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Temporary Graduate Visa

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily after you have finished your studies. Students are only able to access the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) once as a primary applicant.

Graduate Work stream:

for international students who graduate with qualifications that are closely related. A visa in this stream is granted for 18 months.

Post-Study Work stream:

for international students who graduate with an eligible qualification. This stream is only available to students who applied for and were granted their first student visa on or after 5 November 2011. A visa in this stream can be granted for up to four years, depending on the qualification obtained in Australia.

Two-year Australian study requirement

It is possible to apply for a GSM subclass 485 visa, whether under the Post-Study Work stream or Graduate Work stream, on the basis of having completed studies after at least two years in Australia. Under Schedule 6D points are also available to applicants completing qualifications after at least two years of study in Australia.

Common criteria to meet in both the Graduate Work stream and Post-Study Work stream

The applicant must satisfy common criteria for the grant of a visa, which are found in Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Common requirements are:

  • the main applicant must not have previously held a subclass 476 or 485 visa on the basis of satisfying the primary criteria;
  • when the application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that the main applicant had competent English;
  • when the application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that all applicants aged 16 or over included in the application had applied for Australian Federal Police checks in the 12 months before the application is made;
  • when the application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that all applicants included in the application had made arrangements to undergo medical examinations for the application;
  • when the application was made, it was accompanied by evidence that all applicants included in the application had adequate arrangements in Australia for health insurance. In addition, all applicants included in the application need to show that they have had adequate arrangements in Australia for health insurance since the time the application was made. That is, to cover the period when the application was made and when the Department is assessing the application (ie time of decision).
    • applicants who are also student visa holders may present evidence of a valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy at time of visa application to satisfy this criterion. However, OSHC is not acceptable at time of decision;
    • if the applicant moves from the student visa to a bridging visa when their student visa ceases, they will be required to obtain a non-OSHC policy to meet health insurance requirements for their subclass 485 visa application immediately after their OHSC ceases;
    • if the applicant is not a student visa holder when they make their application, OSHC is not acceptable evidence of health insurance;
  • all applicants must meet health, character and other public interest and special return criteria
  • all applicants must hold a valid passport, unless it would be unreasonable to require them to do so;
  • this visa subclass is subject to capping.
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English language standards lowered for subclass 485 and 476 visa

DIBP has announced that from 18 April 2015, the minimum English language test scores for the Skilled – Recognised Graduate (subclass 476) and Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visas will change.

This change means the ‘competent English’ requirement no longer applies to subclasses 476 and 485.

For applications lodged on or after 18 April for the sc485 and sc476, applicants must provide evidence of having achieved one of the following in a test taken in the three years immediately prior to lodging your visa application:

 

  • an  overall score of at least 6, with nothing below 5 in each of the four test components (speaking, reading, listening and writing) in an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test
  • a score of at least ‘B’ in each of the four test components (speaking, reading, listening and writing) of an Occupational English Test (OET)
  • a total score of at least 64, with nothing below 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking, in a Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test (TOEFL iBT)
  • an overall score of at least 50 with nothing below 36 in each of the four test components (listening, reading, writing and speaking) in a Pearson Test of English Academic
  • an overall score of at least 169 with nothing below 154 in each of the four test components (listening, reading, writing and speaking) in a Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) test taken on or after 1 January 2015.

 

Only minimum English test scores will change. Applicants will still meet the English requirement if they hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland.

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