Skilled Visa

Temporary Graduate Visa – Subclass 485

If you would like to stay in Australia to gain work experience after completing your Australian qualification you may be eligible to apply for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. This visa allows you to stay in Australia for up to four years, depending on your qualifications or up to five years if you hold a Hong Kong passport. This visa allows you to live; work and study temporarily in Australia. The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa has two main streams:

• Graduate Work stream—for eligible international students who graduated with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
• Post-Study Work stream—for eligible international students who graduated with a bachelor, masters or doctoral degree from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study.
• Second– Post-Study Work Stream– for eligible for visa holders of a first Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study stream. That is a visa holder who graduated with a degree from an Australian Institution located in a specified regional area.

What sort of work can I do on this visa?

The subclass 485 visa does not restrict the type of work you may do or the number of hours you may work.

Do I need to find an employer to sponsor me for this visa?

Employer sponsorship is not required to obtain this visa. However, you are responsible for securing your own employment if you wish to work while in Australia on this visa.

What are the visa requirements?

At the time you apply for this visa some of the must have requirements are:

• Be in Australia
• Be under 50 years of age
• Hold a eligible, valid visa
• Hold or have held an eligible Student visa in the last six months
• Have evidence of competent English
• Booked or completed a medical examination
• Have acceptable health insurance. This is required for the duration of the visa processing period and your stay in Australia on this visa
• Have requested a National Police Check from the Australian Federal Police.

Additional visa requirements under the Graduate Work Stream at the time you apply for this visa include:

• Nominate an occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupation List
• Have applied for a skill assessment in your nominated occupation that is on the relevant list.
• Have met the Australian study requirement in the last six months. Any degree, diploma or trade qualification used to meet the Australian study requirement must be closely related to your nominated occupation.

Additional visa requirements under the Post-study Work Stream at the time you apply for this visa include:

• Have applied for and subsequently been granted your first Student visa to Australia on or after 5 November 2011
• have met the Australian study requirement in the last six months based on Bachelor, Masters or Doctoral degree studies completed at an eligible institution (have recently completed a degree in a CRICOS- registered course).

What documents do I need to provide with my application?

• Identity documents
• English requirements
• Study documents
• Skill assessment documents (for graduate stream)
• Australian values statement
• Health insurance documents
• Character documents
• No debts to Australian government
• No previous cancellations or refusals
• Partner and Dependent documents if any.

How long does this visa let me stay in australia?