Learn Everything You Need To Know About Graduate Visa 485

Students wonder what they can do after completing their graduation from an Australian university. International students come to Australia to study with a Student Visa Subclass 500, a temporary visa that allows the holder to live for a maximum of 5 years in this country. While returning to the home country is an option, students can also stay back and increase their Australian experience. For that, they need to obtain the Temporary Graduate Visa 485. 

So, if you have fallen in love with this country and want to extend your stay in Australia, this visa will give you that opportunity. Moreover, it also acts as a great pathway to permanent residency. Read this blog to know all the necessary details about this visa. 

There Are Two Streams Under This Visa

The first thing you must know is that the Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 is divided into two streams, from which you can choose the most suitable one. These two streams are called the Graduate Work Stream (GWS) and Post-Study Work Stream (PSWV). Before applying, it is important to know their requirements and benefits.

Graduate Work Stream (GWS)

This stream is designed for overseas students who have recently graduated with qualifications related to skills required in specific occupations with high demands in the Australian market. To apply for this stream, you must meet the following eligibility requirements.

•  You must have a diploma or a trade qualification certificate.
• You must have skills in an occupation present on the relevant skilled occupation list. 
• You must undertake a skills assessment test conducted by a relevant assessing authority for the nominated occupation.

The benefits of this visa are as follows

• You can study or work anywhere in Australia.
• This visa will allow you to stay in Australia for 18 months.

Post-Study Work Stream (PSWV)

This stream is designed for overseas students recently awarded a specific degree by a university. The eligibility criteria for this stream include the following.

• You must hold a bachelor, masters, or a PhD for this stream. 
• You should have applied for and received your first Australian student visa after 5 November 2011.

This stream will allow you to enjoy the following benefits

• You can study and work anywhere in Australia.
• The stay period can be from 2 to 4 years, depending on your academic qualification. 

1. Bachelor (including Honours): 2 years
2. Masters by Coursework or Masters by Research: 3 years
3. PhD or any other doctoral degree: 4 years

The stay period is for 5 years for students holding Hong Kong passports.

Another Extended Stream Has Been Introduced

Recently, a Second Post-Study Work Stream has been introduced for applicants who have stayed and worked in a regional area of Australia with a First Post-Study Work Stream. The eligibility requirements to apply for this stream are as follows.

• You must have held a Post-Study Work Visa previously. 
• Your institute must be located in a designated regional area of Australia.
• You should have stayed in a designated regional area while holding your first PSWV.
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One thing to note here is that designated areas include Category 2 (cities and major regional centers) and Category 3 (regional centers and other regional areas). For more information on these categories, you can visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

The Second Post-Study Work Stream will allow you to stay in Australia for 1 to 2 years, depending on two factors:

• The regional location of the institute from where you have graduated that helped you obtain your first Post-Study Work Stream Visa.
• The designated regional area where you have lived while holding your first Post-Study Work Stream Visa.

Meet All The General Visa Requirements

There are some visa-specific requirements, which we have discussed already. However, for a complete application, you must make sure that you have met common visa requirements, too. These requirements are as follows.

Age requirement

Your age must be less than 50 years.

Visa requirement

• You must hold or should have held a valid Australian student visa in the last 6 months of making your application. Make sure you are the main holder.
• If your student visa has expired within the past 6 months, you must currently hold a bridging or substantive visa. 
• The course should also be completed within the past 6 months of the application.

Australian study requirement

Satisfying the Australian study requirement is necessary to apply for the Graduate Visa 485.

• You must hold a qualification awarded by an Australian education provider. For the GWS, it can be a diploma or a trade qualification. On the other hand, you will need to hold a bachelor, masters, or doctoral degree for the PSWV.
• Make sure the course you have completed was CRICOS-registered.
• The language should have been English.
• You must have studied for a minimum of 2 academic years (92 weeks).The course should have covered at least 16 calendar months.

English language requirement

If you are from an English-speaking country like the US, the UK, Canada, Ireland, or New Zealand, you will not need to prove your English language proficiency. However, if you are not, you have to show the result of any internationally recognised English language test. The following scores will make you eligible.

• IELTS: A minimum overall band score of 6 with at least 5 in each test band
• TOEFL: A minimum overall band score of 64
• PTE Academic: A minimum overall band score of 50 with at least 36 in each test band
• OET: At least B in each component
• CAE: A minimum overall band score of 169 with at least 154 in each test band

Holding health insurance

Any visa holder in Australia must hold adequate health insurance as it helps them reduce significant medicine and treatment costs. Overseas students and their families in Australia hold OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover). While you can show this health coverage when submitting the 485 Visa application, you must obtain another adequate health coverage before the decision is made.

Meeting health and character requirements

Any visa holder in Australia must hold adequate health insurance as it helps them reduce significant medicine and treatment costs. Overseas students and their families in Australia hold OSHC (Overseas Students Health Cover). While you can show this health coverage when submitting the 485 Visa application, you must obtain another adequate health coverage before the decision is made.

Meeting health and character requirements

Both you and your family members must satisfy health and character requirements. If the Department of Home Affairs asks you to undertake health check-ups, you must. 

All the applicants aged 16 and included in the application must meet character requirements. You must show that you have applied for an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check. 

Complete all the application steps properly

For a successful Visa Subclass 485 application, you have to properly complete all the application steps.

• Before you apply, you may arrange your health check-ups if you are asked to. 
• Next, you have to gather all the important documents related to your identity, relationship, Australian qualification, English language test, health insurance, and character.
• If you want to apply online, you have to create an ImmiAccount on the immigration website and scan all the documents. Make payment to complete the application.
• The Department of Home Affairs may ask you for further information. Note that you have to respond promptly.

If you want to hire a migration agent from Adelaide for application help, you must hire them before submission.

How Can You Hire A Migration Agent?

Details about Australian migration agents are available on the Migration Agents Registration Authority’s website. You can either search there or contact any migration firm. However, before hiring an immigration agent Adelaide, you must check their career record.