476 Visa Australia — Skilled Recognised Graduate (Subclass 476)
What Is the Skilled Recognised Graduate Subclass 476 Visa?
Important Notice: The subclass 476 visa permanently closed on 1 July 2024. The Department of Home Affairs no longer accepts new applications for this visa. If you hold a current 476 visa, it remains valid until its expiry date. If you are an engineering graduate seeking to work in Australia after graduation, read about the Graduate Temporary 485 visa or speak to a VisaAid migration consultant about your current pathway options.
What the 476 visa allowed: The subclass 476 visa let recent engineering graduates from recognised overseas institutions live and work in Australia for up to 18 months to gain skilled work experience in their engineering field.
Key eligibility conditions (for historical reference):
- Applicant must have been under 31 years of age at lodgment
- Must have completed an engineering qualification at a recognised institution within the two years before applying
- Must not have previously held a subclass 176 or 992 visa as the primary applicant
- Visa duration: 18 months
476 visa cost: The application charge was from AUD 485. As the visa is now closed, no new applications are possible.
476 visa processing time (historical): 75% of applications were processed within 25 days and 90% within approximately 4 months. Processing times varied based on application completeness and individual circumstances.
476 Visa Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the subclass 476 visa, applicants had to meet all of the following 476 visa requirements:
- Be younger than 31 years of age at the time of application
- Hold an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution, completed within the two years before applying
- Not have previously held a subclass 476 visa or a subclass 485 visa as a primary applicant — unless applying as a family unit member
- Meet English language and character requirements
- Meet health requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs
These eligibility criteria are provided for reference only. The 476 visa closed on 1 July 2024. Engineering graduates seeking to work in Australia should explore the 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream or the 485 Post-Vocational Work Stream as their primary pathway.
Engineering Qualifications That Were Eligible for the 476 Visa
Applicants needed to have completed one of the following engineering qualifications within the two years before applying:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering
- Master’s degree in engineering
- Doctoral degree in engineering
- Undergraduate diploma in engineering
The qualification must contain a major sequence of study or specialisation in one of the following engineering disciplines:
- Civil engineering
- Structural engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Electronic and telecommunications engineering
- Mechanical, automotive and plant engineering
- Mining and materials engineering
Recognised Institutions
The 476 visa required applicants to hold a qualification from a recognised educational institution on the approved list. Study at a college or campus affiliated with a recognised institution — but not itself on the list — did not satisfy this requirement. The full list of recognised institutions by country appears below.
English Language Requirements for the 476 Visa
Applicants who held a passport from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA or Republic of Ireland were exempt from the English language requirement. All other applicants needed to provide evidence of achieving the minimum scores listed below from an accepted English language test, completed before lodging the application.
The following scores applied to the subclass 476 visa. Note these differ from the 485 visa English requirements which increased in March 2024.
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | Overall score of at least 6 with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 parts |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) | Total score of at least 64 with a minimum score of 4 for listening, 4 for reading, 14 for writing and 14 for speaking |
| Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) | Overall score of at least 50 with a minimum score of 36 for each of the 4 parts |
| Occupational English Test (OET) | At least B for each of the 4 parts |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced test | Overall at least 169 with a minimum score of at least 154 in each of the 4 test components |
About the Subclass 476 Visa
The Skilled Recognised Graduate (subclass 476) visa was a temporary visa that allowed offshore engineering graduates from eligible overseas universities to enter Australia and gain up to 18 months of skilled work experience in their engineering occupation. Family members could accompany the primary applicant and stay for the same period.
This visa permanently closed on 1 July 2024. Engineering graduates should now explore the 485 visa or speak to a VisaAid migration consultant
What the 476 Visa Allowed You to Do
While in Australia on the subclass 476 visa, you and your accompanying family members could:
- Work in your engineering occupation with full work rights
- Study at any Australian institution
- Travel in and out of Australia freely for the duration of the visa
Location Requirements
Applicants could lodge the subclass 476 visa from inside or outside Australia. However, the Department required applicants to be outside Australia when the visa was decided — unless the applicant was a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category visa (subclass 444), who could be in or outside Australia at the time of decision.
Washington Accord Recognised Institutions
Engineering qualifications accredited under the Washington Accord automatically satisfy the recognised institution requirement for the 476 visa. The Washington Accord is an international agreement among engineering accreditation bodies that recognises the substantial equivalence of accredited undergraduate engineering programmes across member countries. Graduates of programmes accredited by any Washington Accord member body are presumed to hold the competencies needed for entry-level engineering practice.
Other Recognised Institutions by Country
Your engineering qualification must come from one of the following institutions to satisfy the 476 visa requirements. Study at a campus or college affiliated with — but not itself listed as — a recognised institution does not qualify.
Argentina
Catholic University of Argentina
Brazil
Federal University of Minas Gerais
Chile
- Universidad Católica de Chile
- Catholic University of Chile — Valparaíso
- University of Concepción
Finland
Helsinki University of Technology (HUT)
Germany
- RWTH, Aachen
- Technical University of Berlin
- Technical University of Clausthal
- TU Bergakademie Freiberg
- University of Hannover
Hungary
University of Miskolc
India
- IIT Chennai (Madras)
- IIT Bombay (Mumbai)
- IIT Kharagpur
- Sanjay Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
- Indian School of Mines
Iran
- Amir Kabir University of Technology
- University of Tehran
People’s Republic of China
- Beijing Normal University
- Beijing Petroleum University
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology
- Beijing University of Technology (formerly Beijing Polytechnic University)
- China University of Mining andTechnology—Beijing
- Guangzhou University
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai Jiaotong University
- Tongji University
- Tsinghua University
- University of Science and Technology—Beijing
Philippines
University of the Philippines
Poland
Wroclaw University of Technology
Sweden
Lulea University of Technology
Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam
476 Visa Is Closed — What Are Your Options Now?
The subclass 476 visa closed permanently on 1 July 2024. Engineering graduates who would have applied for the 476 now have several alternative pathways depending on their qualification level and circumstances:
- Bachelor degree or higher in engineering — apply for the 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream (2–3 years, no skills assessment, no occupation list required)
- Diploma or associate degree in engineering — apply for the 485 Post-Vocational Work Stream (18 months, skills assessment required in an MLTSSL occupation)
- Already working in Australia — explore the Skilled Nominated 190 visa, the 491 regional visa or employer-sponsored options like the Skills in Demand 482 visa Check your points position on our Skilled Visa Points Test Table or start a free visa assessment and a VisaAid consultant will identify your best current pathway.
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.