What Are The Eligibility Requirements For The 485 Visa?

The bottom line: Six boxes need ticking for the 485 visa — age, study, timing, English, health, and character. Miss one, and it doesn't matter how strong the rest of your application is; the Department won't grant the visa.

It Starts With Age — And It's Stricter Than People Think

The standard cutoff is 35 years or under at the time you apply. There's no discretion here for most applicants. The one meaningful exception: Master's by Research and PhD graduates get extra runway, with the age limit extended into the high-40s to accommodate longer research timelines. Hong Kong and BNO passport holders also sit under separate settings. If you're anywhere near 35, this is the requirement to check first — everything else is irrelevant if you don't clear it.

Your Qualification Has to Meet the Australian Study Requirement

Your course must be CRICOS-registered, taught in English, and total at least two academic years (broadly 92 weeks) of study in Australia. Which stream you qualify for — Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Vocational Education Work, or the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream for regional graduates — depends on the level and location of that qualification, not on which one you'd prefer.

The Deadline That Overrides Everything Else

You must lodge within 6 months of your final results being issued, and you generally need to be onshore in Australia, holding your student visa or a visa with student rights from within the last six months. This deadline has zero flexibility — the Department doesn't grant extensions, regardless of the reason for missing it.

English, Health, and Character — The Non-Negotiables

English: IELTS 6.5 overall with no component below 5.5 (or the equivalent on PTE, TOEFL iBT, OET, Cambridge C1, CELPIP General, or LanguageCert Academic) — and it must come from a single in-centre sitting taken within 12 months of lodging. Online or at-home test formats aren't accepted for this visa.

Health: Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) starting from the day your student visa expires, plus meeting standard health examination requirements.

Character: Evidence you've applied for an Australian Federal Police check, along with any overseas police clearances required for your circumstances.