Temporary Graduate Visa

No, not for applications lodged from 1 July 2024. Graduate certificates were removed from the list of eligible qualifications. If you completed a graduate certificate after that date, it will not count for a 485 application. If you completed it before 1 July 2024 and lodged your application before that date, the old rules may still apply to your application. Graduate diplomas may still qualify, but only where they were directly related to a prior bachelor, masters, or doctoral program and commenced in the same or immediately following academic year.

Processing times vary and are published on the Department of Home Affairs website. Processing times change regularly and can range from weeks to several months depending on application volume, the completeness of your application, and your individual circumstances. Importantly, once you lodge a valid application, you will be issued a Bridging Visa A which allows you to remain in Australia legally while your application is processed. This means you do not have to leave Australia while you wait, but you should be aware of any travel restrictions that apply to your Bridging Visa if you plan to travel.

If you held a first Post-Higher Education Work Stream 485 visa and spent at least two years living and studying in a designated regional area of Australia, you may be eligible for a second 485 visa under the "Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream." This gives you an additional 1 to 2 years in Australia, depending on your regional location. This is a valuable extension for graduates who studied regionally, but the two-year regional living and studying requirement is strict, and you must have consistently lived and studied in that regional area throughout the required period.

No. Since 23 March 2024, English language test results must have been taken no more than 12 months before the date you lodge your 485 application. A test taken 18 months ago is no longer valid, regardless of how strong your score was. You will need to resit. This catches many applicants off guard, particularly those who planned ahead with an older test result. Book your test as close as practical to your expected lodgement date, ensuring you still have time to retake if needed.

Not under the Post-Higher Education Work stream. You can work in any occupation in any industry, with no conditions relating to your field of study. This is one of the significant advantages of this stream. However, if you want to build toward a skills-based permanent visa, working in a role that is closely related to your qualification is strongly recommended, as it generates the skilled employment evidence you will need for points-tested or employer-sponsored visa pathways.

Unfortunately, no. The age limit for the Post-Higher Education Work stream is now under 35 for Bachelor and Master's (coursework) graduates. The under-50 exception only applies to graduates of Master's by research or Doctoral (PhD) programs, and to Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders. A 38-year-old coursework Masters graduate would not meet the age requirement. This is one of the most significant changes from the July 2024 reforms. It is worth speaking with us to explore alternative visa options that may still give you a pathway to stay in Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs accepts IELTS (Academic and General Training), PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, and OET, among others. For IELTS, you need an overall score of at least 6.5, with no individual band (listening, reading, writing, speaking) below 5.5. Equivalent scores are required for other accepted tests. From 7 August 2025, the IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) is accepted for the 485, which means you can improve one band score by retaking only that component rather than the full test. Your test results must have been taken within 12 months of your application lodge date.

Yes. You can include your partner (spouse or de facto) and dependent children in your 485 application. They must meet health and character requirements. Secondary applicants receive the same rights to live, work, and study in Australia as the primary visa holder. Your partner may also be entitled to Medicare benefits depending on their country of nationality and applicable bilateral healthcare agreements. Note that accompanying dependents applying for the Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream must be in Australia to apply.

Generally, no. Online study undertaken outside of Australia does not count toward the minimum two academic year Australian study requirement. However, there is an important COVID-19 exception: online study completed between 1 February 2020 and 25 November 2023, even if undertaken outside Australia, may still count under temporary concession arrangements. From 25 November 2023, the pre-COVID rules returned, and any study done remotely from outside Australia no longer counts. Your study must have been physically completed in Australia to satisfy the requirement.

Migration agents and migration lawyers are both registered practitioners, but lawyers have additional obligations, legal training, and the ability to provide legal advice and representation in court or tribunal proceedings. For straightforward applications with no complications, an experienced registered agent may be adequate. However, if your application involves anything complex, such as a prior visa refusal, a cancelled visa history, any character issues, a borderline qualification, a missing English test, or a potential appeal, having a lawyer is a meaningful advantage. At My Migration Lawyers, we assess each application critically and tell you honestly where the risks are, rather than simply lodging and hoping for the best.

You can study on your 485 visa. However, from July 2024, if you want to apply for a new Student visa, you cannot do so while you are in Australia as a current or former 485 visa holder. You would need to leave Australia and apply for the Student visa from offshore. This is a significant change designed to stop "visa hopping" and has affected many graduates who wanted to complete a higher qualification as a stepping stone to permanent residency. Discuss this with us before making any decisions, as there may be more appropriate alternative pathways available.

Yes. Under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), Indian passport holders who graduated with a Bachelor's degree may be eligible for an additional year of stay on their 485 visa. This is a bilateral agreement benefit, and the specific eligibility conditions and implementation details should be confirmed with a migration lawyer, as the application of this agreement can depend on the type of degree, graduation date, and current Department of Home Affairs policy. Do not assume the benefit applies automatically to your situation.

The Department limits how many 485 visas you can hold. Generally, you are limited to one Post-Higher Education Work stream visa, one Second Post-Higher Education Work stream visa (if you qualify on regional grounds), and one Post-Vocational Education Work stream visa. The COVID-era Replacement stream is now closed to new applications. This means the 485 visa is a finite opportunity for most graduates, which makes it all the more important to use the time strategically and to plan your pathway to permanent residency from the very beginning of your 485 period.

A complete 485 application typically requires your valid passport, qualification certificate and academic transcripts, evidence of your enrollment and completion dates, English language test results (from within the past 12 months), an Australian Federal Police check application receipt (applied for before your 485 lodgement), Overseas Visitors Health Cover policy documents, and evidence of your current visa. If you are including family members, you will need their identity documents, relationship evidence, and health insurance. The exact requirements depend on your individual circumstances, and missing or incorrect documents are among the most common reasons applications are delayed or refused.

Yes. The 485 visa generally allows multiple entries to Australia during the visa period, meaning you can travel overseas and return freely while the visa is valid. However, if your 485 has not yet been granted and you are on a Bridging Visa A, the rules are very different. A Bridging Visa A does not allow you to re-enter Australia if you leave. In that situation, you would need to apply for a Bridging Visa B before travelling, which is only granted in limited circumstances. Travelling while on a bridging visa without the correct permissions can mean you are refused re-entry to Australia.

Possibly not, and you should not rely on your friend's experience. The Post-Vocational Education Work stream requires that your qualification is closely related to an occupation on the skilled occupation list, and you must obtain a positive skills assessment. The rules have tightened significantly since mid-2023. Generic business, project management, or administration qualifications are now heavily scrutinised and frequently refused because the Department requires a clear, direct nexus between the qualification and a specific listed occupation. Your situation is unique and needs individual assessment based on current Department policy, not a precedent from a prior year.

A refusal is serious but not always the end of the road. Depending on the ground of refusal and the type of decision, you may have the right to seek a review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (formerly the Administrative Appeals Tribunal). Review rights and time limits are specified in the refusal letter, and strict deadlines apply. This is where having a migration lawyer rather than an agent is particularly valuable: lawyers can represent you in AAT proceedings and have the legal training to identify merits-based arguments for review. Acting quickly after a refusal is critical.

Yes. You need Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) for the 485 visa. If you currently hold a Student visa, you will be covered by Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) as a student visa condition. When your student visa expires and your 485 visa commences, your OSHC coverage ends and you need OVHC to take over. It is recommended to arrange your OVHC to start from the day your student visa expires and to provide evidence of this when you lodge your 485 application. Depending on your nationality, you may also be entitled to Medicare under a bilateral reciprocal healthcare agreement.