485 Visa — Post-Higher Education Work Stream (Subclass 485)
Update — 1 March 2026: The base application charge for the subclass 485 visa has increased to $4,600 for the main applicant, $2,300 for additional applicants aged 18 and over, and $1,160 for applicants under 18.
The 485 visa Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly called the Post-Study Work Stream or PSWV) is a temporary work visa for international graduates who have completed a bachelor degree, masters or doctoral degree at a CRICOS-registered Australian institution. It gives you unrestricted work rights with no employer sponsorship, no points test and no nominated occupation required.
The 485 visa post study work stream is the most common pathway international graduates use to gain Australian work experience, build their skilled migration points and transition toward permanent residency. Whether your goal is a Skilled Independent 189 visa, a Skilled Nominated 190 visa or employer sponsorship through a Skills in Demand 482 visa, the 485 post higher education stream gives you the runway to get there.
- There is no occupations list for the Post-Higher Education Work stream — your degree field does not need to match a specific skilled occupation
- A skills assessment is not required for this stream — unlike the Post-Vocational Education Work stream
The 485 visa post study work stream carries full unrestricted work rights — full-time, part-time or self-employed, in any industry or occupation. You can also travel freely to and from Australia throughout the validity of the visa.
Current 485 visa processing time for the Post-Higher Education Work stream is significantly faster — around half of applications are decided within 8 days and 90% within approximately 3 months. Lodging a complete, decision-ready application with all documents attached at lodgment consistently produces the fastest outcomes.
Latest changes to the 485 visa post study work stream:
- Stream renamed from Post-Study Work Stream to Post-Higher Education Work stream (from 23 March 2024)
- Maximum age reduced to 35 years or under for most applicants at lodgment
- Graduate certificates and graduate diplomas no longer qualify for this stream (from 14 December 2024)
- English requirement raised to IELTS 6.5 overall, minimum 5.5 per band; in-centre test only within 12 months of lodgment
- 485 holders cannot switch back onshore to a Student visa
- Application charge increased to $4,600 from 1 March 2026
- Extra 1–2 years still available for graduates of designated regional area institutions through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream
| Validity period of the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream: |
You may travel in and out of Australia freely while the visa is valid. You may be eligible to apply for a second 485 visa if you qualify for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream as a regional graduate. |
FIRST STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENT You are only eligible for the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream if you have previously held a student visa granted on or after 1 November 2011. This stream is generally a once-only opportunity. You cannot apply for the same stream again once a subclass 485 visa has been granted to you, except through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream for regional graduates. If your previous 485 application was refused or withdrawn, or if you held a student visa prior to November 2011 but did not lodge a 485 at that time, you may still be eligible. Speak to a VisaAid migration consultant to confirm your eligibility. | |
| AUSTRALIAN STUDY REQUIREMENTS | To meet the 485 visa requirements for the Post-Higher Education Work stream, you must have completed a course or series of courses in Australia that together satisfy the Australian Study Requirement:
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| ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS— Post-Higher Education Work Stream | The main applicant must either hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or New Zealand, or provide results from an in-centre English test (single sitting) taken within 12 months of lodgment:
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| HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS | All 485 visa applicants must hold Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) for the duration of the visa — for themselves and any family members included in the application. Evidence of OVHC must be provided at lodgment. Note that Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) held on your student visa does not automatically carry over — you will need to arrange OVHC separately before lodging your 485 application. |
| HEALTH CHECK | All 485 visa applicants must meet Australian health requirements. Depending on your country of origin and the length of your stay, you may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by an approved panel physician before your visa can be granted. Health examinations are arranged through ImmiAccount and results are sent directly to the Department of Home Affairs. You must also hold Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) for the full duration of the visa — for yourself and any family members included in the application. Note that your student visa OSHC policy does not carry over automatically — arrange OVHC before lodging your 485 application. |
| POLICE CHECKS | All 485 visa applicants aged 16 years and over must meet Australian character requirements. You must provide evidence that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check at the time of lodging your 485 application — you do not need the result in hand, but the application must have been submitted. |
| TIME LIMITS — When You Must Apply | The 485 visa post study work stream has a strict application deadline — you must lodge your application within 6 months of completing your qualifying course. This window begins from the date your course is formally completed, not from graduation ceremony or transcript issue date. Missing this deadline almost always ends your eligibility for the 485 permanently, with very limited exceptions. At the time of lodgment you must either:
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| BRIDGING VISA | When you lodge your 485 application while still holding a Student visa, a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is automatically issued. The BVA carries full work rights, which activate the moment your student visa expires — so there is no gap in your ability to work while the 485 application is being processed. If you need to travel outside Australia while waiting for your 485 decision, you must apply for a Bridging Visa B (BVB) before you depart — if you leave Australia on a BVA without a BVB, your bridging visa will cease and you may not be able to return while your 485 is pending. The BVB allows you to travel and re-enter Australia within a specified return date. Plan any international travel carefully during this period and speak to your consultant before booking flights. |
The Migration Amendment (Graduate Visas No. 2) Regulations 2024 introduced a formal definition of “degree” specifically for the subclass 485 visa, ensuring the Post-Higher Education Work stream operates as intended following the 1 July 2024 reforms. This amendment directly affects which qualifications count toward 485 visa eligibility under this stream.
From 14 December 2024, an applicant for an initial subclass 485 visa in the Post-Higher Education Work stream must, in the six months immediately before lodging the application, have completed one or more degrees awarded by an Australian educational institution as a result of a course or courses that meet all four of the following conditions:
- The courses were registered CRICOS courses at bachelor degree level or above — paragraph 485.211(1)(b)(i) of Schedule 2
- The courses were completed over a total of at least two academic years — paragraph 485.211(1)(b)(ii) of Schedule 2
- The courses were completed over a total of at least 16 calendar months — paragraph 485.211(1)(b)(iii) of Schedule 2
- All instruction was conducted in English — paragraph 485.211(1)(b)(iv) of Schedule 2
The courses were undertaken within Australia while the applicant held a visa authorising study — paragraph 485.211(1)(b)(iv) of Schedule 2This regulation commenced on 14 December 2024. As a direct result, graduate certificates and graduate diplomas no longer satisfy the definition of “degree” for the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream from this date. Graduates holding only these qualifications should seek urgent advice on alternative visa pathways from a VisaAid migration consultant
Note:
Online study undertaken during the COVID concession period (1 February 2020 to 25 November 2023) continues to count towards the Australian Study Requirement. All study outside this concession period must have been conducted in person and in Australia to count toward the 92-week requirement.
The subclass 485 visa can be granted regardless of the applicant’s location at the time of grant — you do not need to be in Australia when the visa is issued, only when you lodge the application.
NOTE: The information provided is general in nature and should not be considered migration advice. As every individual’s circumstances are different, we recommend contacting VisaAid for personalised advice.