Once you’ve powered through exams and assignment deadlines, you enter the peak 485 application season. With Christmas and Chinese New Year holidays also just around the corner, the students who plan well always sort out their visa first — that way, any travel plans afterwards are far more secure.So today we’re bringing you a timely introduction to the 485 Temporary Graduate (post-study work) visa.
Don’t be fooled into thinking the 485 visa is simple — as if it were just a matter of a few documents.
After countless rounds of top-up and compensation policies, the 485 may well be the single most complex visa on the books today. Depending on each applicant’s current and past study history, there are countless ways the 485 can be pieced together, on top of all the special-period exemption policies that apply.
Today we’re only giving you the beginner-level overview. The most reliable way to avoid mistakes is to contact our customer service and have a professional consultant assess your situation and answer your questions.
The 485 falls into the following main categories
At present, the 485 visa is divided into the following categories:
I. Graduate Work stream — broadly understood as being for trade and diploma-levelgraduates
II. Post-Study Work stream — broadly understood as being for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoralgraduates
2.1 Subsequent 485 (strictly speaking, not a standalone 485 category but an extension policy sitting under the 485 PSW stream) — broadly understood as being for graduates from designated fields of study, providing an additional 2 years of 485 stay. Some refer to this, based on its effect, as the 485 extension.
III. Second Post-Study Work stream — broadly understood as being for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates from regional areas
IV. Replacement stream — broadly understood as providing additional compensation time for 485 holders who were stranded overseas during the pandemic
All categories share the following common requirements:
1. Aged under 50
2. Must hold health insurance
Note: from 1 November 2023, onshore 485 applications have also reinstated the health-examination requirement.
I. Graduate Work stream (GW)
Broadly understood as being for trade and diploma-levelgraduates
– The most recent qualification before applying for the 485 is a diploma or trade qualification
– Satisfies the 2-year Australian study requirement
– Has held a student visa within the 6 months before applying
– Lodges the application within 6 months of completing studies
–Requires a skills assessment, and the assessed occupation must be on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). (From 1 July this year, the GW stream has reinstated the skills-assessment requirement.)
–English test result equivalent to IELTS overall 6, minimum 5 in each band (PTE accepted)
– Australian police check (no criminal record)
II. Post-Study Work stream (PSW first 485)
Broadly understood as being for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoralgraduates
– Holds a bachelor’s degree or higher
– Satisfies the 2-year Australian study requirement
– Has held a student visa within the 6 months before applying
– Lodges the application within 6 months of completing studies
– English test result equivalent to IELTS overall 6, minimum 5 in each band
– Australian police check (no criminal record)
Commonly known as the “second 485”, this stream is specifically for students who studied and lived in regional Australia while on their first 485. It extends the 485 visa validity by either 1 or 2 years. As the name of this sub-category makes clear, the extension only applies to holders whose first 485 visa was in the PSW stream.
2.1 Subsequent 485
From 1 July 2023, designated-fieldbachelor’s and master’s graduates, as well as all doctoral graduates, are eligible for an additional 2 years on the 485.
There are two scenarios here:
– If, after 1 July 2023, this is your first application for a 485 as the primary applicant, the extension is applied in one go — i.e. the validity originally available for your 485 plus the additional 2 years
– If, before 1 July 2023, you already held a 485 — PSW stream (first 485), replacement stream, or second 485 (you must currently hold the visa) — you can apply for an additional 2-year extension, with the visa application charge waived
Designated fields are primarily IT, engineering, education, healthcare, agriculture, science, and related disciplines — see the image below for examples.
To find out whether your specific major qualifies, feel free to contact our customer service and we’ll check for you!
III. Second Post-Study Work stream (regional) — second 485
Broadly understood as being for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates from regional areas
This extension is for students who studied and lived in regional Australia, and extends the 485 visa by 1 or 2 years. It is available only to holders of a first 485 in the PSW stream.
– Must currently hold
a. a 485 visa in the PSW stream, or
b. a 485 visa in the replacement stream, provided that visa was granted on the basis that your prior first 485 was in the PSW stream
–Completed the qualification in a regional area
–While holding the first 485, lived and worked in a regional area for 2 years
* The regional area in which the qualification was completed does not have to be the same regional area in which you lived while on the first 485.
IV. Replacement stream
Broadly understood as providing additional compensation time for 485 holders who were stranded overseas during the pandemic
This stream is a pandemic-era measure, created for visa holders whose original 485 time was effectively wasted because they were stranded overseas during the pandemic.It requires a separate application, and the application must be lodged before 1 January 2027..
– Currently holds, or previously held, a 485 visa — whether GW stream (the original 485) or PSW stream (first 485)
– The lost 485 was granted before 5 December 2021 and took effect on or after 1 February 2020
* If the original 485 was granted onshore, you held that visa and were outside Australia at some point between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021
* If the original 485 was granted offshore, you used that visa to enter Australia and subsequently depart, all before 15 December 2021
The Replacement stream is relatively complex — we recommend coming to us with the specifics of your situation.
Below are recent success stories from our 485 replacement stream cases
There are plenty more twists and turns in 485 applications
Working out which category you fall into is only the most basic first step.
The 485 application requirements also conceal quite a few traps, for example:
– I spent six months taking online classes back in China — is that OK?
– While I was in China, there was a period when I had no visa — is that OK?
– I had subjects credited, so I only actually studied for a year and a half — is that OK?
– I took a leave of absence for most of a year — is that OK?
–I changed institutions, had credits transferred, but then failed a subject… and the whole journey was quite broken up — is that OK?
The 485 lodgement process also has plenty of pitfalls, for example:
To save time, I lodged my visa application the very day I received my completion letter — is that OK?
Also to save time, I lodged first and submitted the Australian police check afterwards — is that OK?
At the time of lodgement I was still on a student visa, with student health insurance — so when exactly is 485 insurance required?
A 1.5-year master’s — how do you qualify for the 485?
For any 485-related questions, feel free to contact the customer service below and we’ll arrange a professional consultant to assess your situation and answer your questions.
Lodged your 485 and planning to travel overseas during the holidays?
One final reminder: with many students returning to China or travelling during the end-of-year and Chinese New Year break, please keep a close eye on your visa status.
If you have already lodged your 485 onshore in Australia, and the 485’s Bridging Visa A has already taken effect (meaning the student visa you were previously on has expired), and you still want to return to Australia to wait for your 485 to be granted, you need to switch to a Bridging Visa B. Otherwise, departing directly will cause the Bridging Visa A to cease immediately, making it difficult to return to Australia.
If you have already lodged your 485 onshore in Australia,and your student visa is still valid at the time of departure(meaning the 485’s Bridging Visa A has not yet taken effect), but you expect that while you are overseas that student visa will expire, then while you are still in Australia and the Bridging Visa A has not yet taken effect you also need to apply for a Bridging Visa B first, and then depart. Otherwise, departing directly will likewise cause the Bridging Visa A to cease.
Previous articles worth revisiting
Graduate students also have a “special pathway” that doesn’t rely on points-pile or priority-occupation competition!
A wave of skills assessments and 189 & 190 grants! Plus high-difficulty cases overturned after refusal!
ICT and engineering receiving NSW 190 invitations, and even more sought-after offshore! Tourism-and-service occupations: don’t miss WA!
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