From Student Visa to Graduate Visa
After completing your studies as an international student, you may be tempted to stay and work in Australia. This may be due to the career opportunities, the culture, or the desire to further your education. The graduate 485 visa provides an opportunity for you to extend your stay in Australia following your degree, diploma, or trade qualification, and may be up to a four-year period, contingent upon your qualifications.
Requirements:
The following are some general requirements needed to lodge a graduate visa application:
- Being under the age of 50;
- Holding an eligible visa;
- Have a recent qualification in a Commonwealth Register of Courses and Institutions for Overseas Students (CRICOS)-registered course;
- Meeting the health and character requirements;
- Having adequate health insurance within Australia; and
- Meeting the English requirements of the International English Language Testing System test withing the last three years.
For a list of eligibility please check the Department of Home Affairs.
485 Visa Streams:
There are four available streams under the graduate visa 485.
- Graduate Work Stream:
This visa is available to foreign students who have recently graduated and who meet the requirements for jobs that Australia requires. It allows you to study, work, live temporarily in Australia, and bring your family with you. Individuals who have completed their bachelor’s degree or higher should consider whether the Post-Study Work stream visa would be a more suitable option for them. You must have a valid student visa or have obtained one within the last six months prior to the application deadline. In addition, you need to meet the prerequisites for the “Australian study requirement,” which include having at least one degree, diploma, or trade qualification and the following requirements:
- Possess a valid visa that allows you to study;
- Complete a course that is registered with the CRICOS;
- Complete all course requirements;
- Complete your study in English; and
- Complete your course after two years or 92 weeks of study.
Duration of Stay: You can stay in Australia for up to 18 months with this visa; holders of British national passports and those from Hong Kong can stay for up to 5 years.
Costs: Starting from AUD $1,895.00.
- Post-Study Work Stream
International students who have just graduated from an Australian institution with a degree that qualifies are eligible for this visa. This is appropriate for those who have finished their university education and permits you to work and bring your family with you to Australia.
Duration of Stay: The length of stay will typically range from two to four years, depending on your qualifications. Applications for a select degree might be qualified for a two-year stay extension. Holders of British national passports and those from Hong Kong may be permitted a five-year stay.
Costs: starting from AUD $1,895.00.
- Second Post-Study Work Stream
This visa is for holders of a Temporary Graduate visa from either the first Post-Study Work Stream or the Replacement stream, to whom have graduated with a degree from an Australian Institution located in regional areas.
Duration of stay: between 1 and 4 years depending on the regional location of the educational institution, the regional area that you live in as the holder of your first temporary visa.
Costs: Starting from AUD $745.00.
- Replacement stream
Those on temporary graduate visas, both current and past, who lost time on their first visa because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, are eligible for this visa. You can even invite family members along by adding your spouse or kids to your application through this stream, even if you haven’t done so before.
Duration of stay: between eighteen months to 6 years. With the following exceptions—your post-study work application with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2-year visa, and holders of Hong Kong and British national passports may stay for up to 5-years—you will obtain the same grant length as your previous visa.
Costs: starting from AUD $1,895.00.
Please take note that on December 11, 2023, the Australian government announced a new migration strategy, with the elimination of the replacement stream serving as a key reform.
