Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) Melbourne, Australia

Duration and Conditions – 485 Visa Australia

Embarking on a journey with the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) in Australia opens doors to diverse streams, each with unique durations and conditions. It ensures a tailored experience for international graduates.

1. Graduate Work Stream:

1. Stay: Up to 18 months
2. Extension: Temporary increased to 24 months for applications lodged on or before 2 September 2023.
3. Special Stay: Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders enjoy an extended stay of up to 5 years.

2. Post-Study Work Stream

1. Stay: Usually between 2 and 4 years, dependent on the applicant’s qualifications.
2. Extension: Select degree holders may be eligible for an additional 2 years.

3. Second Post-Study Work Stream

1. Stay: Between 1 and 4 years, contingent on the regional location of the educational institution and the applicant’s residence in the regional area.
2. Extension: Applicants with select degrees might gain an extended 2-year stay..

4. Replacement Stream

1. Stay: Typically ranges from 18 months to 6 years, depending on the time lost on your original visa due to COVID-19 travel restrictions
2. Special Stay: Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders have the opportunity to stay for 5 years.
3. Family Inclusion: Applicants can include their spouses or children in the application, fostering family connections.

Benefits of 485 Visa Australia

The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) offers a range of advantages to international students looking to extend their stay in Australia after completing their studies. Here’s what you need to know about its benefits:

1. Stay in Australia and continue your education
2. Work without restrictions with this visa
3. Sponsor eligible family members to come and live with you
4. Helps to pave the way for permanent residency
5. Opportunity to acquire skills and professional experience to become employable
6. Enter and leave Australia multiple times

Health and Character Requirements

In Australia, maintaining health and character standards is paramount. To ensure these standards are preserved, most visa applicants must meet specific health and character criteria before being granted a visa. Seeking guidance from professionals is advisable to navigate these requirements successfully. These are the health and character requirementsfor applicants:

1. Health Requirements: You and your family members included with your application need to appear and clear the medical application before the grant of the visa. A Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC) assesses your health. They consider the impact of your medical condition on public health, healthcare costs, and demand for services.
2. Police Check: You need to show proof that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police check with 12 months validity at the time of your visa application. Security assessments and Interpol notices are taken seriously and can affect your character evaluation.

Health Insurance Requirements

Both you and your family members are responsible for your healthcare costs while in the country. Adequate medical insurance helps mitigate financial liabilities associated with necessary treatments. These are the essential health requirements for applicants:

1. Must have adequate health coverage for you and your family member accompanying you
2. Can choose health insurance from your home country or Australia
3. For temporary graduate visa applicants in Australia, an active health insurance policy is an essential requirement
4. The  Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is acceptable only if you are holding a student visa
5. OSHC is not acceptable in case you do not hold a student visa or are on a bridging visa
6. Visitors from countries without Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) coverage must bear the full cost of medical care in Australia. Travel insurance may partially cover these expenses.

The visa subclass 485 cost is as below:

The processing time for 485 visas is:

Please note that these costs and processing times are indicative only. For exact cost and processing time, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website or check with your visa agent.

Eligibility for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485)

These are the various eligibility requirements for a temporary graduate visa:

1. Must be less than 50 years of age
2. Need to be onshore when you apply for this visa
3. Must be holding a valid first temporary graduate visa when you apply
4. Must meet the Australian study requirements
5. Need to apply within 6 months of receiving your degree in a CRICOS-registered course
6. Should have adequate health insurance coverage
7. Must have meet the health and character requirements
8. Should not have had any visa refusals in the past
9. Must have at least competent English
10. Can apply for this visa only once in your lifetime

Australian Study Requirements for 485 Visa

To meet the Australian study requirement for this visa, you must adhere to the following guidelines within the 6 months before your application:

1. Been awarded at least one degree, diploma, or trade qualification
2. Hold an Australian visa that allows you to study
3. Should have successfully completed all course requirements
4. Must be CRICOS-registered course
5. Should complete the course in Australia in not less than 16 calendar months that is at least two academic years (92) weeks of study
6. Finish course in Australia within a duration of not less than 16 calendar months
7. Hold an Australian visa that allows you to study, such as a student visa
8. Must have completed Form 1545 – COVID-19 Impacted Students by education providers, which verifies the impact of the pandemic on their studies

How to Apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa?

Step 1:

To apply for a 485 visa, applicants need to understand their eligibility and collect all the relevant and required documents. It can be helpful to have an experienced MARA registered visa agent helping you through the process of ensuring an error-free application.

Step 2:

Ensure that you have a valid passport and do not have a ‘No further stay’ condition.

Step 3:

Organise health exams arrange a skill assessment.

Step 4:

Then apply online for the visa subclass 485 with all required documents and the fees. After submitting your application, you can check the updates on the application via the IMMI account.

Step 5:

Any request for additional information, documents or clarifications that the immigration department may require needs to be provided.

Step 6:

Then, the applicants are required to wait for the visa outcome. 
Please be aware that you can apply for this visa only once. The visa option after 485 expire is to apply for a separate visa to work, study, and live in Australia.

Based on your eligibility, you can apply for a training visa – subclass 407, TSS visa – subclass 482, ENS visa – subclass 186 or SESR visa – subclass 494.

What Documents are required for a Temporary Graduate Visa 485?

Here are the documents that you need while applying for a visa 485:

• Current passport with photo and personal details
• Study-related documents include the start & end date of the course and the institution’s CRICOS code
• Course transcript’s certified copy
• English languages test results like IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE and CAE
• Skill assessment by relevant authorities
• Proof of adequate health insurance
• Character documents (complete disclosure national police certificate)

Please note that the relevant documents of the family members and dependent children need to be submitted separately.