders in this cohort may then apply for a new graduate visa in the replacement stream.
English Language Requirements
Applicants for the graduate 485 visa(except for second/third post-study stream and the replacement stream) must meet the English language requirements before they submit the visa application. The requirements are either:
Hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries: the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, or obtains the following:
English test | Minimum overall Score | Total overall score | Minimum scores for English test components | |||
Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | |||
IELTS | 6 | – | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
OET | B | – | B | B | B | B |
TOEFL iBT | – | 64 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 14 |
PTE Academic | 50 | – | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken on or after 1 January 2015) | 169 | – | 154 | 154 | 154 | 154 |
What Can You Do After the Subclass 485 Visa is Granted?
A subclass 485 visa holder can live, work, and study in Australia until the visa expiry. There is no option to renew/apply for the same visa, unless the applicant is eligible for the second/third post-study stream and the replacement stream. That is, the holder must consider other visa pathways if they want to remain in Australia.
The duration of the graduate 485 visa also varies, depending on the types of qualifications that the applicants hold. For the graduate stream, it is usually 18 months. For the post-study work, it is between 2 to 4 years. Holders of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport may be granted for a subclass 485 visa for 5 years.
From 01 July 2023, the Australian Government will also increase the duration of stay for subclass 485 visa holders, if the qualification is listed on the Department of Education’s Eligible Occupation List.