Are you worried because your Australian student visa is about to expire soon? If you’re unsure about what to do next and wondering if you can start a career or extend your stay, don’t stress.
If you’ve finished a two-year degree in Australia as an international student, you have options. You can apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa to gain work experience. And you’re not alone—many others are in the same boat.
In 2019, around 90,000 international students like you applied for the 485 Visa. The good thing about this visa is that it lets you work in Australia for either two or four years, depending on your job and how long you work.
So, if you’re nearing the end of your student visa, don’t worry. There’s a way forward to keep building your career and gaining experience in Australia.
Exploring the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa
At first, every skilled worker can have just one temporary visa as the main applicant. There are two types: the Graduate Work Stream and the Post Study Work Stream. If you’re in the Graduate Stream, your work and study visa in Australia lasts for one and a half years, but it’s four years in the post-study work stream.
Detail of 485 Graduate Visa
The 485 Graduate Visa is for any international student who finished a two-year course at an Australian institution. You can only have one temporary visa as the main applicant. This visa has two options to choose from.
- Graduate Work Stream:
• This visa option is for students who studied in Australia for two years.
• It allows you to work and study for one and a half years.
• To qualify, your job must be on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
• You also need a skill assessment for the job you’re applying for. - Post-Study Work Stream:
• This stream lasts for four years.
• It’s available for students who:
• Have an Australian student visa.
• Completed a graduate, postgraduate, or PhD degree from an Australian educational institution, regardless of their field of study. - What are the benefits of Temporary Graduate Visa?
To be straightforward, if you’re after a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa, here are some good things it offers:
- You can bring your immediate family when you apply.
- This visa lets you and your family live, work, and study in Australia, and you can freely travel in and out of the country during the visa’s validity.
Requirements for Eligibility:
• Being under 50 years old
• Being in Australia when you apply for the Graduate visa
• Meeting Australia’s study requirements
• Applying for the visa within six months after receiving your results
• Meeting the requirements of either the Graduate or Post Graduate stream
• Having health insurance coverage for your stay in Australia
• Being proficient in English language.
To qualify for the visa, you must repay any outstanding debts you have. These debts must be settled by the time your visa is granted. Additionally, you need to fulfill the study requirement by being enrolled in a course that:
• Is registered under CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students)
• Lasts for at least three months, or 16 months if it’s an English language course
• You’re attending on an Australian student visa
Character and Health Requirements for Subclass 485 Visa:
If you include your family members in your visa application, they can also undergo specific medical examinations to fulfill the health criteria required for the visa.
To meet the character requirements, you must provide written confirmation that you have applied for a Federal Police check in Australia before submitting your visa application. This step ensures compliance with the necessary character checks.
Health Insurance Requirements:
Having adequate health insurance coverage is crucial for you and your family members throughout the duration of your visa.
Your health insurance plan can be from either within or outside the country.
Before applying for the visa, it’s important to ensure you have a suitable health insurance plan in place. If you have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from your student visa, it can still be valid when applying for a Subclass 485 visa.
Here are key points to understand about the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa:
Here are some essential details about the Subclass 485 visa, commonly known as the Temporary Graduate visa:
- Purpose: This visa allows international students who have recently finished their studies at an Australian institution to temporarily live, work, and study in Australia.
- Streams: There are two streams available: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.
- Eligibility: Applicants must have completed a course or courses totaling at least two academic years (92 weeks) in Australia. They also need to meet requirements such as age, English language proficiency, and health and character assessments.
- Duration: The visa duration varies based on the stream and qualification level. The Graduate Work stream offers an 18-month visa, while the Post-Study Work stream provides a visa lasting 2 to 4 years.
- Work Rights: Visa holders have full work rights in Australia, allowing them to gain valuable work experience.
- Pathway to Permanent Residency: While the Subclass 485 visa doesn’t directly lead to permanent residency, it can enhance eligibility for other permanent visas by providing time to gain work experience.
- Family Members: Applicants can include immediate family members, such as a spouse or dependent children, in their visa application.
- Health Insurance: Adequate health insurance coverage is mandatory for the entire stay in Australia.
- Application Process: The application must be submitted within six months of course completion while holding an eligible visa.
In summary, the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa not only benefits the applicant but also extends to immediate family members. For more information on the visa and its requirements, consult with our Education Consultants in Australia today.