Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa Australia
The 485 visa Australia lets you stay in Australia and work full-time after you graduate, for anywhere between 18 months and 5 years. If your CRICOS course has just wrapped, or is about to, the six months in front of you decide the next decade. Lodge cleanly and you buy up to five years of work rights plus a genuine run at australian permanent residency.
485 visa new rules — what changed
The 485 has been tightened four times since mid 2024, and the cost has moved twice this financial year alone. Age came down, English went up, two streams were renamed, Graduate Certificates stopped counting, and the charge climbed from $2,300 to $5,750.
Fee increase — 1 July 2026
The primary Visa Application Charge went from $2,300 to $4,600 on 1 March 2026, then to $5,750 on 1 July 2026. That is a 150% rise inside seven months. The charge is set by the date Home Affairs receives your application, and it is not refunded if you are refused.
Visa Age limit now under 35
The cap fell from under 50 to 35 or under on 1 July 2024. It has not moved in 2026. Exceptions run to 50 for Master’s by Research and PhD graduates in the Post-Higher stream, and for Hong Kong SAR and BN(O) passport holders in both.
English + streams renamed
Under LIN 25/089, an IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) sat within the last 12 months The three streams now sit under Post-Vocational, Post-Higher and Second Post-Higher Education Work. The forms and grant letters carry the new labels.
AI-ECTA bonus for Indian graduates
The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement grants Indian passport holders an extra year on their 485 post graduate visa. Three years total on a Master by coursework. Four years on a PhD.
What is the 485 visa?
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is a temporary visa that lets international students live, work and study in Australia after finishing a CRICOS-registered course. Depending on your stream and qualification, it runs from 18 months to 5 years. You can work full-time in any occupation, for any employer, and you can bring your partner and children with you. For most international students it’s the single most common stepping-stone to permanent residency, giving you time to gain skilled work experience before moving on to a subclass 189, 190 visa, 491 skilled regional visa, 482 visa or 186 visa.
The three 485 visa streams explained
Same subclass, three separate rulebooks. Your stream is set by the qualification you finished, your age at lodgement, your passport and where in Australia you studied.
Post-Vocational Education Work
Who it’s for
Recent VET or trade graduates
Stay duration
18 months
Age limit (2026)
Under 35
Skills assessment
Required
AI-ECTA bonus
Not eligible
Path to PR
Job Ready Program → 189 / 190 / 491
Post-Higher Education Work
Who it’s for
Bachelor, Master or PhD graduates from a CRICOS course
Stay duration
2 yrs (Bachelor / Master) · 3 yrs (Research / PhD)
Age limit (2026)
Under 35 (under 50 for Research / PhD / HK-BNO)
Skills assessment
Not required at lodgement
AI-ECTA bonus
+1 yr for Indian citizens
Path to PR
189 / 190 / 491 / 482 / 186
Second Post-Higher Education Work
Who it’s for
First-485 holders who studied & lived in a designated regional area
Stay duration
1–2 extra years
Age limit (2026)
Under 35
Skills assessment
Not required
AI-ECTA bonus
English already met from first 485
Path to PR
Same as Post-Higher — 189 / 190 / 491 / 482 / 186
The essentials you must satisfy
Age under 35
Your age is measured on lodgement day, not your next birthday. Research and PhD graduates, plus Hong Kong or BNO passport holders, qualify for the sub-50 cap instead.
Australian Study Requirement
92 weeks minimum of CRICOS-registered study, completed on Australian soil. Duration is measured in academic weeks, not calendar months.
English competency
IELTS 6.5 overall, no band under 5.5, sat within 12 months of lodgement. Equivalent scores in PTE, TOEFL iBT, CAE or OET are accepted under LIN 25/089.
The 6-month window
Six calendar months from the date on your completion letter, not from your graduation ceremony and not from your final exam. Once the window closes, a fresh 485 application on the same course is not available.
Eligible substantive visa
You need to hold an eligible substantive visa (typically a Student 500 or a qualifying Bridging A) at the moment of an onshore lodgement.
Health, insurance & character
Valid OSHC health cover for the visa period, an AFP police clearance, plus overseas police checks from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more since turning 16. No PIC 4020 breaches on prior applications.
485 visa cost in 2026
Your 485 outlay has two components: the Visa Application Charge (VAC) for you and any accompanying family, plus any Subsequent Temporary Application Charge if it applies. Charges below are indicative for 2026 — always confirm the current amount on Home Affairs before you lodge.
How to apply for the 485, our 6-step process
Every lodgement we run at The Migration follows the same six steps — here’s exactly what happens, in order.
Confirm your eligibility & stream
We map you against the 2026 rules and identify which of the three streams gives you the longest stay and best PR pathway based on your course, age, and passport.
Sit (or refresh) your English test
Under LIN 25/089 your English test must be less than 12 months old. Accepted tests: IELTS, PTE, TOEFL iBT, CAE and OET — IELTS 6.5 minimum (no band under 5.5) is the safest target.
Obtain your skills assessment
Post-Vocational stream only: obtain a positive assessment from the relevant authority — typically TRA for trades, VETASSESS for general vocations, or ACS for ICT roles. Post-Higher and Second-Post-Higher applicants can skip this step at lodgement.
Gather your document set
Completion letter (not the ceremony certificate), academic transcripts, AFP + overseas police checks, OSHC certificate, English test result, passport bio pages and completed forms 47SP / 80 if requested.
Lodge through ImmiAccount within 6 months
The clock starts on your completion letter date, not graduation day. Lodge online through ImmiAccount within 6 months — missing this deadline triggers automatic refusal and there is no discretion to extend it.
Bridging Visa A · monitor · plan PR
Home Affairs issues a Bridging Visa A on lodgement. Check VEVO for grants and conditions, track processing times, and start mapping your PR pathway (189 / 190 / 491 / 482 / 186) from day one — the 485 window closes fast.
How The Migration Help In 485 Visa
Your 485 is handled by MARA registered migration agents (MARN 1807450 and 2518738) working under the OMARA Code of Conduct. One accountable team, no hand-offs to unregistered staff, and no undisclosed commission arrangements with education agents, insurers or English test providers.
What our clients say
“The team explained every step of my 485 application clearly and answered all my questions along the way. I always knew what was needed next and by when.”
“Fees were quoted upfront with no surprises. They walked me carefully through the English requirements and document set for my 485.”
“From my first consultation through to the bridging visa grant, the process felt organised and professional. Happy to recommend them to any student finishing their course.”
Begin Your Graduate Visa Application Today
Connect with our MARA-certified agents and receive expert guidance tailored to your temporary graduate visa 485 needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real questions from real 485 applicants — answered against the current 2026 rules.
What is the 485 visa in Australia?
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is a temporary visa that lets international students live, study and work in Australia after they finish their course. It runs for 18 months to 5 years depending on your stream, qualification and passport, and it carries full work rights with no cap on hours. Most graduates use it as the first step toward Australian permanent residency.
Who is eligible for the Subclass 485 visa in Australia?
To meet 485 visa eligibility you must be aged 35 or under when you apply, hold an eligible visa, have held a Student visa in the last six months, and hold a recent qualification from a CRICOS-registered course. You apply under one stream and cannot change it afterwards, and you must attach your evidence at the time you apply. Master’s by Research, PhD, Hong Kong SAR and BN(O) applicants may apply up to 50.
What is the new rule about the 485 visa in Australia?
Cost is the headline change. The charge went from $2,300 to $4,600 on 1 March 2026, then to $5,750 on 1 July 2026. Earlier reforms still catch people out: the under-35 age cap and the 12-month English validity rule both landed on 1 July 2024, and Graduate Certificates stopped counting as a degree from 14 December 2024. Anything published before this year needs checking.
How much does the 485 visa cost in Australia?
From $5,750 for the primary applicant in the Post-Vocational and Post-Higher streams, and from $2,265 in the Second Post-Higher stream. A partner adds $2,875 and a child under 18 adds $1,450. Realistically, a single applicant should budget $7,000 to $8,500 once health cover, medicals, English testing and police checks are counted. Eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens pay less.
Can I work and study on the 485 visa?
Yes to both. The 485 gives unrestricted work rights, so you can work full-time in any occupation for any employer, with no hour caps. You can study as well, though you cannot apply for a new Student visa onshore while you hold a 485. Returning to study on a 500 means applying from outside Australia.
Does the 485 visa lead to PR?
Not by itself. The 485 visa pathway to residency runs through the skilled and employer-sponsored programs: the 189, 190 and 491 on points, or the 482 leading into a 186. What the graduate visa gives you is two to four years of skilled Australian work experience and the local skills assessment those visas reward. Plan it in year one. Year three is too late.
What happens if my 485 visa is refused?
You typically have 21 days to apply for merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Most 485 refusals stem from missed deadlines, unverified study claims, or stream confusion — speak to a MARA agent within a few days of the refusal letter.
How long does the 485 visa take to process?
Per the Home Affairs processing times tool, Post-Higher Education Work finalises 50% of applications in approximately 59 days and 90% in approximately 4 months. Post-Vocational Education Work finalises 50% in about 49 days and 90% in about 4 months. Times are indicative and refreshed monthly.
Do I need a migration agent for the 485 visa?
You can self-lodge, but a refusal is costly — a lost application charge, lost time on your student visa, and a possible PIC 4020 or Section 48 bar. A MARA agent confirms your stream, audits your evidence, and lodges on your behalf. For most graduates, getting it right once is cheaper than fixing a refusal.
Transform Your Australian Education Into Career Success
Work with MARA-registered specialists to lodge your 485 correctly and open the door to permanent residency. Honest assessments, transparent fees, no pressure.
Nasir Nawaz
Nasir leads The Migration’s 485 practice from our Harris Park Sydney office. He has personally overseen hundreds of Temporary Graduate lodgements and specialises in 485-to-PR planning across the 189, 190, 491, 482 and 186 pathways. Every 485 published on this page is reviewed against the current Home Affairs policy framework and re-verified on schedule.