6 Things About Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass- 485)

Popularly known as TR, this visa type allows international students who have recently completed their studies at an Australian educational institution to live, study, and work in Australia. Applicants may be awarded a visa for 18 months to 4 years depending on the stream applied for.

Applying for Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass- 485) is easy, but it would be best to exercise caution to not compromise the outcome.

To start off, applying for this visa must be done within the first 6 months upon completing the program. You must also be in Australia at the time of lodging the visa application.

Here are the 6 Important Things to Remember About Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass- 485).

Right visa stream

This visa type has two streams, Graduate Work and Post-Study Work. When applying, it is important to lodge under the stream most applicable to you. The Graduate Work stream is for international students who graduated with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation on the list of eligible occupation. This stream also grants an 18-month visa.

The Post-Study Work stream on the other hand grants a visa with up to 4 years validity. It is intended for international students who graduated with a higher education degree (Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate) from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study. This stream is only available to students who applied for (and were granted) their first student visa to Australia on or after 5 November 2011.

Adequate health insurance

One of the important eligibility requirements for TR (Subclass- 485) is holding a valid health insurance policy. Visa applications maybe at risk of refusal or visa cancellation if the health insurance requirement is not satisfied. Insurance policies, also known as Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC), from authorised providers.

With many providers offering similar plans, selecting the most applicable may be challenging. Get in touch with our consultants and receive guidance in choosing the right OVHC for you.

English requirement

Proof of English Language proficiency is needed in applying for this visa. For IELTS, you should achieve an overall score of at least 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking). The PTE Academic Test equivalent is an overall score of at least 50 points with a minimum score of 36 points in each of the four test components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

To understand the difference between IELTS and PTE Academic, you can read though our blog to help you determine which is right for you.

Once in a lifetime

Did you know that you can only be granted a Temporary Graduate Work visa (Subclass- 485) once? Yes, only once. Because of this, you should carefully consider your options and have a decisive plan on what to do to achieve your goals in Australia.

Our expert team of Migration Agents here at AECC Global have vast knowledge and experience with TR applications. They have handled diverse scenarios and challenges that different international graduates have encountered, and will be able to help you with your next steps. Discuss your plans with us and receive the complete guidance you require.

Maximizing the visa 485

While on TR visa (Subclass- 485), it is highly recommended to take on work relevant to your completed field of study and maximize the opportunity to expand professional network. Saying yes to available yet unrelated work is very tempting, but has little significance towards building your career profile.

International graduates of Accounting, Engineering and ICT can also take advantage of this visa by applying for Professional Year Program (PY). PY program focuses in developing employability skills (such as communication and problem solving), and providing relevant internship placement which bridges the gap between study and employment in Australia. Successful completion of the program earns 5 points towards permanent residency.

Family members and partners

You can include your family members and partner in your visa application. They will just need to likewise meet the health and character requirements, as well as possess valid health insurance coverage.

Once the visa is granted, they will enjoy the same right to live, study and work in Australia as you. While some amendments relating to your family members and partners may be possible while your application is being processed or had been decided, it would still be advisable to complete and finalise the application. Amendments requests done after the application had been lodged may prolong the release of the outcome.