Chinese Students in Australia: Course Choice, the 485 Visa and the Path to PR

More than 150,000 Chinese students are studying in Australia right now. This covers the genuine student test, what a subclass 500 visa actually costs, how course choice affects your subclass 485 post-study work rights, and the realistic multi-year path to permanent residence. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 150,000+ Chinese students
  2. 0:13 The old test penalised
  3. 0:25 Visa: $2,500
  4. 0:42 Living costs required:
  5. 1:08 Bachelor's: 2 years
  6. 1:22 Student visa: 5.5 overall
  7. 1:42 Apply within 6 months.
  8. 1:57 Studying here can add
  9. 2:15 Shared rent, per year:
  10. 2:26 The path to PR often spans
  11. 2:37 Where to read more

Transcript

More than 150,000 Chinese students are in Australia at any one time — but the course you pick can shape whether you're able to stay after you graduate.

The old genuine temporary entrant test worked against anyone who mentioned wanting to stay. It's been replaced by the genuine student test, which lets you acknowledge an interest in permanent residence.

The student visa application itself costs $2,500. On top of that: health cover around $500 to $700 a year, an English test around $400 to $420, and a health exam around $350 to $500.

Living costs of at least $29,710 a year have to be shown, on top of tuition and travel.

If staying is part of the plan, course choice matters. IT, engineering, nursing and teaching all sit on the skilled occupation lists — nursing needs IELTS 7.0 in each band, and teaching needs 7.5 overall with 8.0 in some bands.

Degree length changes your post-study work rights. A bachelor's degree gives 2 years on the subclass 485. A master's by coursework gives 2 years. A master's by research gives 3 years.

English requirements step up at every stage. The student visa itself only needs IELTS 5.5 overall. The subclass 485 needs 6.5 overall, no band below 5.5. Proficient English for bonus points needs 7.0. Superior needs 8.0.

The subclass 485 has to be lodged within 6 months of finishing your course, needs IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5, and costs $5,750 from 1 July 2026.

Studying in Australia can add up to 25 points. Two or more years of Australian study is worth 5. Regional study is worth 5. A Professional Year is worth 5. And Mandarin, through the NAATI community language test, is worth another 5.

Shared rent alone runs $15,600 to $20,800 a year in Sydney, or $12,000 to $16,800 in Melbourne.

By the timeline in this pathway, students typically move from year 1 study through to year 5 or 6 permanent residence — and it starts with a course choice made long before graduation.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.

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