485 visa (Temporary Graduate): what to check before you finish

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets some international graduates stay in Australia for a while after finishing their studies, with permission to live, work and study. Many people only look into it once their course is over, and by then the window is short.

This is the list of what is worth checking before you finish.

1. Which stream would apply to you

The 485 currently has these main streams:

• Post-Vocational Education Work: for people who completed an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list.
• Post-Higher Education Work: for people who completed a degree in a CRICOS registered course.
• Second Post-Higher Education Work: a second 485 for some holders of the first one who graduated from an institution in a regional area. The length depends on that area and on where you live.

Your stream decides which documents you need and how long you might stay. Lengths of stay change with the rules, so check them on the official 485 page.

2. Your student visa and where you will be

Home Affairs asks, among other things, that you:

• Are in Australia when you apply.
• Hold an eligible visa.
• Have held a Student visa in the last 6 months.

If your Student visa expires soon after your course ends, do the maths early. A long trip outside Australia during that period can also complicate things.

3. Your completion date

The 485 is for recent study. Ask your provider for your completion letter as soon as possible and check the date on it. That date drives your timeline, and it does not always match your graduation ceremony.

4. Age

The 485 has an age limit at the time of application, with exceptions for some passport holders. Since this has changed in recent years, confirm it on the official page for your stream before you plan.

5. English

You must provide your English evidence with the application, not later. Check which tests and scores are accepted today and how long a result stays valid. If you need to sit a test, book it before your course ends, not after.

6. Police check (AFP)

Home Affairs asks for evidence that you have already applied for an Australian Federal Police check when you lodge. You may also be asked for police certificates from other countries you have lived in. If any of those are in Spanish, you will need them translated.

7. Health insurance

You need evidence of adequate health insurance for everyone applying. OSHC is for students: when you move to a 485 you usually need to switch to a different type of policy. Make sure there is not a single day without cover.

8. Skills Assessment, if you are on the vocational stream

In Post-Vocational Education Work you must have applied for a skills assessment in your nominated occupation before you lodge. That process has its own timelines, requirements and sometimes translations. It is the step that most often runs late, so start early.

A short list to print

1. Identify your stream.
2. Confirm your Student visa expiry date.
3. Request your completion letter.
4. Check the current age limit.
5. Have a valid English result ready.
6. Apply for your AFP check.
7. Sort out health insurance with no gaps.
8. If it applies, lodge your Skills Assessment.
9. Translate any documents that are not in English.

Before you decide

Studying in Australia does not automatically make you eligible for a 485, and meeting the requirements does not guarantee the visa either. Every profile is reviewed on its own. If you want to go over yours in good time, message us from 485 visa. And if you are not sure the 485 is your best path, start with a free migration check.