Student and graduate visas · Subclass 485
Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa — Stay and Work After Your Australian Study
The 485 visa Australia grants to recent graduates is the post study work visa. It gives 18 months to five years with full work rights. Dates and documents decide it. Your age, your completion date, the English test date and the police check date all count. This page covers the four streams, the windows and the charges from 1 July 2026.
What is the 485 visa?
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa lets an international student stay and work in Australia after finishing a CRICOS-registered course. It has four streams, chosen by qualification. It gives full work rights for 18 months to five years. It does not lead to permanent residence on its own.
Key facts
- Under 35 at application for most people. Under 50 for Hong Kong and BNO passport holders and research or doctoral graduates.
- Course completed within six months before you apply, and at least 16 months and 92 CRICOS weeks long.
- English test within 12 months of applying, unless your passport is exempt.
- AFP police check applied for within 12 months before you apply. State checks are not accepted.
- The charge from 1 July 2026 is $5,750 for the standard first 485. No second instalment.
- Full work rights and the right to study. Health insurance for the whole visa.
- The stream cannot be changed once lodged.
Which 485 visa stream applies to you?
Every subclass 485 visa application nominates one stream. Whether you searched for graduate visa australia or visa 485 australia, this is the visa. The stream follows your qualification and sets the visa period.
| Stream | Who it is for | Usual period |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Vocational Education Work | Diploma, advanced diploma, associate degree or trade graduates. An occupation on the current list and a skills assessment applied for | 18 months |
| Post-Higher Education Work, first visa | Bachelor, honours, masters or doctoral graduates. No occupation or skills assessment | 2 years; 3 for research or doctoral degrees; 5 for Hong Kong or BNO passports |
| Post-Higher Education Work, second visa | A previous 485 holder. Two years living, working and studying only in a permitted regional area before applying | +2 years: regional centre, other regional area, or Tasmania. +1 year: a designated city or major regional centre outside Tasmania. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane: not eligible |
| Replacement | Family of a current Replacement stream holder only | Matches the holder |
What are the 485 visa requirements?
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Age | Under 35 when you apply. Under 50 for Hong Kong or BNO passport holders, masters by research and doctoral graduates. |
| Current visa | You are in Australia on an eligible student visa. Or it ended within the last six months and you hold a bridging visa. Check VEVO. |
| Study | A CRICOS-registered course taught in English in Australia. At least 16 calendar months and 92 CRICOS weeks. Completed within the six months before you apply. |
| Completion date | The date the institution notified you the academic requirements were met. Not the ceremony, not the conferral. |
| English | IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each component, or the equivalent in another accepted test, within 12 months. UK, US, Canadian, New Zealand and Irish passports are exempt. |
| Police check | AFP National Police Certificate, code 33, applied for within 12 months, for every applicant aged 16 or over. |
| Health insurance | Adequate cover when you apply and for the whole visa, for every applicant. |
| Previous visas | No previous 476 or 485 held as the main applicant in the same stream. A cap applies to the number of 485 visas. |
| Health and character | The standard health and character requirements. Family members included must also meet them. |
How much does the 485 visa cost?
The government charge is tiered. Work out the main applicant's tier first; the family charges in that tier then apply to each person included.
| Applicant | Main applicant | Each additional 18+ | Each additional under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard first 485 | $5,750 | $2,875 | $1,450 |
| Second regional 485, current 485 holder | $2,265 | $1,140 | $575 |
| Pacific-regional passport, no current 485 | $2,360 | $1,180 | $595 |
| Pacific-regional passport, current 485 holder | $930 | $465 | $235 |
| Second instalment | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Other costs are the English test, the AFP check, the skills assessment in the vocational stream and health insurance. The charge is paid at lodgement and is not refunded on refusal.
How do you apply for the 485 temporary graduate visa?
- Confirm the completion dateGet the letter that states the date the academic requirements were met.
- Choose the streamDiploma or trade to the vocational stream; degree to the higher-education stream. It cannot be changed later.
- Book the English test and apply for the AFP checkBoth must sit inside the 12-month window at lodgement.
- Vocational stream: apply for the skills assessmentBefore or with the visa application, for the same occupation.
- Arrange health insuranceCover from the application date for every applicant.
- Lodge inside AustraliaOnline, within six months of completion and while your student visa or bridging visa is current.
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The 485 Graduate Visa Handbook
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The 485 Graduate Visa Handbook
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What comes after the 485 visa?
| Route | What it needs | Where to read |
|---|---|---|
| Points-tested skilled visa | A skills assessment, English, points and an invitation for the 189, 190 or 491 | Skilled migration visas |
| Employer sponsorship | A sponsor and a nominated occupation for the 482, then the 186 after two years | Employer sponsored visas |
| Regional | Study or work in a regional area for state nomination and the second 485 | State nomination |
| Partner | A partner visa where the relationship qualifies | Partner visas |
A skills assessment can take months and an invitation is not guaranteed. Graduates who start in the last six months of the visa run out of time.
Subclass 485 visa: frequently asked questions
Does a 485 visa lead to PR?
No, not by itself. The 485 is temporary and ends on its expiry date. What it gives is time in Australia with full work rights. Most graduates use that time to build a permanent route. The main ones are a points-tested visa such as the 189, 190 or 491. Others are employer sponsorship through a 482 and then a 186, or regional study and work. Start that plan in the first months, not the last.
Does a 485 visa give full working rights?
Yes. The 485 has no work restriction. You can work for any employer, in any occupation, full time. It also lets you study. The conditions that do apply are health insurance and, on a second regional visa, staying regional. Family members included in your visa have the same work rights. Check any employer's award before you start. No employer sponsorship is needed.
What is the new rule about the 485 visa in Australia?
The rules changed on 1 July 2024 and again on charges from 1 July 2026. The age limit is under 35 for most applicants. The streams were renamed Post-Vocational Education Work and Post-Higher Education Work. The extra two years for select degrees ended. Since March 2024 an English test must be within 12 months of applying. From 1 July 2026 the standard charge is $5,750.
Is the 485 a bridging visa?
No. A bridging visa keeps you lawful while another application is decided. The 485 is a substantive visa in its own right. It is granted for a fixed period of 18 months to five years. When you apply for the 485 inside Australia you receive a bridging visa while it is processed. That bridging visa lets you stay and, in most cases, work until the 485 decision. Do not leave Australia on it without checking travel rights first.
How long does a 485 visa last?
It depends on the stream and the qualification. The vocational stream usually runs 18 months. A bachelor, honours, masters by coursework or graduate diploma gives two years. A masters by research or a doctorate gives three years. Hong Kong or BNO passport holders receive five years. A second regional visa adds two years for a regional centre, other regional area or Tasmania. A designated city or major regional centre adds one year. The period starts on the grant date. Check the area category before you plan.
How much does a 485 visa cost?
From 1 July 2026 the standard charge is $5,750 for the main applicant. Each additional applicant 18 or over adds $2,875, and each under 18 adds $1,450. A second regional 485 for a current holder is $2,265. Pacific-regional passport holders pay a lower tier. There is no second instalment. The charge is not refunded if the application is refused. Confirm the tier before you pay.
What is the age limit for the 485 visa?
Under 35 at the time of application for most people, since 1 July 2024. Three groups keep the limit of under 50. They are Hong Kong or BNO passport holders, masters by research graduates and doctoral graduates. The age is tested on the day you apply, not the day you finish your course. A 34-year-old who waits past a birthday loses the visa. Lodge before the birthday, not after.
Which 485 stream should I choose?
The stream follows the qualification. A diploma, advanced diploma, associate degree or trade qualification uses the Post-Vocational Education Work stream. A bachelor degree or higher uses the Post-Higher Education Work stream. A previous 485 holder who lived and studied in a regional area can apply for a second regional visa. The stream cannot be changed after lodgement. Confirm it in writing before collecting documents.
Do I need a skills assessment for the 485?
Only in the Post-Vocational Education Work stream. You nominate an occupation on the current skilled list for that stream. Your qualification must be closely related to it. The skills assessment must be applied for before or at the same time as the visa. The Post-Higher Education Work stream needs no occupation and no skills assessment at all. Assessing authorities can take months, so start early.
What police check does the 485 need?
An Australian Federal Police National Police Certificate, code 33, applied for within the 12 months before you lodge. Every applicant aged 16 or over needs one. A state or territory police check is not accepted. If the certificate has not arrived, the application receipt with its reference number is the evidence. Overseas police certificates may be requested later. Allow two to four weeks for the certificate.
Check the windows before your course ends.
A free eligibility check tells you which stream fits, whether you are inside every window today, and what to prepare.
Visa Advisor, based in Sydney, NSW, is a MARA-registered migration practice advising families in Australia and overseas on parent visas.
Sources and last checked dates
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Compilation No. 288, 1 July 2026 (F2026C00667) — Schedule 2 Part 485; Schedule 1 item 1229; Schedule 8 conditions 8501, 8503, 8610 read 25 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration (English Language Requirements for Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) Visas) Instrument (LIN 25/089) read 25 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Home Affairs — Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) checked 25 September 2026 open ↗
Reviewed by a Registered Migration Agent · MARN 0852408. Visa charges change every 1 July and queue dates move during the year. Confirm the current figure with the source before acting on anything on this page.