Graduate – Post-Study Stream

The Graduate visa (485) allows overseas students who have completed their studies in Australia to live and work in Australia on a temporary basis.

The length of your Graduate Visa will depend on the stream which you are eligible for:

• Graduate – Work Stream: 18 months visa duration;
• Graduate – Post-Study Work Stream: 2 to 4 years duration

The Post-Study Work Stream (2 – 4 years) is a visa for those who hold an Australian higher education degree (Bachelor, Masters, Doctoral) regardless of the field of study.

A visa granted in this stream is valid for 2 – 4 years, depending on the level of qualification. Applicants with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 years.

General Requirements

At the time that you lodge your visa application, you must:

• in the last 6 months have completed one or more qualifications at an educational institution in Australia, following at least 2 years of study:

• • • bachelor degree (with or without honours)
    • master’s degree (by coursework or research)
    • master’s extended degree
    • doctorate

• Be under 50 years of age
• Have Competent English (recent IELTS test with a score of 6 in each band)
• Have made adequate arrangements for health insurance during your stay in Australia
• not held more than one student visa

Note: the duration of your visa will depend upon the level of Australian qualification(s) that you used to obtain your visa:

• 2 years: bachelor degree, master’s degree by coursework, or master’s extended degree
• 3 years: master degree by research
• 4 years: doctorate

Applicants with a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 years.

After working in Australia, you may be eligible to transition to other visa options.

Second Graduate visa (485)

Eligible Graduate visa (485) holders in the Post-study work stream will be able to apply for a second Graduate visa, which can be granted up to two years.

General requirements include: 

• be a Graduate visa (485) visa holder in the post-study work stream;
• have graduated from a regional education institution;
• have lived, worked and studied only in a designated regional area for two years continuously while holding a Graduate visa (485) in the post-study work stream
• be in Australia

The visa may be granted for up to 1 year if you have lived, worked, and studied in a designated city or major regional area, this includes:

• Perth;
• Adelaide;
• Gold Coast;
• Sunshine Coast;
• Newcastle/Lake Macquarie;
• Wollongong/Illawarra;
• Canberra;
• Geelong;
• Hobart;

The visa may be granted for up to 2 years if you have lived, worked, and studied only in a designated regional centre or other regional area.

You will not be eligible for a second Graduate visa if you have lived in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.