What Are Your Options After a 485 Visa Expires?

The graduate 485 visa is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian institution. It lets you live, work and study anywhere in Australia for up to four years. After a 485 visa expires, what to do is a common concern for many international students. You put a lot of effort into finishing your education and now you must decide what to do after your 485 visa ends. Don’t worry, we’ll give you some ideas and advice. Connect with Australia has some of the leading visa consultants in Melbourne to advise and help in applying for different visa categories you may be eligible for after the term of your current graduate visa 485 ends.

As you may be aware the 485 visas cannot be reapplied or extended. Staying in Australia beyond the term of your visa means that you have breached your visa conditions. These transgressions can impact your future visa applications as well as your eventual PR visa application. You can avoid these potential pitfalls by applying for another eligible visa type alongside obtaining a bridging visa, while your main visa application is being decided.

Generally, Graduate visas in Australia let you live, study, and work in Australia for a certain time. After graduation, you can stay for up to 18 months. Once this time is up, you’ll need to apply for another visa if you want to stay longer.

Fortunately, Australia offers various visa options to extend your stay. Thus, you can continue pursuing your dreams in this diverse country. You can select the visa that aligns best with your professional goals. Experienced visa consultants can guide and assist you in applying for different visa categories.

Each student’s profile and situation is different. You can apply for several visas to remain, study, or work in Australia and eventually apply for a permanent visa, based on your eligibility. Here are the visa options available for you:

Under this, an applicant can stay in Australia after completing your graduate degree. This allows you to continue your studies and work in Australia for the duration of the visa. There are certain conditions that need to be met for being eligible for this particular visa.

You must have previously held a Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream. The duration varies, lasting between 1 and 4 years based on your educational institution’s regional location and your residing area. Certain degrees may grant an additional 2 years, but this extension can only be applied once.

Since the graduate visa 485 allows you to work, you can use it to gain valuable work experience and contribute to the Australian economy. The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494) offers a duration of 5 years. It grants skilled workers the opportunity to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia. Under this visa, individuals can also travel to and from Australia for the entire 5-year period. Moreover, if certain eligibility criteria are met, applicants can apply for permanent residence after 3 years from the time their visa is granted.

If your partner is a permanent resident, Australian citizen, or even an eligible New Zealand citizen, you can apply for a partner visa once your 485 ends. Under this visa, your partner becomes your sponsor, allowing you to continue staying, studying and working in Australia. You must be in a genuine relationship with your partner, with all the supporting documentation to be eligible for this visa.

You can choose from a Temporary Partner Visa (Subclass 820) or a Permanent Partner Visa (Subclass 801). Temporary Partner Visa allows spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to reside in Australia temporarily. It serves as the initial step towards acquiring a permanent Partner visa (subclass 801). You can stay until your permanent Partner visa application is finalised or withdrawn.

A permanent Partner Visa is designed for partners already holding a temporary Partner visa. This visa offers permanent residency in Australia. Once granted, you can reside in the country indefinitely, enjoying the privileges of Australian permanent residency.

If you possess the skills required by the Australian economy and have the relevant degree, you can also apply for a Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189). There are 3 streams for this visa:

Here is how you can apply for your extension Visa after 485:

There are several eligibility criteria that you need to meet as an applicant for this visa. A few of them include:

Collect necessary documents like identity, residence, work, study, health insurance, and character records. Accuracy in submitting the necessary documents and information can make a difference in application processing time.

You can expect status updates and, if required, be required to go for potential health exams. Moreover, you must be in compliance with your current visa requirements while waiting for your Second Post-study Work Stream (485) visa to be granted. If there are any changes in information that happen, be sure to report and update your application accordingly to your circumstances.

You can be in or outside Australia when the decision is made.

Having an migration expert by your side can make the process much easier.

If you’re looking for a migration expert to handle your visa extension or explore other visa options, Connect with Australia is here for you. We specialise in providing immigration services to professionals and online businesses. Extending your 485 visa via Second Post-study Work Stream is a wise decision, but the application process can be overwhelming. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you throughout your visa application. Whether you need help with visa applications, extensions or general immigration advice, we’re just a phone call or email away. Feel free to reach out to us. Call our team on 0413 441 213 or drop us an email at info@connectwithaustralia.com.au to explore your options available after 485 visa.