The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) allows international students who have recently completed their studies at an Australian institution to remain in Australia and work after graduation. It is not a permanent residence visa — it provides a temporary post-study period during which graduates can gain Australian work experience, which in turn improves their eligibility for permanent skilled visas through the points-tested and employer-sponsored streams.

The subclass 485 underwent a significant restructure effective 1 July 2024, introducing new streams and making changes to duration, eligibility, and the study requirement for different qualification levels. For current guidance on which stream applies and current duration rules, refer to the DHA Temporary Graduate visa page.

• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) — the visa criteria
• DHA: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/temporary-graduate-485
• DHA: Changes to the Temporary Graduate visa program — from 1 July 2024 — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/485-changes-2024

The streams of the subclass 485 (from 1 July 2024)

Following the July 2024 restructure, the subclass 485 has multiple streams based on the type of qualification completed and the location of study:

Post-Study Work stream

The Post-Study Work stream is for graduates who completed a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from an Australian institution while in Australia on a student visa. This is the primary stream for higher education graduates. For current duration and eligibility requirements for this stream, refer to the DHA Post-Study Work stream page.

Post-Higher Education Work stream

Introduced from 1 July 2024, the Post-Higher Education Work stream applies to a different category of higher education graduates. For current eligibility and duration for this stream, refer to the DHA Post-Higher Education Work stream page.

Post-Vocational Education Work stream

The Post-Vocational Education Work stream is for graduates who completed a vocational education and training (VET) qualification — such as a diploma or trade qualification — at an Australian institution. For current eligibility and duration for this stream, refer to the DHA Post-Vocational Education Work stream page.

Second Post-Study Work stream and Second Post-Higher Education Work stream

These are extension streams for graduates who have already held a subclass 485 visa and have studied or worked in a regional area of Australia. They provide an additional period of post-study work rights. For current eligibility, refer to the relevant DHA stream pages.

Replacement stream — repealed from 1 July 2024

The Replacement stream was repealed from 1 July 2024 and is no longer available for new applications.

The study requirement

To qualify for the subclass 485, the applicant must have completed a qualifying course of study in Australia and met the study requirement — which includes requirements about where the study was undertaken (in Australia, on a student visa), the level and type of qualification, and (in some streams) the location of the institution in Australia (whether regional or metropolitan). For current study requirement details for each stream, refer to the DHA study requirement page.

Work rights

All streams of the subclass 485 grant full, unrestricted work rights. Subclass 485 holders can work for any employer in any occupation, full-time or part-time, without needing employer sponsorship. This makes the 485 a highly flexible post-study work pathway — graduates can gain work experience across any sector without needing to secure a sponsored employer.

Age requirement

The main applicant must be under 50 years of age at the time of application for all streams. Partners can be included in the application regardless of their age.

The 485 as a pathway to permanent residence

The subclass 485 does not itself lead to permanent residence, but it provides the Australian work experience that increases points in the general skilled migration points test (adding points for Australian work experience) and makes graduates eligible for employer-sponsored visas. Common pathways after the 485 include:

• Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — employer-sponsored temporary skill shortage visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) — employer-sponsored permanent residence
• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) — points-tested permanent residence through SkillSelect
• Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 491) — points-tested regional provisional visa

For current processing times and visa application charges for the subclass 485, refer to the DHA processing times page and the Visa Pricing Estimator.

The July 2024 changes to the subclass 485 were part of a broader package of measures to manage international student numbers and the post-study work visa pipeline. Graduates who applied before 1 July 2024 may be subject to different rules — the changes apply to applications lodged on or after that date. For a full summary of what changed on 1 July 2024, refer to the DHA changes page. For current stream eligibility and duration, always refer to the specific DHA stream pages as these details are subject to further policy change.