![485 Graduate Visa Checklist (Post Study Work Stream) [Infographic]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=Mzc2OjE4Nw==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNTkwIDI3MCIgd2lkdGg9IjU5MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzAiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PC9zdmc+)
We have put together this 485 Graduate Visa Checklist for the Post Study Work Stream. It is easy to follow and has the most important information you need to know to make a successful application!
Any person who applies for the 485 visa must choose to apply for one of the two available streams, the Graduate Work Stream, or the Post Study Work Stream.
The 485 visa was originally called the Skilled – Graduate visa and was created as part of the 1 September 2007 General Skilled Migration (GSM) reforms. Australia’s migration laws were amended in March 2013 and the visa that we now know as the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa became available.
Once an application for the visa has been made, the stream that was selected cannot be changed. Therefore, it is vital to know which is the correct stream to apply for.
Who is the Post Study Work Stream for?
The Post Study Work stream is open only to international students who have recently graduated with an eligible higher education degree from an Australian educational institution, regardless of their field of study.
Visa Sponsor
The 485 Temporary Graduate Visa does not have any requirement to be sponsored by an employer, State or Territory Government or family member.
Application Time Limit
All applications must be made within the 6 months immediately after completing your eligible study.
Age Limit
You must be under 50 years of age at the time when you apply for this visa
Eligible Qualifications
You must hold one at least one of the following Australian qualifications when you apply for the visa:
- Bachelor
- Bachelor with Honours
- Master by Coursework
- Master (Extended)
- Master by Research
- Doctoral Degree.
The Australian Study Requirement
What is the Australian Study Requirement? In the most simple terms, you can only meet the Australian Study Requirement for the Post Study Work Stream if:
- You completed a course or series of courses in Australia which has taken at least 2 academic years
- Only your courses at the Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate level count towards the 2 years requirement
- The courses studied must be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
- The course study period must have been registered on CRICOS as having been at least 92 weeks
- You can count more than one course, providing each course meets the above requirements and results in 2 academic years of study
- You can have a break in between studies
- Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma courses which ultimately lead to the completion of an eligible Bachelor or Master Degree can be counted towards the 2 year study requirement. These courses must have been nested with the Bachelor or Master Degree
485 Visa Post Study Work Stream English Requirements
When you apply for this visa, you must be able to show that you meet the English language requirements. If you do not provide this when you apply the visa, it will most probably be refused.
| If you are a citizen of, and hold a current passport from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Canada or New Zealand you do not need take an English language test.If you aren’t a citizen of one of the above countries, then you will need to achieve a suitable score by taking one of the following English tests. All English tests must have been taken in the 3 years immediatley before applying for the visa | |
| IELTS (Academic or General Training) | Achieved an overall score of at least 6 and a minimum of 5 in each component (speaking, reading, listening and writing) |
| Occupational English Test (OET) | Achieved a B Pass in each band. The OET can only be taken by people who are training to be, or qualified healthcare professionals |
| Pearsons Test of English (PTE Academic) | Achieved an overall score of at least 50, with a minumum of 36 in each component |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL IBT | Achieved a total score of 64, with at least 4 in istening and reading, and at least 14 in writing and speaking |
| Cambridge English (CAE Advanced) | Achieved an overall test score of at least 169 with a minimum score of at least 154 in each component |
First Student Visa Requirement
The 485 Temporary Graduate Visa – Post Study Work stream is open only to international students who have recently graduated with an eligible higher education degree from an Australian educational institution, regardless of their field of study. This stream is available only to persons who applied for, and had been granted, their first student visa on or after 5 November 2011.
If your first student visa was applied for on or before 5 November 2011, then you must apply for the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa under the Graduate Work Steam.
The 485 Visa Fee – Visa Application Charge from 1 July 2018
| The following fees show you how much it costs to apply for this visa (from 1 July 2018). | |
| Base Charge for the Main Applicant | $1,535.00 |
| Additional Applicant Charge (aged 18 or older) | $765.00 |
| Additional Applicant Charge (younger than 18) | $385.00 |
| GST | There is no GST on visa application charges |
| Payment by Card – Surcharges All online visa applications incur an additional surcharge for payments made by credit card, debit card or PayPal | |
| Payment Method | Surcharge |
| American Express | 1.40% |
| Diners Club | 1.99% |
| JCB | 1.40% |
| Mastercard | 1.32% |
| PayPal | 1.00% |
| 1.90% | |
| Visa | 1.32% |
Application Processing Time Frame
The amount of time it takes for your visa application to be processed can vary and is determined by the Australian Government of the day. Unfortunately, this is something that you, as the applicant, have no control over.
The immigration department regularly reviews and updates their performance and processing times for each visa. The processing time frames we have provided in our infographic are taken directly from the official advice given by the department on their global visa and citizenship processing times page.
Police Checks and Police Certificates for Immigration Purposes
Everyone who is included in this visa application must have a current National Police Certificate that was issued by the Australian Federal Police in the 12 months immediately before you apply for the visa.
If you don’t have a NPC you must show that you have applied for one, and you must submit evidence of that when you apply for the visa.
You could be asked to provide police checks for any other country that you have spent 12 months or more in, in the past 10 years. This will only be requested if you were aged 16 or older.
485 Visa Medical Examinations, Health Checks and Health Insurance
Medical Examinations
Many applicants for this visa don’t need any medical examinations or health checks for this visa. Your nationality, future immigration plans, future employment and future study plans among other things are key to determining whether or not you will need to have any health checks.
You should speak to a qualified immigration advisor to help you with this.
Health Insurance
You will need to show that you have suitable health cover when you apply for this visa. It is necessary to show that your insurance will cover you for the entire time you will be on your temporary graduate visa. The most common and most suitable health insurance is referred to as ‘Overseas Visitor Health Cover’.
If you hold a student visa when you apply, you must show that you hold a current Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy.
Where to apply for this visa
You must be in Australia when you apply for this visa. Applications are made online through the immigration department’s website.
Bridging Visas
Your application for this visa will also be an application for a Bridging Visa. You will be granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA) with full work rights. Your BVA will allow you to remain in Australia until your graduate visa application is finalised.
How long is a Graduate Visa valid for?
| Your visa will be granted for a specific period which is determined by what Australian course you completed . | |
| 4 years | Upon completion of a PhD |
| 3 years | Upon completion of a Masters by Research |
| 2 years | Upon completion of a Masters by Coursework or a Bachelor Degree |
485 Visa Document Checklist – For Post Study Work Stream Applicants
| 1. Essential Forms |
| Application Form – apply online through ImmiAccount Form 80 – Persoanl particulars for assessment including character assessment Form 47A – Details of child or other dependent family member aged over 18 Form 956 – Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance |
| 2. Identification Documents |
| 2 recent passport sized photographs of each person included in the application Certified copy of the identity details page of each applicant’s passport Certified copy of each applicant’s birth certificate, family register or other similar identification Evidence of any legal name change, marriage, defacto relationship divorce or widowed for |
| 3. Evidence of Skills and Qualifications |
| Results of a suitable English language test taken within the last 3 years (you won’t need this if you are a citizen of UK, NZ, USA, Canada or Republic of Ireland)Confirmation of Enrolment for each course completed in AustraliaCompletion letter, Certificate of Award and Transcript for each course completed in Australia |
| 4. Health and Character |
| Documents to show that everyone included in the application who is 16 or older has obtained, or applied for a current National Police Certificate issued by the Australian Federal PoliceConfirmation that everyone included in the application has appropriate Health InsuranceIf anyone included in the application requires a medical examination, you need to provide evidence that this has been completed in the 12 months immediately before applying (a good Registered Migration Agent will tell you if you need medical checks!) |
| Important Note! |
| You will need to provide translations of all documents that are not in English together with a certified copy of the original. If you have some concerns about your case, or the documents that are needed, you should speak to a licenced immigration advisor to help you – someone at Embark Migration would be a great choice! |
