What to Do After Graduation in Australia
Your Options After Completing Your Australian Studies
Graduating from an Australian institution is a significant milestone — and for many international students, it’s also the point where the path to permanent residency becomes real. Whether your next step is applying for a post-study work visa, entering the Australian workforce, pursuing PR or returning home, this guide covers what you need to know. Use the tabs to navigate to the topic most relevant to your situation.
Alumni Groups — Staying Connected After You Graduate
Graduating doesn’t mean losing the network you built during your studies. Alumni associations and networks keep you connected with classmates, former lecturers and industry contacts — in Australia and around the world.
You can join alumni associations based on your institution, your field of study or your home country — both in Australia and internationally. Most groups operate online, so staying connected is easy regardless of where you end up after graduation.
Why join an alumni group?
- Keep in contact — your classmates will go on to careers and further study across the world. Alumni networks and regular events make it easy to maintain those connections and stay in touch with people who share your Australian qualification.
- Support — an alumni network connects you with people who understand your experience as an international student in Australia. Whether you’re navigating the job market, applying for a post-study visa or working through the transition back home, fellow alumni have been through it.
- Employment and career — alumni in your field are among the most useful contacts you can have when starting out. Many share job leads, industry insights and hiring information through alumni newsletters, publications and LinkedIn groups — and a shared institution background is a credible introduction.
- Benefits — many institutions extend graduate access to libraries, labs, career centres and campus facilities. Alumni membership often also comes with discounts at institution services and partner businesses.
- Give back — alumni networks connect experienced graduates with current students who need guidance. If you benefited from the support of others during your studies, alumni membership gives you the chance to return that. Many groups also organise charity and community activities — a meaningful way to stay engaged beyond your career.
Alumni Groups and Your Next Steps in Australia
If you’re planning to stay in Australia after graduation, your first priority is your visa — not your alumni membership. You must apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) within 6 months of completing your course, while still holding an eligible student visa. Missing this window means losing your post-study work rights entirely.
Alumni networks can be valuable during your 485 period — particularly for finding work in your field, building employer relationships and identifying which companies are open to skilled visa sponsorship for the next step. See the full post-study pathway on the student visa to PR page.
Your Options After Graduation in Australia
Graduation opens several paths — staying in Australia to work and pursue PR, continuing to a higher qualification, or returning home. The right choice depends on your career goals, your visa situation and how your Australian qualification connects to skilled migration. Whatever you decide, the steps you take in the weeks immediately after graduation matter significantly.
If you want to stay in Australia after graduation:
Your student visa conditions determine what you can do immediately after completing your course. Once your course ends, your work rights on your student visa continue until the visa expires — but if you want to stay long-term, you need to act quickly.
The most common next step is the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — you must apply within 6 months of completing your course while still holding an eligible student visa. The 485 gives you full work rights in Australia with no restrictions on hours or occupation type, for 2 to 4 years depending on your qualification level.
You can check your current visa conditions at any time through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) tool on the Department of Home Affairs website — the old DIBP website no longer exists.
Whatever path you choose, consider joining your institution’s alumni group — it keeps you connected to your classmates and to opportunities in your field. See the Alumni groups tab for details.
Continuing Your Studies
Option 1 — Continue Studying in Australia
If you want to pursue a higher-level qualification or study in a different field, you can apply for a new student visa (subclass 500). You’ll need a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your chosen institution and must meet the standard student visa requirements — including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement, which for onshore applicants now includes explaining your reasons for applying for a further student visa.
Planning your study progression before your current visa expires is important — don’t wait until your course ends to start the next application.
Option 2 — Stay and Work on the 485 Visa
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is the primary post-study work visa for international graduates. It gives you unrestricted work rights to:
- Build Australian work experience that earns points toward skilled migration
- Complete your skills assessment while working in your field
- Improve your English score for additional skilled migration points
- Explore state nomination and regional options
Stay duration: 2 years for bachelor’s graduates, 3 years for master’s graduates, 4 years for PhD graduates, 18 months for trade graduates completing the Job Ready Program. An additional 1–2 years may be available if you studied in a regional area.
From the 485, most graduates pursue one of three permanent pathways — the Skilled Independent visa (189), Skilled Nominated visa (190) or Skilled Work Regional visa (491). See the full journey on the student visa to PR page.
Option 3 — Returning Home After Graduation
If you’re heading home after completing your studies, here are the practical steps to work through before you leave:
- Ship your belongings — research international shipping options early; costs and lead times vary significantly by destination
- Collect your exam results and academic records — contact your institution for any results or academic documents that aren’t part of your official qualification certificate. Get certified copies made before you leave Australia
- Claim your rental bond — if you rented privately, lodge your bond refund claim with your state or territory rental authority before you depart; don’t leave it until after you’re home
- Settle any outstanding bills — phone, utilities, subscriptions and any outstanding HECS-HELP debts if applicable
- Join alumni organisations — your institution’s alumni network and any professional associations relevant to your qualification. Connections made in Australia can be valuable throughout your career wherever you end up
- Keep your qualification documents safe — store certified copies of your degree, transcripts and any professional registration documents securely. You’ll need these for employment and any future visa applications
Many institutions run dedicated information sessions for graduating international students on preparing to return home — covering everything from tax returns to reverse culture adjustment. Ask your international student support team what’s available before your final semester ends.
Changed your mind about going home? If you decide you want to stay in Australia after all, talk to us as soon as possible — your options narrow significantly once your student visa expires. Get a free student visa assessment and we’ll confirm what’s still available to you.
Employment After Graduation in Australia
An Australian qualification from a CRICOS-registered institution is recognised by employers in Australia and internationally. Whether you’re looking to build your career in Australia, return home or work internationally, your degree or trade qualification gives you a competitive edge — and in Australia specifically, it can open direct pathways to permanent residency through the skilled migration program.
If you want to work in Australia after graduation:
Your student visa conditions allow you to work while studying and for the remaining duration of your visa after your course ends — but once your student visa expires, you need a new visa to remain and work in Australia. The right visa depends on your qualification, your occupation, your employer situation and your longer-term goals. The main options are below.
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Option 1 — Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
If you completed a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree at an Australian institution, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — Post-Higher Education Work stream. This gives you unrestricted work rights with no limit on occupation type or hours, for:
- 2 years — bachelor’s and graduate diploma graduates
- 3 years — master’s graduates
- 4 years — PhD graduates
An additional 1–2 years may be available if you studied in a regional area. You must apply within 6 months of completing your course while still holding an eligible student visa — don’t wait until after your visa expires.
If you completed a trade qualification, you may be eligible for the Graduate Work stream of the 485, which gives you 18 months to complete the Job Ready Program through TRA and obtain a positive skills assessment. See the full trade pathway on trade courses to PR.
Option 2 — Employer Sponsorship
If you have a job offer or an existing employment relationship, your employer may be able to sponsor you for a work visa. The main employer-sponsored pathway is the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — a temporary visa that can lead to permanent residence after working with your sponsoring employer for the required period, typically through the permanent Employer Nomination visa (subclass 186).
Talk to the HR or recruitment team at your employer about whether they are an approved sponsor or willing to become one. Not all employers are set up for sponsorship — if yours isn’t, we can advise on how to find employers who are actively sponsoring candidates in your occupation. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Option 3 — General Skilled Migration (Independent of an Employer)
If you want to pursue permanent residency without relying on an employer to sponsor you, General Skilled Migration (GSM) is the points-based pathway. You submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect for the visa or visas you’re eligible for — the Skilled Independent visa (189), Skilled Nominated visa (190) or Skilled Work Regional visa (491).
To be eligible, you need:
- A positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation
- A minimum of 65 points on the Skilled Visa Points Test
- An invitation from the Department of Home Affairs to apply
Your Australian degree, your Australian work experience and your age all contribute points — see the full breakdown on the points test page. Many graduates find the 485 period is the right time to build their points score, complete their skills assessment and lodge their EOI. See the full post-study to PR journey on the student visa to PR page.
For current visa requirements and conditions, visit the Department of Home Affairs website at homeaffairs.gov.au — the old DIBP website no longer exists.
Wherever your career takes you after graduation, your alumni network is one of your most underused professional assets — see the Alumni groups tab for how to make the most of it.
Finding Work in Australia During Your 485 Period
The 485 visa gives you unrestricted work rights — but finding work in your field while on a temporary visa takes preparation. Employers in Australia are generally familiar with hiring 485 holders, but some will have questions about what comes next. Being clear about your migration pathway and timeline helps.
Practical steps during your 485 period:
- Get your skills assessment underway early — the assessment process can take months; starting it in your final semester rather than after graduation keeps your timeline on track
- Build your Australian work experience in your nominated occupation — both the hours and the duties matter for your skills assessment evidence
- Sit your English test if needed — scores above the minimum threshold earn additional points; an improvement from IELTS 6 to IELTS 7 or 8 can make a significant difference to your invitation prospects
- Lodge your EOI in SkillSelect as soon as you have a positive skills assessment and a competitive points score — invitation rounds run regularly and your score can be updated if it improves
Not sure where to start? Get a free student visa assessment and we’ll map the full pathway from your 485 to your PR application.
