From the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa to the 482 Skills in Demand Visa

Why 485 holders look at the 482

The 485 gives recent graduates of Australian institutions a fixed period of work rights after their studies — currently up to 2 years for bachelor and master's graduates and up to 3 years for doctoral graduates in the Post-Higher Education Work stream, or up to 18 months in the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, with different settings for some cohorts. It doesn't renew indefinitely and doesn't itself lead to permanent residence. For graduates who want to stay in Australia beyond that window, employer sponsorship under the 482 is one of the more direct routes, because unlike the points-tested skilled visas it doesn't require an invitation you have to wait for — it requires an employer willing to nominate you and criteria that can, in principle, be met on your own timeline.

The 482 also matters because it's the standard route into the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream for permanent residency later, so for many graduates the 485-to-482 move is really the first step of a longer 485-to-482-to-186 sequence, not an end point in itself.

The criteria Home Affairs publishes for the 482

The 482 has three streams — Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement — and most 485 holders moving into sponsorship go through Core Skills. The published Core Skills requirements include: an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL); at least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a closely related field, a threshold reduced from two years as part of the Skills in Demand reforms that took effect in December 2024; a salary that meets the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT), set at $79,423 from 1 July 2026 and indexed each year; and English language results at the level the Department publishes for the stream.

The one-year experience requirement is the detail 485 holders most often trip on. Time spent studying doesn't count as work experience. Time spent in genuine, evidenced, skilled-level work — including work done during the 485 itself, or in a related field before coming to Australia — generally can, but how a specific history is assessed against the current requirement is not something this article can determine for you.

What the employer has to do first

A 485 holder cannot lodge a 482 application on their own initiative. The employer has to be an approved standard business sponsor, or apply to become one; the employer then lodges a nomination for the specific occupation, position and salary; and only once that nomination exists can the visa application itself be lodged. Nominations generally also require labour market testing, meaning the employer usually needs to show the role was advertised as required before nominating.

A business that has never sponsored anyone before adds real time to this sequence — sponsorship approval, then nomination, then the visa application, each with its own processing. Employers also carry the Skilling Australians Fund levy and other sponsor obligations, costs the rules do not let them pass on to the worker. None of this is optional or shortcuts under the 482; it's the same three-stage structure that applies to any employer-sponsored applicant, graduate or not.

Timing against the 485 clock

The tension in this transition is the same one that runs through most 485-based pathways: the 485 has a fixed end date, and sponsorship, from a first conversation to a granted visa, can take longer than graduates expect — particularly if the employer isn't already an approved sponsor. Starting the conversation with a prospective employer months before the 485 ends is the pattern that tends to work; starting it in the final weeks leaves very little room if any stage takes longer than planned, or if the nomination is queried.

If a valid 482 application is lodged while the 485 is still current, a bridging visa is generally granted and activates only if the 485 ceases before the 482 is decided — the 485 and its conditions keep operating normally in the meantime. Bridging visa conditions are set at grant and shown on the grant notice and in VEVO; they should never be assumed to mirror the 485's own conditions.

Common complications

A few patterns come up repeatedly. The occupation problem: the role a graduate actually holds doesn't always map cleanly to an occupation on the CSOL, and the nominated occupation has to genuinely reflect the position, not be chosen for visa convenience. The experience problem: the one-year threshold sounds modest, but graduates whose 485 work has been casual, informal or outside their field can struggle to evidence a full year of relevant, skilled-level experience. The salary problem: an offer has to meet the current CSIT as well as market-rate requirements for the specific role, not just clear the headline figure. And the timing problem covered above — a willing employer who is slow to become an approved sponsor can eat months of a 485's remaining life.

For those close to their 485's expiry without a sponsor lined up, some also consider the second 485 (Post-Higher Education Work stream extension for regional graduates) as a way to buy more time, or the points-tested skilled visas as a parallel option — our guides on the 485 to 190 and 485 to 491 pathways cover those routes. A MARA-registered migration agent can look at your occupation, evidenced experience, employer's readiness and dates together and give you a professional read on the current criteria and the sequencing that gives you the best chance.

What to check before relying on this pathway

Four things are worth confirming for yourself before assuming a 485-to-482 move will work on your timeline: whether your actual occupation and duties genuinely sit on the current Core Skills Occupation List (roles change categories and lists are updated); whether you can document at least a year of relevant, skilled-level work with payslips, a reference and superannuation records rather than just asserting it happened; whether a prospective employer is already an approved standard business sponsor or realistically willing to become one within your 485's remaining time; and what your 485's actual expiry date is, checked on VEVO rather than assumed from memory. None of these four things can be confirmed by a general article — they're the specific questions a MARA-registered agent works through with you, and getting an early read on all four is worth more than researching the general rules further.

Can I apply for the 482 myself while on a 485?

No — the 482 is employer-driven. Your prospective employer has to be (or become) an approved standard business sponsor and lodge a nomination before a visa application can be made. There's no way to start the 482 process without an employer involved.

Does my 485 work experience count toward the one-year requirement?

Genuine, evidenced, skilled-level work in the nominated occupation or a related field generally can count, whether it was done on the 485 or earlier. Study itself does not count as work experience. How a specific work history is assessed depends on individual facts.

What salary do I need for a 482 sponsorship?

The Core Skills stream requires a salary meeting the Core Skills Income Threshold — $79,423 from 1 July 2026, indexed annually — as well as the market rate for the role. Check the current published figure before relying on any number, since it changes each July.

What happens if my 485 expires before the 482 is decided?

If a valid 482 application was lodged while the 485 was still current, a bridging visa is generally granted at lodgement and activates once the 485 ceases. Its exact conditions are set at grant — check your grant notice and VEVO rather than assuming they mirror the 485.

How long does it take for an employer to become an approved sponsor?

This varies and depends on the Department's current processing times and the completeness of the employer's application. A business that has never sponsored before generally adds real time to the overall sequence, which is why starting the conversation early matters.

Can I do the 189/190/491 skilled visas instead of the 482?

Some 485 holders pursue points-tested skilled visas in parallel or instead — see our guides on 485 to 190 and 485 to 491 for how those pathways work. They don't require an employer, but they do require an invitation, which isn't guaranteed on any timeline.