The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is a great way to extend your stay in Australia after completing your studies in Australia on your student visa (you should have held the student visa for at least the past six months). This will give you the permit to stay in the country for a further 4 years and it has a shorter processing time as well because the applicant has already lived in Australia for their education. Let’s see what the different streams of the visa provide for the visa holder and which one would be the most suitable option for you.
Understanding the different streams of the 485 visa
There are different kinds of visas under the umbrella of the Temporary Graduate visa and each one has different eligibility criterias, privileges and application fees:
Graduate Work Stream
With this visa, you can stay in the country for up to 18 months (5 years for residents of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders). This visa is currently granting 24 months of stay temporarily. You can work, live and study in Australia with this permit and bring family members. 90% of the applications get processed within 15 months. Here are the 485 visa requirements:
- Your age should be less than 50 years
- Your occupation should in the skilled occupation list (not if you are applying before 30th June 2023)
- You should have your skills assessment
- Health insurance for all applicants is required
- You should have Australian Police clearance
- You should have the required English proficiency
Post-Study Work stream
This one extends your stay from 2 to 4 years which depends on your qualification (same privilege applies to Hong Kong and British Overseas passport holders as in Graduate Work Stream). You can do everything that you can with the Graduate Work Stream but there are additional eligibility conditions:
- Your first student visa should have been granted on or after 5 November 2011
- Your recent degree should be in a CRICOS registered course
Second Post-Study Work stream
If you have studied in a regional area in an Australian institute, you can live, work and study in Australia for 1 to 2 years, depending on the location of the institution or the location where you lived through your first Temporary Graduate visa. In order to be eligible:
- Your age should be less than 50 years
- Your recent degree should be in a CRICOS registered course
- Already be present in Australia when you apply
- If you have health insurance for all applicants
- Have spent at least 2 years in a regional area
Replacement stream
Due to COVID-19, a lot of Post study work visa and Graduate Work stream visa holders lost time. This visa extends their stay time if they had previously applied before 15 December 2021. You can check your eligibility here.
Gathering the necessary documentation for the 485 visa application
In order for your visa application to get accepted, you need to submit the following documents on the lodgement date:
- Australian Federal Police (AFP) check for all the applicants that was taken within 12 months. Attach receipt number and payment receipts as well
- Health insurance of all the applicants
- English proficiency test results (the test should not have been taken 3 years prior to application)
- For Graduate Work Stream, evidence of your application for skills assessment
- Copies of passport
- Proof of completed education
- School records
Submitting your 485 visa application
You have to sign up on the Australian Immigration website and make an account. Once you have the account, upload the scanned copies of the documents. The files should not be more than 5MB. After making the payment online for your certain type of visa, you should submit the application according to Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Preparing for a visa interview (if required)
For the interview, try to answer clearly and show your genuine interest in staying in the country. Your answers should reflect your character and your commitment to your profession. You can practise for this interview with a visa counselling service.
Providing biometrics (if required)
Your biometrics are your facial image taken with a special camera and your fingertips. If your home country or visa type requires this, you will have to submit these at the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC). To get the biometrics done, you will have to make an appointment at the Biometrics Collection Centre.
Receiving a decision on your 485 visa application
The application processing time for each kind of visa type is different. It takes minimum 5 months and maximum 15 months. If you get acceptance, you can accept the visa grant and enter Australia. Upon refusal, you can explore your options and apply for another kind of visa and find out whether you should exit Australia to apply for it or not.
