Subclass 485 Graduate Visa
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa is a post-study transitional visa available to international students who have completed an eligible CRICOS course in Australia.
It is generally regarded as a key step for graduates moving from a student visa towards work, skilled migration or longer-term residence pathways.
In practice, however, many clients miss opportunities they would otherwise have had because they have misunderstood key junctures such as the application window, the timing of skills assessments or the validity period of English test results.
The legal basis for the Subclass 485 visa is found in the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and the Subclass 485 provisions of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for assessing Subclass 485 applications.
It is particularly important to note that in 2024 the Australian government made a number of significant changes to the Subclass 485 visa, including renaming the visa streams, adjusting the age limit, amending visa durations, and removing the regional-study-based second Subclass 485 arrangement in favour of the new Skills in Demand pathway and other transitional mechanisms.
In practice, the core issues raised in Subclass 485 matters typically include:
When NS Legal assists in Subclass 485 matters, the focus is not only on assessing whether the client meets the basic criteria, but more importantly on assessing timing, consolidating evidence and, where relevant, designing a strategic approach to a subsequent skilled migration or employer-sponsored pathway.
which stream the client actually qualifies under;
how the six-month application window from course completion is calculated;
whether English test results, skills assessments, health examinations and character documents are within their respective validity periods;
whether a partner or family members can be included as secondary applicants;
whether the client meets the new age limit and any applicable exemptions following the 2024 reforms.
What is the Subclass 485 Visa
The Subclass 485 visa, formally known as the Temporary Graduate Visa, is a temporary residence visa designed for international students who have completed an Australian CRICOS course.
It permits the holder to live, work and study in Australia for the duration of the visa, providing a realistic opportunity to gain post-graduation work experience or to undertake skills assessment.
The Subclass 485 visa is presently composed of two main streams:
- the Post-Vocational Education Work stream (PVEW): for graduates who have completed an Australian vocational education and training (VET) course, for example an eligible Diploma, Advanced Diploma, or certain Certificate III/IV qualifications;
- the Post-Higher Education Work stream (PHEW): for graduates who have completed an Australian higher education course, for example a Bachelor, Master or Doctoral degree.
It is particularly important to note that PHEW is the renamed version of what was previously the Post-Study Work stream (PSW), and the 2024 reforms introduced a number of substantive changes to it (set out below).
Key 2024 Reforms
In 2024, the Australian government implemented a series of substantive reforms to the Subclass 485 visa, with direct effects on applicants. In assessing eligibility, particular attention should be given to the following changes:
- The PSW stream has been renamed PHEW: the former Post-Study Work stream is now the Post-Higher Education Work stream — the overall framework has been retained, but the specific age limits and visa durations have been adjusted;
- Adjustment to the age limit: the maximum age limit for the PHEW stream has been reduced from 50 years to 35 years, with limited exemptions for certain categories such as Master by research and graduates of specified Doctoral courses;
- Changes to visa duration: depending on the qualification completed, the PHEW visa duration is generally 2 years (Bachelor / Master by coursework), 3 years (Master by research), 4 years (Doctoral degree), with a possible extension of 1–2 years up to a maximum of 5 years where regional study is completed;
- Removal of the second Subclass 485 arrangement: the second Subclass 485 (the relevant Subsequent stream arrangement) previously available based on regional study has been removed and replaced by new extension and alternative transitional pathways under the reforms;
- Clearer English language thresholds and validity rules: applicants must obtain English test results meeting the Department of Home Affairs requirements within a specified period before lodging the application;
- Reduced impact of the GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) test: under the new framework, the GTE test at the student visa stage has been replaced by the Genuine Student (GS) test, although Subclass 485 applications must still satisfy corresponding genuineness and character requirements.
These reforms have a significant impact on clients applying for the Subclass 485 visa in 2024 and afterwards.
Clients who are older than the new age limit, regional graduates who had been expecting a second Subclass 485, and clients whose courses are completed during the transitional period need to re-assess their application strategy.
PVEW Stream: VET Graduates
The PVEW stream is available to graduates who have completed an Australian CRICOS-registered vocational education course. Under this stream, applicants generally need to satisfy the following criteria:
- completion of an eligible AQF Diploma or above vocational education course (for example certain Diploma, Advanced Diploma, or specified Certificate III/IV qualifications);
- the course must be CRICOS-registered in Australia and completed in Australia;
- the Subclass 485 application must be lodged within 6 months of course completion;
- a positive skills assessment for the relevant occupation must be obtained, generally through TRA (Trades Recognition Australia), VETASSESS or other relevant assessing authorities;
- the English language requirement must be met (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL iBT, CAE or OET, with the minimum scores set out in Department of Home Affairs requirements);
- the health, character (penal clearance) and absence of outstanding public debt requirements must be met;
- valid health insurance must be obtained and maintained while in Australia.
The visa duration under the PVEW stream is generally 18 months, with extensions available for certain regional study and reform-eligible circumstances.
It is particularly important to note that the timing of the skills assessment is critical under the PVEW stream — a positive skills assessment must be obtained before the Subclass 485 application is lodged; skills assessment itself takes several months, so preparation should generally begin several months before course completion.
PHEW Stream: Higher Education Graduates
The PHEW stream (formerly the PSW stream) is available to graduates who have completed an Australian CRICOS-registered higher education course. Under this stream, applicants generally need to satisfy the following criteria:
- completion of an eligible AQF Bachelor, Master or Doctoral degree (including Bachelor honours degrees, Master by coursework, Master by research, PhD and the like);
- the course must be CRICOS-registered in Australia and completed in Australia (with the course meeting the statutory minimum study duration, generally 2 academic years);
- the Subclass 485 application must be lodged within 6 months of course completion;
- the applicant must be no older than 35 years at the time of application (with limited exemptions for certain Master by research and Doctoral graduates);
- the English language requirement set by the Department of Home Affairs must be met;
- the health, character and health insurance requirements must be met;
- the applicant must not previously have held a Subclass 485 visa (except in defined transitional arrangements).
The visa duration under the PHEW stream varies according to the qualification completed:
- Bachelor / Master by coursework: 2 years;
- Master by research: 3 years;
- Doctoral degree (PhD): 4 years;
- an additional 1–2 years may be added where an eligible course is completed in a regional area, up to a maximum of 5 years.
It should be noted that the PHEW stream does not require a skills assessment, but it imposes strict requirements regarding qualification level, course duration and actual study time in Australia.
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The 6-Month Application Window
The application window is one of the most easily overlooked yet most critical statutory junctures of the Subclass 485 visa.
Under the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), the Subclass 485 application must be lodged within 6 months of the course completion date. In practice, the following points need to be understood in relation to the 6-month window:
- the course completion date is the date on which the education provider formally notifies completion, not the date of the graduation ceremony or release of results;
- the lodgement of the visa application (including payment of the visa application charge) must be completed before the end of the 6-month window;
- some supporting documents (such as English test results, health examinations and skills assessments) may be supplemented after lodgement, but the core application itself must be lodged within the window;
- if the 6-month window is missed, the Subclass 485 cannot be applied for; in those circumstances it may be necessary to consider alternative transitional visas, or to return to the country of origin and replan the pathway.
This means that the final stage as a course nears completion is critical for Subclass 485 preparation — obtaining several of the supporting documents typically takes 4–8 weeks.
Including Partners and Family Members
The Subclass 485 visa allows the primary applicant to include a partner (including a spouse and a de facto partner) and dependent children as secondary applicants.
However, secondary applicant inclusion is itself subject to a number of requirements:
| partner evidence | a married relationship requires a marriage certificate and evidence of living together; a de facto relationship requires evidence of cohabitation for at least 12 months (with limited exemptions, for example registered relationships), supported by financial, household, social and commitment evidence (the four-pillar evidentiary framework); |
|---|---|
| dependent children | typically means children under 18 who are not independent, or children over 18 who are financially dependent on the primary applicant by reason of physical or mental conditions; |
| health and character requirements | all secondary applicants (including dependent children) generally need to meet the relevant health and character requirements; |
| English language or fee | where a secondary applicant cannot demonstrate functional English, a Second Instalment English fee will generally be payable. |
In practice, insufficient secondary applicant evidence is one of the most common refusal grounds for the Subclass 485 visa.
We recommend organising cohabitation evidence, joint financial evidence and evidence of the genuineness of the relationship thoroughly before lodgement.
Work and Study Rights
The Subclass 485 visa holder enjoys relatively full work and study rights during the visa period:
| work rights | the holder may work full-time in Australia, without industry or employer restrictions (in contrast to the work-hour limit under condition 8105 of the Student visa); |
|---|---|
| study rights | the holder may continue to study in Australia, including pursuing further qualifications, undertaking courses required for skills assessment, or undertaking other vocational training; |
| travel | the Subclass 485 visa allows the holder to travel to and from Australia multiple times, without numerical restriction; |
| health insurance | Subclass 485 holders are generally not eligible for Medicare (unless they are nationals of a country with a relevant reciprocal arrangement), and need to maintain private health insurance independently. |
In practice, the Subclass 485 visa is often used as a transitional step on a skilled migration pathway — during the visa period, the holder can accumulate work experience, accrue the years of work required for PR (permanent residence), complete a Professional Year programme, or apply for an employer-sponsored visa (such as Subclass 482 or Subclass 186).
Common Refusal Reasons
In practice, refusal of a Subclass 485 visa typically involves one or more of the following categories of issue:
- timing of the skills assessment (PVEW stream): a positive skills assessment had not been obtained at the time the Subclass 485 application was lodged, or the assessment result was only issued after lodgement;
- English test results outside their validity period: the Department of Home Affairs sets clear validity periods for English test results, and expired results are not accepted;
- insufficient course duration: the actual study time in Australia did not meet the statutory minimum study duration (CRICOS courses generally require 2 academic years);
- missed the 6-month application window: the application was lodged more than 6 months after the course completion date, outside the statutory window;
- insufficient secondary applicant evidence: the evidence of a de facto partner relationship was inadequate, or the evidence for a dependent child was incomplete;
- health or character issues: significant issues identified by the health examination, or significant adverse records on character documents;
- age over the new limit (PHEW stream): the post-2024 age limit has been reduced to 35 years; applicants over the limit who do not fall within an exemption are refused;
- Australian study requirement not met: the course was not completed under a CRICOS-registered framework, or parts of the course were completed overseas and so do not count.
Among these refusal grounds, the timing of the skills assessment and missing the 6-month window are irreversible — once they have occurred, the scope for re-application is very limited.
What to Do If Refused
If the Subclass 485 visa is refused, clients can generally seek a remedy through the following avenues:
- ART merits review: where the refusal is a reviewable decision, the client may lodge a merits review application with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) within 28 days of receiving the refusal notice. It is particularly important to note that in 2024 the Australian government restructured the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) into the ART, and the review process and fees have been adjusted;
- judicial review: if the ART affirms the refusal, the client may, within the statutory time limit, bring judicial review proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia; however, judicial review only examines the legality of the decision and does not re-examine the facts;
- re-lodge the application: where the client is still within the 6-month window and any deficient material can be supplemented, re-lodgement is generally a viable option; however, if the window has closed, re-lodgement is no longer a viable option;
- alternative visa class: where Subclass 485 is no longer viable, alternative transitional visas (such as the Subclass 407 Training visa), employer-sponsored visas or independent skilled migration visas may be assessed.
The 28-day review window is an absolute statutory time limit — once missed, the right of review is generally lost. We recommend assessing remedy options immediately upon receiving a refusal notice.
How We Can Help
Subclass 485 matters generally share several common features: a tight application window, complex supporting material, overlapping critical junctures, and reform-era rules that are not yet fully settled.
In this situation, the role of the NS Legal migration team is not only to lodge the application but, more importantly, to assist clients in coordinating across three layers: the time window, evidence collection and longer-term pathway planning.
We will generally start by assessing the level and duration of the completed course, the corresponding visa stream, the client’s age and English results, and then decide which junctures to prioritise — whether to apply for a skills assessment, sit an English test, schedule a health examination or supplement partner evidence.
In practice, we are typically able to assist clients to:
- assess the suitability of the visa stream (PVEW / PHEW) and how eligibility has shifted under the 2024 reforms;
- calculate the 6-month application window and the validity periods of each supporting document, and design a timeline;
- coordinate the arrangements for skills assessment (PVEW stream), English testing, health examinations and character documents;
- prepare evidence for partner or family secondary applicants, including cohabitation evidence and evidence of the genuineness of the relationship;
- draft and lodge the visa application, and respond to s 56 requests from the Department of Home Affairs;
- in a refusal scenario, assess the viability of an ART review and act in the review proceeding;
- assist clients in planning the next step of the pathway, including skilled migration, employer sponsorship or independent skilled visa options.
Our objective is to maximise the prospects of grant within the limited time window of the Subclass 485 visa, and to lay the groundwork for a longer-term residence pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Subclass 485 visa be applied for from outside Australia?
Generally speaking, the Subclass 485 visa can be applied for both within Australia and from offshore. However, the application is still subject to all the eligibility criteria, including the 6-month window from course completion, English test results and health examinations. Clients applying from offshore should pay particular attention to whether the various supporting documents can be obtained offshore in time.
How is the course completion date calculated?
The course completion date is the date on which the education provider formally notifies completion of all academic requirements (typically as set out on the formal completion letter or academic transcript), not the date of the graduation ceremony or conferral of the award. The 6-month application window runs from the day after the course completion date.
Can a second Subclass 485 visa still be applied for?
The second Subclass 485 arrangement previously available based on regional study has been removed under the 2024 reforms. Clients meeting specific transitional criteria during the reform transition period may still have access to a transitional arrangement, but as a general matter the second Subclass 485 is no longer open. Clients will need to assess longer-term pathways such as employer-sponsored visas or independent skilled migration.
Can a Subclass 485 visa holder apply for PR?
The Subclass 485 visa does not lead directly to PR, but during the visa period the holder may apply for PR via other visa pathways, for example: through EOI (Expression of Interest) + Subclass 189 independent skilled visa, Subclass 190 state-sponsored visa, Subclass 491 regional temporary visa, or by transitioning from employer sponsorship (Subclass 482 → Subclass 186 ENS) to PR. The specific pathway needs to be assessed against the client’s occupation, skills, English results and the relevant state nomination policy.
Can a partner work on a Subclass 485 visa?
Yes. A secondary applicant on a Subclass 485 visa generally enjoys the same work rights as the primary applicant during the visa period, and may work full-time without industry or employer restriction. This differs significantly from the work-hour limit under condition 8105 of the Student visa.
If the Subclass 485 visa is refused, can a new application be lodged?
This depends on the reason for refusal and whether the client is still within the 6-month application window. If the window is still open and the previously missing material can be supplemented, re-lodgement is generally viable; if the window has closed, the matter will need to be pursued through ART review or an alternative visa class. We recommend assessing the timing and viability immediately upon receipt of the refusal notice.
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