Australia’s Post-Study Work Visa

The Post-Study Work visa (subclass 485) is specifically designed for international students who have recently completed their studies in Australia. This temporary graduate visa allows you to live, work, and study in Australia after you have graduated from an Australian institution, giving you valuable time to gain practical experience in your field, improve your skills, and potentially progress toward permanent residency.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Post-Study Work visa, you must:

• Be 35 years of age or under when you apply, or be under 50 if you are using a master’s (research) or Doctoral Degree (PhD) to meet the Australian study requirement or hold a Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport.
• Hold a valid student visa (subclass 500), bridging visa A, or bridging visa B
• Have completed your course in Australia within the past 6 months
• Have been awarded an eligible degree, regardless of your study area, within 6 months before your visa application date.
• Meet the Australian Temporary Graduate visa study requirement 
• Must have completed your course with an Australian education provider registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) and offers degree-level programs.
• Meet English language proficiency requirements in any of the following tests: International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT), or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Have adequate health insurance
• Sign the Australian values statement that affirms your commitment to upholding the Australian way of life and adhering to Australian laws.
• Owe nothing to the Australian Government.
• Have never had a visa canceled or an application denied.

Let’s break down some of these requirements in more detail:

Health and Character Requirements

You’ll need to:

• Undergo a health examination
• Provide police clearance certificates from Australia and any country you’ve lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.

Visa Duration: How Long Can You Stay?

The duration of your Post-Study Work visa depends on your qualification level:

Post-Study Work Stream:

• Bachelor’s degree (including honors): 2 years
• Master’s by coursework: 2 years
• Master’s by research: 3 years
• Doctoral degree: 3 years

Since this visa is temporary, the duration of your stay is determined by the qualification level of your study in Australia. It becomes effective when approved and allows you to travel in and out of Australia. 

With this Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485), you can apply with your family and also apply for a Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa if you want to stay longer in Australia.  

Application Process

Step 1: The first step before applying is to prepare adequately. You do this by:

• Ensuring you have a valid passport
• Checking your visa condition to see if you can apply for this visa
• Taking health examinations, then:

Gather the following:

• Your identity documents, like your passport, national identity card, or proof of change of name (if applicable)
• Your study documents, like your academic transcripts and completion letters
• English language test results (if applicable)
• Evidence of Health insurance 
• Character documents like Police clearance certificates
• Proof of your Australian study
• Partner’s documents like identity document, character and health document, marriage certificate if married, documents of other family members (if applicable)

Once you have all these documents ready, you need to translate all documents that are not in English into the English Language and scan all your documents (in color), in a clear format for your online application and document upload

Step 2: Apply Online

Applications must be lodged through ImmiAccount:

1. Create an ImmiAccount if you don’t already have one
2. Select the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
3. Complete the application form
4. Upload all supporting documents like:

• Evidence of course completion
• Evidence of required level of English
• Character documents

5. Pay the application fee

Step 3: Health and Biometrics

You may be required to:

• Complete a health examination
• Provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo)

Step 4: Wait for Processing

Processing times vary, but you can check current timeframes on the Department of Home Affairs website.

While waiting, you can be in or out of Australia. Once your application has been granted, you will be told your visa grant number, visa grant date, and visa conditions, which should be appropriately kept with you when in Australia.