485 Visa Australia — Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Update — 1 March 2026: The base application charge for a new 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 maximum age limit for most applicants is now 35 years.
The 485 visa (Temporary Graduate visa) is a work visa for international students who have completed at least two years of study in Australia. It allows unrestricted work rights for 18 months to 3 years — longer in some cases — without employer sponsorship and without a points test.
For most graduates, the subclass 485 visa is the bridge between a Student visa (subclass 500) and a permanent skilled visa. Time on a 485 lets you gain Australian work experience, complete a professional year, and build the points you need for skilled migration.
You must be in Australia when you apply, have held an eligible Student visa within the previous six months, and lodge your application within six months of completing the requirements for your eligible qualification.
Latest 485 visa changes:
- Maximum age reduced to 35 years or under for most applicants. Exceptions (under 50): Masters by Research/PhD graduates and Hong Kong/BNO passport holders
- Streams renamed — Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly Post-Study Work) and Post-Vocational Education Work stream (formerly Graduate Work)
- English requirement raised to IELTS 6.5 overall, minimum 5.5 each test component; in-centre test only, within 12 months of lodgment
- Application charge increased to $4,600 from 1 March 2026
- Graduate certificates and graduate diplomas alone no longer qualify for the Post-Higher Education Work stream (from 14 December 2024)
- 485 holders cannot switch back to a Student visa while in Australia
- Extra 1–2 years still available for graduates of institutions in designated regional areas.
Two Eligibility Streams
- Post-Higher Education Work stream: for graduates of a bachelor degree or higher (bachelor, honours, masters, PhD) from a CRICOS-registered Australian institution. No occupation list and no skills assessment required. Full details on our 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream page.
- Post-Vocational Education Work stream: for graduates of an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to an occupation on the MLTSSL. You must have applied for a skills assessment with the relevant authority before lodging.
- Second Post-Higher Education Work stream: 1–2 additional years for regional graduates who have lived in a regional area for at least two years on their first 485 visa.
| The subclass 485 visa has two main eligibility streams, and which one applies to you depends entirely on your qualification level: | Post-Higher Education Work stream is for graduates of a bachelor degree or higher — bachelor, honours, masters or PhD — from a CRICOS-registered Australian institution. There is no skills assessment and no occupation list requirement for this stream. |
| Post-Vocational Education Work stream is for graduates of an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification whose studies are closely related to an occupation on the MLTSSL (Medium and Short Term Strategic Skills list). A skills assessment application must be lodged before you apply for the visa. | |
COMMON CRITERIA
| Several eligibility requirements apply to both the Post Higher Education Work Stream and the Post Vocational Education Work Stream.
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INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS
| You can include your spouse, de facto partner and dependent children in your application, provided they are in Australia at lodgment. Family members receive the same unrestricted work and study rights as the main applicant. If you already hold a 485 visa, eligible family members can apply as subsequent entrants to join you in Australia. |
DURATION AND CONDITIONS
| The validity of a Subclass 485 visa depends on the applicant’s individual circumstances and the stream under which they apply. For applicants in the Post-Vocational Education Work stream (formerly Graduate Work), the visa is generally granted for up to 18 months from the date of approval. 18 months — Post-Vocational Education Work stream (associate degree, diploma, trade qualification) 2 years — Bachelor degree (including honours), Masters by coursework or Masters (Extended) 3 years — Masters by Research and Doctoral degree (PhD) +1 year — Eligible Indian nationals under the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), subject to meeting the relevant requirements. Up to 5 years — Hong Kong and BNO passport holders +1–2 years — Second Post-Higher Education Work stream for graduates of designated regional areas While on a 485 visa you have unrestricted work rights and must maintain adequate private health insurance for the full visa period. |
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR 485 VISAS
| The main applicant must hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or New Zealand, or provide an in-centre test result from a single sitting within 12 months prior to the lodgment:
Hong Kong/BNO passport holders: IELTS 6.0 overall, minimum 5.0 each band. Online and at-home tests not accepted for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Full score tables on our 485 visa English requirements page |
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
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Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – DoHA Fees
Post-Higher Education Work stream & Post-Vocational Education Work stream
“All fees below are current Department of Home Affairs charges from 1 March 2026.”
| Application | $4,600 |
| Additional applicant Charge | $2,300 |
| Additional applicant Charge -18 | $1,160 |
VisaAid professional fees for 485 visas: (case by case for complex cases):
- 485 visa (Post-Higher Education Work stream): Starting from $900 + GST (additional $400 for each dependent)
- 485 visa(Post-Vocational Education Work stream): Starting from $1400 + GST (additional $400 for each dependent) and includes the skills assessment process.
- 485 Subsequent Entrant: VisaEnvoy fee is $1,600 (plus $160 GST) and Visa Application Charge (VAC) is $1,895.
- We offer a complimentary migration pathway consultation to our 485 visa clients (valued at $160)
For holders of a subclass 485 visa applying for a subsequent 485 in the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream:
| Visa Application Charge (main applicant) | $1,810 |
| Additional applicant Charge (18 and over) | $910 |
| Additional applicant Charge (under 18) | $460 |
485 Visa Processing Time
Post-Higher Education Work stream applications are processed quickly — around half are decided within 8 days and 90% within about 3 months. Post-Vocational Education Work stream applications take longer: roughly half within 46 days and 90% within about 4 months. Complete, decision-ready applications consistently process fastest. Processing times vary depending on application volumes. Check the Department of Home Affairs website for the latest estimates.
Changes to the 485 Visa Streams
The Department of Home Affairs has restructured the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) streams as part of Australia’s broader migration reform strategy. The former Graduate Work Stream and Post-Study Work Stream have been replaced by the Post-Vocational Education Work stream and the Post-Higher Education Work stream respectively, with the changes taking effect from 23 March 2024.
The Post-Higher Education Work stream is designed for graduates who have completed a bachelor degree or higher — including honours, masters by coursework, masters by research, or a doctoral degree — at a CRICOS-registered Australian institution. This stream does not require a skills assessment or a nominated occupation, making it accessible to a broad range of university graduates. The visa duration under this stream is 2 years for bachelor and masters by coursework graduates, and 3 years for masters by research and PhD graduates.
The Post-Vocational Education Work stream is for graduates of an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification whose course of study is closely related to an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Unlike the Post-Higher Education Work stream, applicants must have lodged a skills assessment application with the relevant assessing authority before applying for the visa. The visa is granted for 18 months under this stream.
A key change introduced alongside the stream restructure is that graduate certificates and graduate diplomas no longer qualify a graduate for the Post-Higher Education Work stream as of 14 December 2024. Graduates holding only these qualifications should seek advice on alternative pathways. Additionally, 485 visa holders are now prevented from applying for a Student visa (subclass 500) while remaining onshore in Australia — a significant restriction that applicants must plan around well before their 485 visa expires.
The age limit for most applicants was also reduced from 50 to 35 years at the time of lodgment. Exceptions remain for Masters by Research and PhD graduates, and for Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders, who may apply up to the age of 50. For graduates of institutions located in designated regional areas, an additional 1 to 2 years may be available through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, provided the applicant has lived in a regional area for at least two years on their first 485 visa.
For a full breakdown of each stream’s current requirements, processing times and costs, visit our 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream page and 485 Post-Vocational Work Stream guide or start your free visa assessment to find out which stream applies to your qualification.
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.