Where Australia's International Students Actually Go After Graduation
Migratio Editorial · Last updated
TL;DR: Australia hosted 846,321 international students at the end of 2025 across all sectors. The most common post-graduation pathway is the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, which had 110,468 grants and around 145,032 lodgements in 2023-24 (the most recent year with full published data). Of these, 96,367 were Post-Study Work stream grants and 14,010 were Graduate Work stream. Onward transitions from 485 to permanent skilled or partner visas vary by occupation, English level, points score and partner status — there is no single average percentage published by Home Affairs.
Australia's international student program is one of the largest in the world by per-capita intake. What happens after graduation is the empirical question behind a lot of political claims about 'course-hopping' and 'permanent temporary residents' — but the actual data is published and verifiable. This article consolidates the most recent figures from the Department of Education's International Student Monthly Summary and the Department of Home Affairs's Temporary Graduate visa program report, and explains the structural pathway from a student visa (Subclass 500) through the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) and onward to permanent residency.
| Where you look | Sponsor required | Points test | English requirement | Typical timeline to PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 189 Skilled Independent | No | Yes — high points (typically 90+) | Competent English minimum, higher scores boost points | Direct PR — typically 12-18 months from invitation |
| Subclass 190 State Nominated | State / territory | Yes — typically 75+ with state nomination | Competent minimum, state may require higher | Direct PR — typically 12-24 months |
| Subclass 491 Skilled Regional | State / family in regional | Yes — 65+ with nomination | Competent minimum | Provisional 5 yrs → PR via Subclass 191 |
| Subclass 482 Skills in Demand | Employer | No | Functional or vocational depending on stream | Temporary; PR via 186 typically after 2-3 yrs |
| Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Employer | No (direct entry); some streams require work history | Competent | Direct PR — typically 12-24 months |
| Partner visa (820/801 or 309/100) | Australian citizen / PR partner | No | No | Onshore: temp then PR over ~2 yrs; offshore similar |
The headline: 846,321 international students in Australia at end of 2025
Department of Education data shows 846,321 international students enrolled in Australia across all sectors at the end of 2025 — higher education, vocational education and training (VET), schools, ELICOS (English language) and non-award sectors combined. Higher education alone accounted for around 662,895 students in 2024. This is a recovery from the COVID-era trough but materially below the post-COVID peak that emerged in 2023. The breakdown by source country closely mirrors the migration program's source-country pattern: China and India dominate, followed by Nepal, the Philippines, Colombia, Vietnam and Pakistan. Student visa grants peaked at 577,295 in 2022-23 (the post-reopening surge of deferred and returning students), eased to 376,731 in 2023-24, and were 371,564 in 2024-25 — back in line with the immediate pre-COVID trajectory.
After graduation: the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa
The standard post-graduation pathway for international students who completed an eligible Australian qualification is the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa, which permits work in Australia for a fixed period depending on the qualification. The 485 has two streams: the Post-Study Work stream (for higher education graduates) and the Graduate Work stream (for graduates with qualifications in occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List). In 2023-24, the Department of Home Affairs granted 110,468 Subclass 485 visas: 96,367 in the Post-Study Work stream, 14,010 in Graduate Work, and 91 in the Replacement stream. Applications lodged in 2023-24 totalled approximately 145,032 — the gap between applications and grants reflects both processing timelines and refusals. As of mid-2025, around 220,000 people held an active 485 visa in Australia.
From 485 to PR: the pathways that actually exist
The 485 visa is a stepping stone, not an end point. Holders typically use the 485 period to accumulate skilled work experience in their nominated occupation, sit additional English tests, complete state-nomination requirements, or transition onto an employer-sponsored visa. Common onward visa pathways from a 485: Subclass 189 Skilled Independent (no sponsor required, points-tested), Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated (state nomination required), Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (provisional 5-year regional visa with PR pathway via Subclass 191), Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (employer sponsorship), Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (permanent employer sponsorship), and partner visas (Subclasses 820/801 onshore or 309/100 offshore) where the 485 holder enters a relationship with an Australian citizen or PR. The actual conversion rate from 485 to PR varies significantly by occupation, year of grant and individual circumstance — the Department of Home Affairs publishes detailed cohort transition data in its Student and Temporary Graduate visa program report (BR0097), and the underlying conversion percentage is not a single number but a function of those individual factors.
What 'course-hopping' actually means in the data
The phrase 'course-hopping' is used to describe students enrolling in a second qualification — typically a shorter VET course — at the end of their first qualification to extend their visa eligibility while continuing to live and work in Australia. The data on this is somewhat opaque: students applying for a second student visa onshore must demonstrate Genuine Student status (replacing the older Genuine Temporary Entrant test from 23 March 2024), and the Department of Home Affairs has separately tightened the requirements for onshore applications for further student visas through Ministerial Direction 107 (which deprioritised certain provider/jurisdiction combinations). The net effect has been a sharp fall in onshore student-visa grants and a corresponding shift toward applicants returning offshore to apply for further study. As of mid-2025, the policy stance is that international students should typically apply offshore for any subsequent study visa unless they are progressing within a defined and credible pathway.
Where this data comes from
Student enrolment figures: Department of Education International Student Monthly Summary, December 2025 release. Student and Temporary Graduate visa grant figures: Department of Home Affairs Migration Trends 2024-25 and Student and Temporary Graduate visa program report June 2025 (publication BR0097). Active visa stock figures: Department of Home Affairs Temporary Visa Holders in Australia statistical releases. All figures are official, primary-source, and current as of June 2026. Where exact conversion rates between visa types are not separately published, this article describes the pathway structure rather than asserting a specific percentage — readers needing a more granular cohort-level analysis should refer to the BR0097 program report or commission custom analysis from a registered migration agent.
Frequently asked questions
How many international students are in Australia in 2026?
846,321 enrolments at end of 2025 across all sectors (higher education, VET, schools, ELICOS, non-award), per Department of Education data. Higher education alone accounts for around 662,895 students.
How does the Subclass 485 graduate visa work?
The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa allows former international students to work in Australia for a fixed period after completing an eligible qualification. Two streams: Post-Study Work (for higher education graduates) and Graduate Work (for those whose qualification matches an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List). In 2023-24, Home Affairs granted 110,468 Subclass 485 visas.
What percentage of international students stay permanently?
There is no single published percentage and the conversion rate varies significantly by occupation, English level, points score, partner status and visa type. The Department of Home Affairs publishes detailed cohort transition data in its Student and Temporary Graduate visa program report (publication BR0097). The pathway typically runs: Student (500) → Graduate (485) → onward skilled visa (189, 190, 491) or employer-sponsored visa (482, 186) or partner visa (820/801 or 309/100).
Has Australia restricted onshore student visa renewals?
Yes — Ministerial Direction 107 (in effect through 2024-25) prioritises certain provider/jurisdiction combinations and deprioritises others, with the practical effect that onshore applications for further student visas from lower-priority providers are slower or denied. The Department of Home Affairs has signalled that students should typically apply offshore for subsequent study unless progressing within a defined, credible pathway.
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Related: Find a Student Visa Agent in Australia · Australia's 2025-26 Migration Program: 185,000 Places, Explained · Australian Immigration Statistics: 11 Years of Official Data