The 485 visa lets recent graduates of Australian study live and work here temporarily and build toward PR. Registered migration agents in Brisbane can help. Book a consult.
The 485 visa lets recent graduates of Australian study stay in Australia to live and work temporarily after they finish their course. It’s a work visa, not a study visa, and for a lot of international students it’s the bridge between graduating and building a real future here. Work on a 485, gain skilled experience, lift your points, and you’re in a far stronger position for permanent residency than you were the day you finished your degree.
Our registered migration agents in Brisbane help graduates lodge the 485 correctly and plan what comes after it. Here’s how the subclass 485 works.
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is a temporary visa for people who’ve recently completed eligible study in Australia. It gives you full work rights, so you can work in any job for any employer, and it lets you and your included family live in Australia for the length of the visa. There’s no employer sponsor and no points test to get the 485 itself.
The length of the visa and the exact stream you’re eligible for depend on your qualification and your field of study. Some graduates get a couple of years, others longer, and certain qualifications and regional study can attract extra time. We’ll confirm what applies to your situation, because these settings are adjusted by the government from time to time.
The core requirements for the 485 are stable, even though the finer detail shifts. Broadly, you generally need to:
Have recently completed an eligible course of study in Australia that meets the Australian study requirement.
Hold or have recently held a student visa.
Be under the maximum age at the time you apply.
Meet the English language requirement with an accepted test.
Hold health insurance for the length of the visa.
Provide health and character checks, including police clearances.
The Australian study requirement is the one that catches people out. Your course has to have been registered, studied in Australia, and completed within the required timeframe before you apply. Timing your application after you finish, but within the window, is something we watch closely so you don’t miss it.
The big draw of the 485 is unrestricted work. Unlike a student visa, which caps your hours, the 485 lets you work full-time in any role. That means you can take on skilled work in your field, which is exactly the kind of experience that feeds into a later skilled migration application.
This is where planning early pays off. If you use your 485 years to get skilled employment in your nominated occupation, rather than any job that pays the bills, you build the work experience and points that make a permanent visa realistic. We help you line that up from the start.
The 485 isn’t permanent, and it doesn’t lead automatically to permanent residency. But it’s one of the most useful bridges there is, because it buys you time in Australia with full work rights to build your case.
While you’re on a 485, you can:
Gain skilled work experience in your occupation, which adds points.
Improve your English test result for more points.
Complete a professional-year program, where relevant.
Get your skills assessment sorted for your occupation.
Lodge an Expression of Interest for a skilled visa and wait for an invitation.
By the time your 485 is running down, the goal is to be ready for a 189, 190 or 491, or an employer-sponsored option, with the points and evidence to back it. Because we handle both education and migration, we can plan this with you before you graduate rather than after. See our Skilled Migration page for the routes the 485 feeds into.
Most 485 applicants come straight off a Student visa (500). If that’s you, the transition needs to be timed so you apply within the window after completing your course, and so your status stays lawful in between. We manage the bridging visa that usually comes with an onshore 485 application, so there’s no gap where you’re left without a valid visa while the department decides.
If you’re still studying, or still choosing a course, it’s worth thinking about the 485 and beyond now. The course you pick affects your later options. Our Study in Australia page explains how we line up study and migration together.
The 485 carries a government application charge, with extra charges for family members you include, and you’ll need to budget for health insurance, English testing and police checks. Processing times move with the department’s workload and how complete your application is. Because these figures change, we’ll give you the current charge and a realistic timeframe for your circumstances at your consultation.
We confirm you meet the Australian study requirement and time your application within the window.
We prepare your 485 application with the right stream for your qualification.
We manage the bridging visa so your status stays lawful.
We plan your work and points strategy so the 485 actually leads somewhere.
We map the path to a permanent visa and handle that application when you’re ready.
The subclass 485 is a temporary work visa for people who’ve recently completed eligible study in Australia. It gives full work rights and lets you and your family live in Australia for the length of the visa, without an employer sponsor or points test.
It depends on your qualification and stream. Some graduates get a couple of years, others longer, and certain qualifications and regional study can attract extra time. We’ll confirm the length that applies to your situation.
Yes. Unlike a student visa, the 485 has no cap on your working hours. You can work full-time in any job, which is why it’s such a useful visa for building skilled experience toward permanent residency.
No. The 485 doesn’t need an employer sponsor or a job offer, and there’s no points test for the visa itself. You need eligible recent Australian study, and to meet the age, English, health and character requirements.
Not automatically. It’s a temporary visa, but it’s a strong stepping stone. The work experience and points you build during your 485 can support a later skilled or employer-sponsored permanent visa. Planning this early makes a real difference.
In most cases, yes, if you’re onshore on a student visa and apply within the window after completing your course. We manage the bridging visa that usually comes with an onshore application so your status stays lawful while the department decides.
Yes. You can usually include your partner and dependent children. There are extra charges and each person needs to meet the requirements, and we’ll make sure nobody is left off.
Ideally, you’ve used the time to become eligible for a permanent visa such as the 189, 190 or 491, or an employer-sponsored option. Depending on your qualification, some graduates may be eligible for a further period on the 485. We’ll map your options well before it runs out.
Yes. You need to hold adequate health insurance for the length of the visa. We’ll guide you on suitable cover as part of preparing your application.
