Subclass 485 — Temporary Graduate Visa
A complete comparison of the post-vocational, post-higher-education and second post-higher-education work streams, age exceptions and current costs.
Temporary · qualification-specificCurrent with restructured streams
A temporary work opportunity, not automatic permanent residence
Subclass 485 permits certain international graduates to remain temporarily in Australia after completing eligible study. It can provide a bridge into work experience and later skilled migration, but a graduate visa alone does not confer permanent residence or guarantee a future employer nomination.
The programme was materially restructured from 1 July 2024. The former Graduate Work and Post-Study Work stream names were replaced with Post-Vocational Education Work and Post-Higher Education Work; a regional Second Post-Higher Education Work stream continues for eligible applicants, while the former Replacement stream ceased.
Every prospective applicant should evaluate the actual qualification and visa grant chronology. The chosen stream generally cannot be changed after submission, and the Department expects relevant documents to accompany a valid application.
At a glance · five verification stages
Three markedly different options
Post-Vocational Education Work is for graduates with an eligible associate degree, diploma or trade qualification relevant to an occupation on the applicable list. It ordinarily involves a nominated occupation and skills assessment process, and Home Affairs describes a stay of up to 18 months for the general cohort.
Post-Higher Education Work is generally for people with eligible Australian degrees. Published standard stay settings are up to two years for bachelor degrees and coursework or extended master degrees, and up to three years for masters by research and doctorates. Some nationality and treaty arrangements are different.
Second Post-Higher Education Work is tied to previous eligible 485 study and visa arrangements, regional study and qualifying regional residence. Depending on the regions concerned, Home Affairs describes a further stay of between one and two years. It is not a universal second graduate visa.
Stream and rule comparison
| Stream | Qualification / prior visa | Usual stay | Central issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-Vocational Education Work | Associate degree, diploma or trade | 18 months | Occupation relevance + skills assessment |
| Post-Higher Education Work | Eligible Australian degree | Generally 2–3 years | Degree level + recent student status |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work | Qualifying prior 485 and regional education/residence | 1–2 additional years | Region-specific extra requirements |
| Replacement (former) | Closed | No new applications | Do not advertise as available |
Do not apply the standard age limit mechanically
The usual maximum age in the restructured programme is 35 years at application. The Department publishes exceptions for some Hong Kong SAR and BNO passport holders, and for certain master’s by research or doctoral degree holders in the Post-Higher Education Work and second streams.
The wording and availability of age exceptions are stream-specific. For Post-Vocational Education Work, the published under-50 exception principally relates to Hong Kong SAR or BNO passport holders. Some postgraduate research applicants can qualify for the corresponding under-50 exception in higher education routes.
Age is measured at the legal date specified by the visa criterion, commonly when applying. A degree award date, graduation ceremony or future job offer does not by itself freeze eligibility. Applicants close to the limit should plan carefully and verify official wording immediately before lodgement.
CRICOS registration and award timing
The Department’s Australian study requirement includes a minimum 92 registered CRICOS weeks of academic study, generally completed in at least 16 calendar months, with eligible qualifications and relevant conditions. Applicants must examine which courses can be combined and whether their qualification type is eligible for their chosen stream.
Home Affairs states that applicants commonly must have completed the eligible qualification within six months before applying. They must also satisfy the relevant current visa-history rules, including being onshore to lodge the primary application and having held a Student visa within the specified period.
A course-completion letter, academic transcript, award certificate and CoE history serve different evidentiary roles. Rely on the official completion date and the qualification award requirements for the stream, not the public graduation ceremony date.
Different treatment can apply to online study undertaken in the COVID concession period. Verify the Department’s study-requirement page for any course conducted partly outside Australia or remotely.
Skills assessment and occupational match
Applicants relying on vocational qualifications must nominate a relevant occupation and demonstrate a sufficiently close relationship between the award and the occupation. Home Affairs identifies the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List in its detailed published stream criteria, together with a suitable relevant skills assessing authority.
The Department requires a skills assessment or evidence that an assessment application has been lodged, according to the specified rules and document stage. A professional authority may impose standards exceeding the minimum study level set for the visa itself.
Applicants should confirm that the nominated occupation cannot be altered after lodgement and verify their assessing authority’s requirements early. This is a different assessment from the requirements that may later apply to permanent skilled migration.
English, insurance, police checks and prior visa history
Substantive documentary requirements commonly include passport identity, eligible visa records, recent academic awards, adequate health insurance, relevant English evidence and evidence of an application for an Australian Federal Police check. Stream-specific skills evidence may also be required.
The official Departmental stream guidance should control English test types, minimum scores, test validity and exemptions. A test score accepted for initial admission to a university is not automatically valid for a graduate visa application.
Most primary applicants must apply while physically in Australia and outside immigration clearance; eligible subsequent entrants may have different location rules. Applicants who previously held subclass 485 or 476 as a primary applicant may face restrictions on further grants. Carefully distinguish the special Second Post-Higher Education Work stream.
Eligible family members may join under the published subclass 485 arrangements, but should not borrow the recently changed subclass 500 dependent rules without reviewing the correct visa-specific provisions.
An unusually important 2026 cost update
The Department currently publishes a starting price of AUD 5,750 for the Post-Higher Education Work stream, with additional charges for accompanying family members and limited concessions. The price is not interchangeable with a historical 485 fee or necessarily the cost of every stream.
The usual Post-Vocational Education Work stay is 18 months, subject to eligibility and passport-based differences. Higher education graduates commonly receive two or three years based on the qualification, and qualifying Hong Kong or BNO holders may receive five years. A further regional graduate visa has additional conditions.
A visa grant starts on the date specified in the grant notice. Time spent outside Australia does not generally extend the visa. If future work or permanent residence is a goal, treat employer sponsorship, occupation skills assessment, English language, income and any state nomination as separate future criteria.
How to choose the right route
An engineering bachelor graduate with an eligible Australian degree should ordinarily investigate the Post-Higher Education Work criteria, not the vocational occupation route. They should validate age, recent completion, student visa history, English and health documents before lodging.
A trade diploma graduate should examine whether the nominated occupation and assessing body satisfy Post-Vocational Education Work requirements. A valid diploma and a professional job offer do not eliminate skills assessment obligations.
A doctoral graduate aged 39 could be within a specified under-50 higher-education exception, but must prove the qualifying degree and all other criteria. A former Post-Study Work holder hoping for an additional regional year must separately assess the Second Post-Higher Education Work conditions.
Questions worth resolving before you apply
What is subclass 485 for?
Temporary residence, work and study after eligible Australian qualifications; it does not itself grant permanent residence.
Are the old Graduate Work stream names still correct?
The programme was renamed from 1 July 2024. Use the current official stream names.
Is the age limit 35?
Usually yes, with specified stream- and passport- or research-degree-based exceptions.
Can I lodge the main application from overseas?
The Department says primary applicants normally must be in Australia, other than the distinct location arrangements for qualifying subsequent entrants.
Does a diploma graduate need a skills assessment?
Usually yes for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream; verify the assessing authority and nominated occupation.
How long does the higher education stream last?
Usually two or three years depending on qualification, with special rules for certain passport holders and treaty cohorts.
Is a second 485 always possible?
No. Only a defined regional Second Post-Higher Education Work stream may fit some holders.
Can I use an IELTS score from university admission?
Not automatically. Confirm the visa’s current English criteria, test date and exemption rules.
Are my student visa family rules the same on subclass 485?
No. Each subclass has its own current dependent criteria.
Is AUD5,750 the visa fee for every applicant?
It is the published starting charge for a particular higher-education stream; use the official estimator for actual costs.
Does 485 automatically lead to 186?
No. Subclass 186 has employer nomination and separate permanent residence requirements.
Can a previous 485 holder apply again as primary?
Generally restricted except as provided by the distinct second-stream provisions; check the specific visa history.
Verified research note · 23 October 2026
Temporary Graduate 485: compare eligibility and current stream charges
The subclass 485 has distinct Post-Vocational Education Work, Post-Higher Education Work and Second Post-Higher Education Work streams. An applicant must identify the correct stream when applying; the Department notes that the stream cannot be changed after an application is lodged.
Home Affairs currently lists a primary application charge from AUD 5,750 for the Post-Vocational and Post-Higher Education Work streams, versus AUD 2,265 for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. These charges are stream-specific; limited concessions and other costs can apply. Recheck the official pricing estimator on the actual application date.
Applicants are generally aged 35 or under at application, with specific exceptions. Review the relevant qualification level, recent Student visa history, Australian study requirement, the timing of course completion, health insurance, English rules and any required occupation or skills assessment. Do not apply one stream’s work-duration or age exception to another.
For the second regional post-higher education work route, document the qualifying first temporary graduate visa, the regional location of the education provider, regional residence and any location-related conditions. A Temporary Graduate visa is time-limited and does not create an automatic permanent-residence entitlement.
Primary sources: Current Temporary Graduate subclass 485 guide
General information only. Confirm eligibility under current legislation and seek independent professional advice for an individual application.
The graduate visa eligibility timeline
The most important part of a subclass 485 plan is usually not the form itself; it is coordinating course completion, qualification evidence, current visa status and an eligible application window. Create a dated timeline that begins with the provider’s official course completion confirmation, not the graduation ceremony. Retain evidence of the course, the awarding institution, the course registration and the relevant period of Australian study. Distinguish the date a qualification was completed from the date a certificate was printed or a ceremony occurred.
Identify the correct current stream before checking conditions. The Department’s current Temporary Graduate visa framework distinguishes the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, the Post-Higher Education Work stream and the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. They have different education histories, streams and eligibility tests. A person should not select a stream based on a discontinued label found on an old migration article, and applicants should not assume that having studied in Australia automatically qualifies them.
Age limits, possible exemptions, English evidence and required study history may depend on the stream and individual characteristics. Document the applicant’s passport, immigration history, course completion letter, transcripts, English test results and any required occupational skills assessment. Some evidence must exist by a legally relevant date rather than merely being produced sometime after lodgement. That timing is a material risk and requires checking against the live stream-specific Home Affairs requirements.
Keep a separate decision record for family. If family members are involved, check whether they may be included in the applicant’s circumstances and what identity, relationship, health and character evidence is needed. The recently amended Student visa subclass 500 family restrictions should not simply be copied over to a subclass 485 visa; these are separate legal pathways and must be checked independently.
Finally, distinguish the temporary graduate stay from permanent migration. A 485 grant may provide a period to work or make further plans, but it does not guarantee state nomination, employer sponsorship, a SkillSelect invitation or permanent residence. Compare potential next steps with their specific occupation, skills and employment criteria, and check current government fees using the official pricing estimator immediately before filing.
Official reference: Home Affairs — subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa. For individual cases, verify the latest visa conditions and legal timing requirements with an authorised professional.
Stream-specific graduate evidence and family rules
Compare the three streams before calculating cost
Subclass 485 contains different routes for different qualifications and earlier visa histories. Post-Vocational Education Work generally relates to a qualifying associate degree, diploma or trade qualification and an eligible nominated occupation. Post-Higher Education Work relates to a qualifying bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. Second Post-Higher Education Work is a separate route with regional and first-grant conditions. Selecting the wrong stream can make apparently helpful evidence irrelevant. Check the study requirement and age exceptions for that exact stream rather than relying on a headline about ‘graduates under 35’.
Distinguish the fees and the family rule from subclass 500
The Department presently lists the primary application charge from AUD 5,750 for the Post-Vocational and Post-Higher Education streams and from AUD 2,265 for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, subject to applicable concessions and additional costs. These figures should never be presented as one universal subclass 485 fee. Unlike the new Student visa 500 rule, relevant subclass 485 family provisions may permit a family member to join as a subsequent entrant. The timing, location, health insurance, health and character requirements depend on the 485 stream and the individual’s circumstances. Readers should not apply the 500 subsequent-entrant prohibition to 485.
Create an application timetable with three kinds of dates
Capture the dates of course completion, the relevant qualification award or official completion letter, and the most recent qualifying Student visa and application window. Also record the first eligible skills assessment or test result where necessary. These events are not interchangeable, and graduation ceremonies may occur well after a provider confirms course completion. For Second Post-Higher Education Work, use the first 485 grant and documented study and residence regions as a separate timeline. An applicant close to the end of a temporary visa should obtain an individual lawful-status assessment; filing an EOI for skilled migration does not automatically create a bridging arrangement.
What the graduate visa does not promise
A graduate visa is a temporary opportunity to work or study while meeting its conditions; it does not assure employer sponsorship, permanent residence, a particular employment outcome or a second graduate visa. Employment and occupation rules for later skilled pathways need their own assessment and timing. Avoid advertising this programme as an automatic ‘post-study PR visa’. Describe potential subsequent routes as separate conditional decisions. The Department’s current processing-time guidance and official listing should be rechecked immediately before quoting any likely timetable or fee.
Official source: Department of Home Affairs — relevant visa and stream requirements. Recheck current rules, charges and dates before relying on this editorial guide.
Document timing audit · 23 October 2026
Course completion is not the graduation ceremony
For subclass 485, the six-month application window is tied to completion of the relevant course, not necessarily the day a university holds its graduation ceremony or prints a degree certificate. Home Affairs describes completion as the point when the academic requirements have been met and the education provider has notified the student in writing. Record that notification date alongside the last study date, award date, visa expiry and proposed lodgement date. Confusing these milestones can cause a late application.
The Temporary Graduate study requirement generally involves at least two academic years of eligible study completed over a minimum of 16 calendar months while physically present in Australia on an appropriate visa. Eligible course combinations and the treatment of credit, offshore study and specified past online-study concessions require separate examination. A provider completion letter should document course and campus dates, distance study, study load, language of instruction and relevant credits; keep official transcripts with it.
Do not transfer the Student visa subclass 500’s new October 2026 family restrictions to subclass 485. Home Affairs separately describes subsequent entrant arrangements for eligible family members of Temporary Graduate visa holders. Whether a family member qualifies must be assessed under the relevant 485 criteria.
Official references: 485 study requirement · Temporary Graduate visa overview.
General information only; obtain independent professional migration advice for an individual application where appropriate.
Official source library
This guide draws on the official sources below. Australian visa criteria and fees can change; always verify the latest Department of Home Affairs requirements before lodging an application.
- Home Affairs — subclass 485 overview
- Home Affairs — Post-Vocational Education Work
- Home Affairs — Post-Higher Education Work
- Home Affairs — Second Post-Higher Education Work
- Home Affairs — reforms from July 2024
- Home Affairs — Australian study requirement
Research baseline: 21 October 2026. Fees, thresholds, eligibility and application availability may change. Always verify visa conditions, charges and document rules with the Australian Government when preparing an application.
Continue with official information
Review the relevant Department of Home Affairs requirements. Personal advice should come from an appropriately authorised practitioner.