Subclass 485 Visa: Streams, Age Limit, English, Fees & the Second 485
What the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) actually gives international graduates: the two streams, the age and English rules, the current visa charge, and the narrow route to a second 485. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
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Chapters
- 0:00 Finished studying?
- 0:12 Two streams, two lengths
- 0:24 How long you get depends on your degree
- 0:37 You need at least 2 years
- 0:48 Age limit: 35
- 0:59 English: IELTS 6.5 overall,
- 1:10 The visa charge has climbed fast
- 1:25 A second 485 exists —
- 1:39 How much extra time it adds
- 1:50 No occupation restriction
- 2:00 Where the 485 leads next
- 2:15 Where to read more
Transcript
You've finished studying in Australia. What does the subclass 485 visa actually let you do, and what does it cost now?
There are two streams. Post-Vocational Education Work runs around 18 months. Post-Higher Education Work runs 2 to 3 years, depending on your qualification.
Inside that second stream, a bachelor's or coursework master's degree grants 2 years. A research master's or a doctorate grants 3. Hong Kong and BN-O passport holders can get up to five years.
To qualify at all, you need an eligible CRICOS-registered qualification and the Australian study requirement — generally at least 2 years of study in Australia.
You need to be 35 or under when you apply. That rises to under 50 if you're using a research master's or doctorate, or if you hold a Hong Kong or BN-O passport.
The English requirement is IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, with no band below 5.5, from a test taken in the year before you apply.
The visa charge has climbed fast. It rose significantly from 1 March 2026, and again since — it's now around $5,750 for the primary applicant, as at 1 July 2026.
Is there a second 485? Only through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, and only if your original degree was from a regional institution, and you've then lived in an eligible regional area for at least 2 years before applying.
It adds 1 extra year for a Category 2 regional area, or 2 extra years for a Category 3 area — also 2 years for Category 2 in Tasmania.
Once granted, you can work full-time in any occupation. There's no occupation restriction, and no state sponsorship requirement either.
After it ends, the pathways are the Skills in Demand visa, subclass 482, if an employer sponsors you; skilled migration on a subclass 189 or 190; or an employer-sponsored subclass 186 or 494.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
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