Subclass 485 Visa (Graduate): Work in Australia After Graduating

The Temporary Graduate visa — Subclass 485 — allows international students who have recently completed an eligible qualification in Australia to live and work in Australia for a period after graduation. It is designed to give graduates time to gain Australian work experience, which can strengthen a subsequent skilled visa application.

Two Streams

Graduate Work Stream

For students who completed a qualification in a skilled occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
Requires a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing body
Duration: 18 months (or 2 years for regional studies)
Cannot be renewed — you can only hold this stream once

Post-Study Work Stream

For students who completed a Bachelor degree or higher in Australia
No skills assessment required
Duration depends on your qualification level and the Australian city you studied in:
- Bachelor's degree: 2 years (4 years if studied in a regional area)
- Honours or Master's by coursework: 3 years (5 years if regional)
- Master's by research: 4 years (5 years if regional)
- Doctorate: 4 years (5 years if regional)
The Post-Study Work Stream was significantly extended in 2023 under the Australian government's "Study Australia" incentive

Key Requirements

You must have held a student visa (Subclass 500) at some point
You must have completed an eligible qualification at a registered Australian education provider within the last 6 months before applying
You must be outside Australia when you apply, or inside Australia on a valid visa
Satisfy health, character, and English language requirements
Australian Study Requirement: the qualification must have been completed with at least 2 academic years of study in Australia

English Language Requirement

You must demonstrate competent English — typically an IELTS overall band score of 6.0 (minimum 5.0 in each band), or a Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic score of 50 (minimum 36 in each communicative skill), or equivalent.

Work Rights

The 485 visa grants full work rights — you can work for any employer in any occupation, including full-time, part-time, or casual work. There is no restriction on your employer or hours (unlike the 40 hours per fortnight restriction that applied during study on some student visas).

Your spouse or partner and dependent children can also come to Australia on the 485 visa with full work and study rights.

Using the 485 as a Pathway

The 485 visa is primarily used as a bridge to a skilled visa. Common pathways from the 485 include:

Employer-sponsored visas (482 or 186) — your Australian work experience on the 485 makes you a much more competitive candidate for sponsorship
Skilled Independent visa (189) — gain points through Australian work experience to meet the points threshold
State/Territory Nomination (190 or 491) — many states actively nominate 485 holders working in the state in nominated occupations

Regional Study Incentive

Studying in a regional institution or campus can extend your 485 visa by up to 2 extra years. Regional Australia includes any area outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane for these purposes. This incentive has been a major driver of study at regional universities in recent years.

After the 485 Expires

Once your 485 visa expires, you will need another visa to remain in Australia. If you cannot secure a longer-term pathway, you may need to depart. Plan your permanent residency pathway early — ideally before the end of the first year of your 485 visa.

Planning your PR pathway after the 485? See the PR Pathway from Temporary Visa guide for an overview of all routes available to temporary residents.