Many international students studying in Australia prefer to stay there for a long time and get work experience. Fortunately, Australia offers several job opportunities for students across the world. The excessive demand for a skilled workforce in Australia enables international students to apply for the temporary graduate visa 485. It allows students to stay in the country for up to four years and work after completing their studies.
However, it is essential to understand that the temporary graduate visa subclass 485 can be classified into two streams- Graduate Work Stream and the Post-Study Work Stream.
The Graduate Work Stream allows the student to stay in Australia for up to 18 months.
Whereas, through the Post-Study Work Stream, the student can stay in Australia for:
- 2 years – Bachelor or Master’s degree holder
- 3 years – Master by Research
- 4 years – Doctorate or PhD degree
Let’s now talk about the 485 visa requirements for both streams.
- Graduate Work Stream
- The student must be a recent graduate with skills and qualifications relevant to the professions mentioned in the skilled occupation list.
- At the time of the visa application, the age of the applicant must be under 50.
- The applicant should fulfill the Australian study requirements. It means they must have a degree or a diploma in a CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students).
- To prove English language proficiency, the applicant must have a valid PTE or IELTS test scores.
- Applicants must hold an Australian study visa, and their study medium should be in English.
- The applicant must not be a former holder of Subclass 485 or Subclass 476.
- If the applicant visa has been refused or canceled before, then their application for the graduate work stream will not be considered.
- They must also fulfill the character requirement and pass a certain medical examination.
- Post-Study Work Stream
- The student must have a graduate degree in a course registered with CRICOS.
- At the time of visa application, the age of the applicant must be under 50.
- Applicant should be a current holder of the student visa or must have held it in the past (generally 6 months before applying for the Temporary Graduate Visa).
- The applicant is required to study with an Australian education provider.
- Applicant should not be a previous holder of Subclass 476 visa or 485 Visa Australia.
- Applicant must provide proof of their English language proficiency.
- If the applicant has a trade qualification or a diploma, they cannot apply for this visa.
- They must also meet the health requirements and hold appropriate health insurance from a recognized Australian insurance company.
Some of the necessary documents required for Post Study Work Visa:
- Study documents
- Identification documents
- Character document
- 485 visa health insurance documents
- Australian Police check verification document
If you wish to apply for a post-study work visa, then you can apply it through the paper form or online. To apply online, you are required to visit the official website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
The temporary graduate visa 485 processing and approval time depends on several factors including the course you have selected. The processing time can range from 3-4 months. For convenience and details, you can contact professional and certified education counsellors.
