This is an onshore temporary visa designed for overseas students who have completed their studies in Australia but does not meet requirements for permanent visas. This visa may give them a chance to gain working experience, attend a professional year, or improve their English language skills before becoming eligible for a permanent visa.

A prospective primary applicant, in general,:

• must be under 50 years (unless NIL VAC applies)
• must be in Australia
• must hold and/or have held an eligible visa
• must meet Australian study requirement (ASR) - exemptions apply to subsequent 485 applications
• meet English language requirements- exemptions apply to subsequent 485 applications
• must have graduated recently- exemptions apply to subsequent 485 applications
• must meet stream specific requirements (graduate work or post-study or replacement)
• must meet health and character requirements
• must have adequate health insurance
• must not have held 476 or 485 visa as a primary visa holder - exemptions apply to subsequent 485 applications
• may include family members

An eligible visa is, generally, a student visa other than Foreign Affairs student or Defence Student or a family member student visa. In certain circumstances, an applicant may hold other substantive visa or a bridging visa or no visa.

Australian study requirement is satisfied if the applicant has completed 1 or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for award by an Australian educational institution as a result of a course or courses:

(a) that are registered courses; and

(b) that were completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months; and

(c) that were completed as a result of a total of at least 2 academic years study; and

(d) for which all instruction was conducted in English; and

(e) that the applicant undertook while in Australia as the holder of a visa authorising the applicant to study.

The Australian study requirement must have been satisfied in the last 6 months.

English language requirement (unless exempted or a Hong Kong and BNO passport holder): 

Required test scores
Item	If the English language test is …	the required test scores for that test are …
1	the CAE	(a) an overall band score of at least 176; and (b) a score of at least 162 for each test component of the CAE.
2	the IELTS	(a) an overall band score of at least 6.5; and (b) a score of at least 5.5 for each test component of the IELTS.
3	the OET	a score of at least B for each test component of the OET.
4	the PTE	(a) an overall band score of at least 57; and (b) for the listening test component of the PTE—a score of at least 43; and (c) for the reading test component of the PTE —a score of at least 48; and (d) for the speaking test component of the PTE —a score of at least 42; and (e) for the writing test component of the PTE —a score of at least 51.
5	the TOEFL iBT	(a) a total overall score of at least 83; and (b) for the listening test component of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 7; and (c) for the reading test component of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 8; and (d) for the speaking test component of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 16; and (e) for the writing test component of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 18.

Required English language test scores for Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders 

Required test scores
Item	If the English language test is …	and the applicant is the holder of a Hong Kong or British National (Overseas) passport, the required test scores for that test are …
1	the CAE	(a) an overall band score of at least 169; and (b) a score of at least 154 for each test component of the CAE.
2	the IELTS	(a) an overall band score of at least 6; and (b) a score of at least 5 for each test component of the IELTS.
3	the OET	a score of at least B for each test component of the OET.
4	the PTE	(a) an overall band score of at least 50; and (b) a score of at least 36 for each test component of the PTE.
5	the TOEFL iBT	(a) a total overall score of at least 64; and (b) for the listening and reading test components of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 4; and (c) for the speaking and writing test components of the TOEFL iBT—a score of at least 14.

Stream Specific Requirements - Post-study Stream

An applicant must have held their first student on the basis of an application made on or after 5 November 2011.

The qualification used to satisfy Australian Study Requirement must be a result of study undertaken at Australian Qualifications Framework level seven or higher:

(a) Bachelor Degree;
(b) Bachelor (Honours) Degree;
(c) Masters by Coursework Degree;
(d) Masters by Research Degree;
(e) Masters (Extended) Degree and/or;
(f) Doctoral Degree.

STREAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS - GRADUATE WORK STREAM

An applicant must nominate a skilled occuapation on MLTSSL. [This requirement has been temporarily removed for applications lodged between 1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023].

The qualification used to satisfy Australian Study Requirement is closely related to the nominated skilled occupation. [This requirement has been temporarily removed for applications lodged between 1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023].

An applicant needs to apply and obtain a positive skills assessment for the nominated skilled occupation. [This requirement has been temporarily removed for applications lodged between 1 July 2022 - 30 June 2023].

Fees and Visa grant Period

Stream	Application Fee	Visa Period
Post-study	$1,895	2-4 years* (plus 2 years for select degrees)
Graduate Work	$1,895	18 months

 

*Post-study stream - visa grant period (plus 2 years for select degrees):

Bachelor: 2 year visa period
Bachelor with Honours: 2 year visa period (Indian passport holders +1 year)
Master by Coursework: 3 year visa period
Master (extended): 3 year visa period
Master by Research: 3 year visa period
Doctorate: 4 year visa period
Hong Kong and BNO passport holder who completed a degree: 5 years

 

 

Source: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman/Pages/morrison-government-increases-regional-migration-target.aspx

Expected Definition of Regional Australia

Definition	Locations
Major Cities	Sydney Melbourne Brisbane
Designated city or major regional centre	Perth Adelaide the Gold Coast/the Sunshine Coast Newcastle/Lake Macquarie Wollongong/Illawarra Canberra Geelong Hobart
Regional centre or other regional area	All other locations

A designated regional area means:

                     (a)  a designated city or major regional centre; or

                     (b)  a regional centre or other regional area.

 

 Requirements for a second 485 Visa (primary applicant, in general):

• an applicant must be in Australia
• an applican must hold a Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa in the Post‑Study Work stream or a Subclass 485 visa in the Replacement stream which was granted on the basis of previously holding a Subclass 485 visa in the Post-Study Work stream
• for 2 years visa: an applicant was granted the first visa on the basis of study undertaken in a regional centre or other regional area at an educational institution located in the regional centre or other regional area and lived only in a regional centre or other regional area while undertaking the study
• for 2 years visa: intends to live, work or study only in a regional centre or other regional area
• for 2 years visa: an applicant lived, worked or studied only in a regional centre or other regional area for a period of at least 2 years immediately before applying for the second visa
• for 1 year visa: an applicant was granted the first visa on the basis of study undertaken in a a designated regional area at an educational institution located in  a designated regional area and lived only in a  a designated regional area while undertaking the study
• for 1 year visa: an applicant lived, worked or studied only in a designated regional area for a period of at least 2 years immediately before applying for the second visa
• for 1 year visa: intends to live, work or study only in a designated regional area
• for 1 year visa: an applicant cannot satisfy the requirements for 2 years visa
• must meet health and character requirements
• must have adequate health insurance

The second 485 visa will be granted with a condition 8610 requiring a visa holder to live, work and study in a regional centre or other regional area OR a designated regional area as applicable.

FEES AND VISA GRANT PERIOD

Applicable Regional Australia	Application Fee	Visa Period
Regional centre or other regional area	$745	2 years (plus 2 years for select degrees if extension not given previously)
A designated regional area	$745	1 year (plus 2 years for select degrees  if extension not given previously)

This stream allows holders of 485 visas to obtain another Subclass 485 visa if they were unable to stay in Australia for the full period of grant of their previous visa due to the international travel restrictions in force from 1 February 2020 to 14 December 2021. Australia’s borders fully reopened to Subclass 485 visa holders on 15 December 2021.

Visas in the Replacement stream will be granted for the same stay period as the original visa held, as per the visa stream, and level of the applicant’s qualification where applicable.

The Replacement stream will be open for application to current and former Subclass 485 visa holders, regardless of their location at the time of application, where the primary visa holder:

· was outside Australia when the original Subclass 485 visa was granted; entered Australia on the original visa before 15 December 2021; and then departed Australia after this entry but before 15 December 2021 while holding the original visa; or

· was in Australia when the original Subclass 485 visa was granted; and was outside of Australia at any time between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 while holding the original visa.

A prospective primary applicant, in general,:

• must be under 50 years
• can be in any location (except for immigration clearance)
• an applicant must hold a specific visa if in Australia at the time of application (please consult your migration professional)
• must lodge the application between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2026
• must hold or have held a Subclass 485 visa granted on the basis of satisfying the primary criteria (the first visa) that
• was granted before 15 December 2021; and
• was in effect on or after 1 February 2020;
• must have been outside Australia between 1 February 2020 to 14 December 2021

• if the applicant was outside Australia when the first visa was granted:

                                (i)  the applicant must have entered Australia on a day on which the first visa was in effect and that occurred before 15 December 2021; and

                               (ii)  the applicant must have later departed Australia on a day on which the first visa was in effect and that occurred before 15 December 2021

• if the applicant was in Australia when the first visa was granted—the applicant must have been outside Australia on a day on which the first visa was in effect and that occurred between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021;

• must meet health and character requirements
• must have adequate health insurance
• may include family members

Visa application charge: $1,895

Period of stay: same as the period on the first 485 visa

Eligible group of graduates: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00916

In addition, there will be a NIL visa application charge if an applicant meets the following requirements:

- the applicant holds a Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa in the Post‑Study Work stream or in the Replacement stream and is applying for a subsequent Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa in the Post‑Study Work stream

- the applicant holds the eligible qualification - see above the eligible group of graduates

- the applicant does not apply for another 485 visa on the basis of studying in a designated regional area (except for the extension from a second regional 485 PSW visa to a NIL VAC visa) 

- the NIL VAC is available only once to the applicant

- the applicant is not a HK or BNO passport holder

The applicant will be granted:

- extra 2 years on their 485 visa they are applying for or

- a new 485 visa with 2 years validity if a NIL VAC applies

That means this will extend post study stay in Australia from:

- two years to four years for select Bachelor degrees
- three years to five years for select Masters degrees
- four years to six years for all Doctoral degrees.

THIS VISA SUBCLASS HAS BEEN CLOSED TO NEW APPLICATIONS

This is a temporary visa intended to permit students who have graduated from certain overseas tertiary institutions to come to Australia.

An applicant:

• must be under 31 years
• must have completed an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution in the past two years
• must not have held 476 or 485 visa as a primary visa holder
• must meet English language requirements
• must meet health and character requirements
• may include family members

An eligible engineering qualification is a degree engineering qualification awarded by an institution

(a) whose name is published on the website of an accrediting body that is a signatory to the Washington Accord; AND
(b) that conducts a course that is accredited by that accrediting body under the Washington Accord

OR

Country	Institution
Argentina	Catholic University of Argentina
Brazil	Federal University of Minas Gerais
Chile	Universidad Catolica del Norte Catholic University of Chile -Antofagasta University of Chile University of Concepcion
Finland	HUT, Helsinki
Germany	RWTH, Aachen Technical University of Berlin Technical University of Clausthal TU Bergakademie Freiberg University of Hannover
Hungary	University of Miskolc
India	Anna University—Chennai Banaras Hindu University—Varanasi Indian Institute of Science—Bangalore Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Indian School of Mines—Dhanbad
Iran	Amir Kabir University of Technology University of Tehran
PRC China	Beijing Normal University Beijing Petroleum University Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing University of Technology (formerly Beijing Polytechnic University) China University of Mining & Technology—Beijing Guangzhou University Shanghai University of Engineering Science Shanghai Jiaotong University Tongji University Tsinghua University University of Science and Technology—Beijing
Philippines	University of the Philippines
Poland	Wroclaw University of Technology
Slovakia	TU Kosice
Sweden	Lulea University of Technology
Tanzania	University of Dar es Salaam

 

English language requirement:

Application fee: $465

Visa validity: 18 months

PLEASE NOTE: All information valid as at 24/03/2024. Last updated on 24/03/2024 to reflect legislation changes in a subclass 485 visa. OZ HOME MIGRATION does not guarantee all information is correct and professional advice should be sought in relation to the above information.