Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa you must: 

• be under 50 years of age, 
• have held a Student (subclass 500) visa in the last six months, 
• provide evidence you have applied for an AFP check when you apply, and  
• provide evidence of the required level of English language with the application. 

The Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Study Work stream is for students have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian education provider.  

The Temporary Graduate visa in the Graduate Work stream is for students who have recently graduated from an Australian provider with skills and qualifications relevant to specific occupations. For this stream, you need to nominate an occupation from the skilled occupations list. You will also need to provide evidence you have applied for (or already obtained) a skills assessment for the nominated occupation.  

Length of stay and work rights 

The length of your stay on a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) varies depending on the course you studied and the visa stream you apply for:  

• Temporary Graduate visa (Post-Study Work stream) holders can usually stay in Australia for two to four years, depending on your study level and qualification.
• Graduates with select degrees are eligible for an additional two years (see below for more information).            
• A Temporary Graduate visa (Graduate Work stream) will usually allow you to stay and work in Australia for up to 18 months. This has temporarily increased to 24 months.  
  
• Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders on their first Temporary Graduate visa (Post-study Work and Graduate Work streams) may stay in Australia for five years.   

Post-study work rights extensions 

From 1 July 2023, graduates with a select degree on the Department of Education’s Eligible Qualifications List (EQL) will be eligible for an additional two years on their Post-Study Work stream visa: 

• Four years for Bachelor degree graduates, up from two years previously. 
  
• Five years for Master degree graduates, up from three years previously. 
  
• Six years for Doctoral graduates, up from four years previously. 
  

These extensions are in addition to the existing additional one to two years of work rights for eligible students who study, live and work in regional areas in Australia. 

*Changes are coming in 2024. Find out more. 

Eligible visa holders 

Graduates who already hold a Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Study Work stream and who have completed an eligible degree can apply for a two-year extension using ImmiAcocunt with no application fee. 

Graduates with an eligible degree who apply for a Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Study Work stream on or after 1 July 2023 will be granted an additional two years. 

Applicants with an eligible degree who have studied, lived and worked in a regional area in Australia may apply for an extension in the Second Post-Study Work stream.  

Extension limits 

Applicants with an eligible degree can only be granted the additional two-year extension once. No further applications for extension are possible and further applications for an extension will be invalid. 

Arrangements for other Temporary Graduate visa holders 

Temporary Graduate visa holders who are working in Australia or have an offer of employment in Australia may be eligible for a COVID-19 Pandemic Event (subclass 408) visa with a 2-year stay period, if: 

• your Temporary Graduate visa expired or will expire between 1 September 2022 and 1 July 2023, or 
  
• you held a Temporary Graduate visa in Australia throughout the pandemic period (and are not eligible for the Replacement stream below). 
  

Please evaluate your options carefully. If you are granted a COVID-19 Pandemic Event (subclass 408) visa, you will not be eligible to apply for an extended Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).  

For a Pandemic Event visa, you must apply 90 days before your TGV expires, or 28 days after your TGV expires to be eligible.  

How to apply 

Visit the Home Affairs website for a step-by-step guide on how to apply online using ImmiAccount.  

Replacement visas due to COVID-19 

Current and former Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders who lost time in Australia due to COVID-19 international travel restrictions can apply for a replacement visa.  

To be eligible, you must have held a Temporary Graduate visa that was granted before 15 December 2021 and in effect on or after 1 February 2020, and have lost time on your visa because of Australia’s COVID-19 travel restrictions. Please check your eligibility and learn more about this visa at the Department of Home Affairs website.