Your Guide to the Post Graduate Visa Australia (Subclass 485)

So, you’ve finished your degree in Australia—a massive achievement. After all that hard work, the next logical step is to turn your qualification into real-world experience. But how do you make that leap?

This is exactly where the Post-Graduate Visa, officially known as the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485), comes into play. Think of it less like a piece of paper and more like a purpose-built bridge connecting your life as a student to your future as a professional.

Disclaimer: Visa regulations are complex and change frequently. The information provided in this article is for general guidance only and may not be current at the time of reading. For advice tailored to your specific circumstances, you must book an appointment with a registered migration agent. For current government visa fees, please always refer to the official Department of Home Affairs website.**

Your Bridge From Student to Skilled Worker in Australia

This visa is designed specifically for international students like you. It gives you the legal right to stay in the country after your studies end, letting you hunt for a job and dive headfirst into the Australian workplace.

It’s an absolutely critical period for building your professional network, getting a feel for the local industry, and finally putting all that academic knowledge into practice.

Understanding Your Two Main Options

The Subclass 485 visa isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. It splits into two main streams, each tailored to different types of qualifications, and it's vital to know which one fits your situation.

The Graduate Work Stream: This path is typically for graduates of vocational (VET) courses, like diplomas or trade qualifications. The catch here is that your occupation usually needs to be on a specific skilled occupation list.
The Post-Study Work Stream: This is the most common route for university graduates who have completed a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. It offers a lot more flexibility because it generally isn’t tied to an occupation list.

Getting this choice right is non-negotiable. Picking the wrong stream can lead straight to a visa refusal, so understanding the difference from the get-go is key to a successful application.

Why This Visa Matters

It’s hard to overstate just how important the Temporary Graduate visa is. Australia’s temporary visa population is huge, and a report noted there were 136,577 Temporary Graduate visa holders at the end of 2025—a massive slice of the total temporary visa cohort.

This number alone shows how much value is placed on graduates from Australian institutions. Many international students use their post-graduate visa to land fantastic positions, including various graduate programs and early career opportunities in Australia.

Choosing Your Pathway: Which 485 Visa Stream Is for You?

So, you’ve finished your studies in Australia—congratulations! Now comes the next big step: the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa. But it's not a one-size-fits-all deal. Think of the 485 visa as a fork in the road with two very different paths: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.

Your Australian qualification is the compass that tells you which path to take. Picking the right one isn’t just a minor detail; it’s the most critical decision you'll make at this stage, and it will make or break your application.

Let's imagine two recent graduates. One just earned a Diploma of Hospitality Management and wants to be a chef. The other finished a Master of Information Technology and is ready to jump into the tech industry. Both want to stay and work, but their qualifications mean they have to follow completely different visa journeys. The system is set up to recognise these distinctions, and your first job is to figure out exactly where you fit.

This simple flowchart can help you see which way your qualification points you.

As you can see, it all comes down to what you studied.

The Graduate Work Stream Explained

The Graduate Work stream is tailor-made for international students whose qualifications have given them skills in an occupation Australia actually needs. This is the go-to option for those who’ve completed a diploma, associate degree, or a trade qualification—often from a Vocational Education and Training (VET) provider like TAFE.

The defining characteristic of this stream is its direct link to the Australian job market. To be eligible, you have to tick a few specific boxes:

Occupation on the List: You must nominate an occupation that is on the relevant skilled occupation list. This list is updated based on Australia's economic needs, so you need to check the current version.
A Positive Skills Assessment: This is a big one. You need to have your skills formally assessed by the correct authority for your nominated occupation. It’s an independent check to confirm you meet the Australian standards for that job.
Closely Related Study: Your qualification must be directly relevant to the occupation you’re nominating.

For instance, if you graduated with a Diploma of Automotive Technology, you’d likely nominate "Motor Mechanic" as your occupation. You would then need to get a positive skills assessment from an organisation like Trades Recognition Australia, proving your diploma gave you the right skills for the job.

The Post-Study Work Stream Explained

On the other hand, the Post-Study Work stream offers a lot more freedom. This is the main pathway for graduates who have completed a higher education degree—a bachelor's, master's, or PhD—from an Australian university.

The biggest advantage here is flexibility. You aren’t tied to a skilled occupation list, and you don’t need to get a skills assessment for the visa application itself.

This means someone with a Bachelor of Commerce can explore jobs in marketing, HR, finance, or management without being locked into one specific role. The focus here is on the level of your qualification, not the specific field of study.

Comparing the Two Streams

To really spell it out, let’s put the two streams side-by-side. This table breaks down the main differences and shows how your qualification determines which post graduate visa Australia pathway is open to you.

Subclass 485 Visa Streams At a Glance

Feature	Graduate Work Stream	Post-Study Work Stream
Eligible Qualification	Diploma, trade qualification, or associate degree	Bachelor's, master's, or doctoral (PhD) degree
Occupation on List?	Yes, your occupation must be on the relevant skilled occupation list.	No, this is not a requirement.
Skills Assessment	Yes, a positive skills assessment is mandatory.	No, a skills assessment is generally not required for the visa application.
Visa Duration	Typically up to 18 months.	Typically between two to four years, depending on the qualification.

Getting this right from the start is absolutely essential. An error at this stage isn't something you can easily fix later, so take the time to understand where your qualification places you. It’s the foundation of your entire application.

Building Your Decision-Ready Application Checklist

Getting your Temporary Graduate visa application right comes down to one thing: meticulous preparation. The goal is to submit what we call a ‘decision-ready’ application—one that’s complete, accurate, and so well-organised that a case officer can assess it without hitting any roadblocks. This is the single best way to avoid frustrating delays.

Think of it less as one giant task and more as a series of crucial milestones you need to tick off before you hit ‘submit’.

And here's the most important deadline to burn into your memory: you must lodge your post graduate visa Australia application within six months of your official course completion date. This isn’t your graduation ceremony day; it’s the date you’re formally told you’ve passed everything. That six-month window slams shut faster than you think, so starting early isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential.

Let's break this whole thing down into a manageable, step-by-step checklist.

Core Documents for All Applicants

No matter which stream you’re applying for, everyone needs to pull together a foundational set of documents. These are the non-negotiables that prove who you are, what you’ve studied, and that you meet the basic requirements to stay in Australia. Miss one, and your application grinds to a halt.

Identity Documents: You'll need your current passport, a recent passport-sized photo, and a copy of your birth certificate. Pro tip: make sure your passport has plenty of validity left on it.
Proof of Australian Study: This is the absolute cornerstone of your application. You’ll need your official academic transcript and a completion letter from your university or college confirming you’ve met the Australian study requirement.
Health Insurance (OVHC): Big one here—you can’t just keep your student visa health cover (OSHC). You must get adequate Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) for the entire time you plan to be on the visa and show proof of it in your application.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Check: You need a certificate from an AFP National Police Check. The critical part? You must have applied for this check before you lodge your visa. The application receipt is enough to get you started, but they'll need the actual certificate later.

Proving Your English Language Proficiency

Showing you have a decent grasp of English is a mandatory hurdle. The Department of Home Affairs accepts scores from a few different recognised tests, and you must have taken the test within the three years right before you apply.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System): An overall score of at least 6.0, with nothing less than 5.0 in listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English): An overall score of at least 50, with a minimum of 36 in each of the four skills.
TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language): A total score of at least 64, with minimums of 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing, and 14 for speaking.

Studying for these exams takes time, and test centres fill up fast. We always tell our clients to book their test well in advance to sidestep any last-minute panic. If you need a hand getting ready, you can learn more about nailing your exam in our guide to English proficiency support.

Stream-Specific Requirements: A Key Distinction

Okay, once you have the core documents sorted, the path splits. What you need next depends entirely on your stream—Graduate Work or Post-Study Work. Getting this part wrong is a classic, and very avoidable, reason for a visa refusal.

If you’re on the Graduate Work stream, you have one extra, vital job: get a positive skills assessment. This has to come from the official assessing authority for your nominated occupation. Just like the AFP check, you need to have at least applied for it before you lodge the visa. This process can take weeks, sometimes months, so it should be one of the very first things you get onto.

For those in the Post-Study Work stream, you can breathe a little easier. A skills assessment generally isn't needed for the visa application itself. Your main job is to make dead certain your qualification (your bachelor's, master's, or PhD) ticks all the boxes for this stream.

By methodically working through this checklist, you turn what feels like a massive, intimidating task into a straightforward project. It's the best way to put yourself in the strongest possible position for a yes.

The Other Big Hurdles: Health, Character, and English

Okay, so you’ve got the study requirements down. But getting your post-graduate visa isn't just about your academic transcript. The Australian government also needs to know you meet some fundamental standards for health, character, and English.

Think of these as the three non-negotiable pillars holding up your application. If one of them is shaky, the whole thing could come crashing down. These aren't just boxes to tick; they’re about showing you can be a positive and safe member of the Australian community. Getting these right from the start will save you a world of stress and potential delays.

Passing the Health Examination

Australia takes its public health seriously, which is why most visa applicants—including for the Subclass 485—have to get a medical check-up.

Don't let this intimidate you. It’s a pretty standard process with a government-approved doctor (a panel physician). The exam usually involves a few key things:

A general physical check-up
A chest X-ray
Blood tests (like one for HIV)

The main goal is to screen for serious conditions that could be a public health risk, like active tuberculosis. The best advice? Book this appointment as soon as you start getting your application together, as clinics can get booked out well in advance.

Proving You’re of Good Character

The character requirement is exactly what it sounds like—it’s an assessment of your past behaviour to ensure you’re unlikely to cause any trouble in Australia. Your key document here is an Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Police Check.

Here’s a detail that trips a lot of people up: you must have applied for this check before you lodge your visa. At the time of application, the receipt proving you've applied is enough. But you'll need the actual certificate before the visa can be granted.

If you’ve lived in another country for 12 months or more in the last 10 years (since you turned 16), you'll also need a police certificate from that country. It's so important to be upfront about any past legal issues, no matter how small you think they are. The Department often views hiding a conviction more seriously than the conviction itself.

To get a complete picture of what’s involved, take a look at our detailed guide on the specific health and character requirements.

Hitting the English Language Benchmark

Lastly, you need to show you have a solid grasp of English. This proves you can communicate effectively at work and in the community. Unless you’re lucky enough to hold a passport from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, or the Republic of Ireland, you’ll need to sit an approved English language test.

Here are the minimum scores you'll need for the most common tests:

IELTS: An overall score of at least 6.0, with nothing less than 5.0 in any band.
PTE Academic: An overall score of 50 or more, with no skill score falling below 36.
TOEFL iBT: A total score of 64, with at least 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing, and 14 for speaking.

Your test results need to be valid when you lodge your visa, which generally means the test was taken in the last three years. Don't put this off! Book your test early so you have plenty of time to get the scores you need without a last-minute panic.

Forging Your Path to Permanent Residency After the 485 Visa

Getting your Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa is a massive win, but it’s really just the beginning. Think of it as the launchpad for your long-term future in Australia, not the final destination. For most graduates, the ultimate goal is permanent residency (PR), and the 485 visa is the single best tool you have to build that bridge.

This period is your golden opportunity to gain what Australian immigration values most: skilled, local work experience. The time you spend working in your field on a post graduate visa Australia is what turns your application from a pile of academic papers into a compelling story for skilled migration.

Leveraging Your 485 Visa for Skilled Migration

For most 485 visa holders, the clearest path to PR is through the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program. This whole system runs on points, inviting skilled workers to apply for residency based on their score. Your time on the 485 visa is your chance to rack up those all-important points.

The main skilled visas you’ll likely be aiming for are:

Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189): The holy grail for many. It's a points-tested visa that doesn't need sponsorship from an employer or a state government.
Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190): This one requires you to get a nomination from an Australian state or territory government, which gives your points a nice boost.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 491): A points-tested visa where you're either nominated by a state or territory, or sponsored by an eligible relative, to live and work in a designated regional area.

Success in any of these pathways comes down to the points test, and your Australian work experience is a huge piece of that puzzle.

Boosting Your Points Score

Imagine the points test as a scorecard. You get points for different things, and the higher your total, the better your chances of getting an invitation to apply for PR. The work experience you gain on your 485 visa is your primary tool for maxing out that score.

Here’s how you can strategically build your profile:

Skilled Employment: Just one year of paid, full-time work in your nominated occupation (or something very closely related) can add crucial points to your total.
Superior English: Don’t underestimate this. Nailing a high score on your English test (like an IELTS score of 8 in every band) can net you a whopping 20 points.
Professional Year Program: If you’re an IT, Accounting, or Engineering graduate, completing a Professional Year Program (PYP) is a no-brainer. It adds 5 extra points and makes you far more attractive to employers.

Keep in mind, your age is also a factor. The points you can claim for your age start dropping once you hit 33. This just makes it even more critical to use your time on the 485 visa smartly and strategically.

Exploring Employer Sponsorship Pathways

While skilled migration is the most common route, it’s not the only one. Your 485 visa is also your chance to show an Australian employer what you’re made of, which could open the door to employer sponsorship.

The key visa here is the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (Subclass 482). If you impress an employer enough for them to sponsor you, this visa can create a direct pathway to permanent residency down the track, usually through the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186), after you’ve worked with them for a few years.

It’s important to remember that the competition for graduate jobs is fierce. Some recent analysis even suggests that postgraduate coursework enrolments might see a 9 percent dip by 2026, which could really shake up the competitive landscape for international graduates trying to find these pathways.

Your 485 visa gives you the time and, crucially, the full work rights to prove your skills and dedication. This makes an employer far more likely to invest in sponsoring you. To learn more about how to make this period count, check out our guide on post-study pathways in Australia.

Ultimately, the Subclass 485 visa is your active training ground for permanent residency. By focusing on gaining relevant experience, improving your English, and exploring all available options, you can turn this temporary visa into a permanent future in Australia.

Your Top Questions About the Post Graduate Visa, Answered

Getting into the nitty-gritty of the Subclass 485 visa can feel like a maze. There are a lot of small but incredibly important rules to get right. We've pulled together the questions we hear all the time to give you clear, straight answers and help you tackle your application with a bit more confidence.

When Is the Best Time to Apply for the Subclass 485 Visa?

This is one of those rules with zero wiggle room: timing is everything. You must lodge your application within six months of your official 'course completion date'.

It's so important to understand what this date actually is. It’s not your graduation day. It's the date your university or college formally lets you know—usually by email or an update on your student portal—that you've successfully ticked off all the academic requirements for your degree or diploma.

On top of that, you have to apply before your current student visa expires. To stay on the safe side, we always tell our clients to start getting organised months ahead of time. Things like your English test results or an Australian Federal Police check can take a while to come through, and planning ahead saves you from a frantic last-minute rush that could cost you your visa.

Can I Include My Family on My 485 Visa Application?

Yes, absolutely. You can include members of your 'family unit' when you apply for your post graduate visa Australia. This usually means your partner and any dependent children.

A word of warning here: it is vital to declare all your family members in your initial application, even if they aren’t planning to join you in Australia right away. Forgetting to do this can cause massive headaches and complications if you decide you want to add them to your visa down the track.

If your life changes after your visa is granted—say, you get married or have a baby—it's often possible to add them as 'subsequent entrants'. The rules for this can be quite specific, though, so it’s definitely one of those situations where getting some professional advice is a smart move.

What Kind of Work Can I Do on a Subclass 485 Visa?

The Subclass 485 visa is a game-changer because it gives you full, unrestricted work rights across Australia. It’s a huge step up from the work limits you were probably used to on your student visa.

This freedom means you can:

Work for any employer you choose.
Take on a job in any field, not just the one you studied.
Work as many hours as you like—full-time, part-time, or casual.

This is all by design. The whole point is to give you the chance to sink your teeth into some real, professional Australian work experience. Honestly, that experience is often the most valuable thing you'll gain on a 485 visa, especially if your long-term goal is permanent residency.

What’s a Bridging Visa? Will I Get One?

A bridging visa does exactly what its name suggests: it builds a 'bridge' between your old visa expiring and the government making a decision on your new one.

When you lodge a valid Subclass 485 application while you're in Australia and your student visa is still active, you will almost always be granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA). This BVA kicks in automatically the second your student visa runs out, making sure you remain in the country lawfully while you wait for the outcome.

The BVA typically carries the same work and study conditions as your old student visa. But here's a crucial tip: if you need to travel overseas while you're waiting, you must apply for and be granted a Bridging Visa B (BVB) before you fly out. If you leave Australia on just a BVA, it will be cancelled, and you might not be allowed back in.

Working through the post graduate visa process takes careful planning and the right advice. At My Visa Guide, our registered migration agents are here to give you clear, honest, and strategic guidance to help you put together a solid application and move confidently towards your career goals in Australia. Book your consultation today to get started on the right foot.
https://www.myvisaguide.com.au

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