Hi there, are you an international student who plans to live or work in Australia after graduating from a higher institution in the country? If your answer is yes, you’ll need to obtain a temporary graduate 485 visa.
Because you’re reading this article about 485 visas (TR visa of Australia), I assume you’re in search of some vital information regarding the entire process.
Not to worry, I’m here to tell you everything you need to know about the 485 visas, including their uses in Australia, benefits, 485 visa requirements, and how to apply.
Keep reading!
What Is 485 Visa?
This TR visa of Australia allows fresh graduates to live, study, or work in Australia, provided they have the skills needed to be employed across different economic sectors.
The 485 visa has 2 streams –
- Graduate work stream (Graduate temporary work visa)
- Post-study workstream
The stream you apply for will determine how long you will stay in Australia after graduation.
The graduate workstream, also referred to as a Graduate temporary work visa, allows you to stay for as long as 18 months (1 year and 6 months). Although it will enable British and Hong Kong citizens to stay for up to 5 years.
As for the post-study, the workstream allows you to stay a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years. And the length of your stay is determined by your qualifications.
If you’re a British or Hong Kong citizen, then you can stay for up to 5 years with the 485 post-study work stream visa.
There is no difference between the 485 visa fee for the graduate work stream (Graduate temporary work visa) and post-study work. The 485 visa fee starts from AUD 1,680.
What Are The Uses Of 485 Visa In Australia?
Generally, there are 3 main uses of this Temporary Residence visa of Australia.
- First of all, this visa allows you to live and work in Australia as long as you have employable skills and carry out the skill assessment for 485 visas. Although the stay period is determined by the 485 visa stream, you apply for.
Secondly, the 485 visa allows you to further your studies in Australia. Like going for an MSc, for instance. - Lastly, you can use the 485 visas to get permanent residence in Australia. This can be done either by employer sponsorship or general skilled migration.
You’d be glad to hear that you can travel out of and back into Australia using the 485 visas. Just as long as the visa is still valid. It also grants you entire work and study privileges.
Benefits of Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Obtaining a temporary graduate visa comes with many advantages.
Let’s look at what this visa type can do for you.
1. It gives you the legal right to work
With a graduate temporary work visa, you can work in sectors of the Australian economy where your skills are in demand, and you have the skill assessment for a 485 visa.
And while this graduate temporary work visa isn’t exactly a work permit, it still offers you the chance of gaining vital work experience in your field of study.
The Professional Year Program, a 44-week program, helps you achieve your professional goals and prepare you for full-time employment in various sectors.
2. It grants you the right to further your studies
A 485 visa also gives you the freedom to further your education within the duration of the visa (usually 18 months).
This means you can partake in other professional courses or go for a master’s level degree.
3. You can visit your home country and return
Another benefit of the temporary graduate 485 visa is that it allows you to visit your home country and come back to Australia.
This benefit can be enjoyed within the duration of the visa, which is between 18 months and 5 years, depending on your nationality.
What You Must Know – 485 Visa Checklist
Before applying for the temporary graduate 485 visa, you must know and understand things in the 485 visa checklist.
Among these include –
- Eligibility
- Validity
- Limitations
1. Eligibility
To be eligible for a temporary graduate visa, you must meet the following criteria on the 485 visa checklist.
- Individuals have to be under 50 years old.
- Must have held a student visa in the past 6 months.
- Must have a recent qualification in any CRICOS course (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students)
2. Validity
Validity is another consideration under the 485 visa checklist. The 485 visa’s validity is for 18 months. It is valid for as long as 5 years for British and Hong Kong passport holders.
3. Limitations
Below are some of the limitations to the temporary graduate visa. You will not be eligible
- If you are 50 years old and above
- If you haven’t held a student visa in Australia for the past 6 months
- because you don’t have a recent qualification in a CRICOS-registered course
- You cannot change visa streams after your application has been submitted
Other items on your temporary graduate visa application checklist (485 visa checklist) to consider include –
- Identity confirmation (passport biodata page, birth certificate, passport photograph,
- Family relationships (marriage certificate, statutory declaration separation documents)
- For those living in a de facto relationship, and proof that you have been in the relationship for at least 12 months (joint bank account statements or joint ownership of assets)
- Authentic copies of child adoption documents (if any)
- Health documents
- Australian Federal Police Check of not more than 12 months old
Temporary Graduate Visa Facts and Statistics
Here are some statistics and interesting facts about the temporary graduate 485 visa requirements.
1. Recent trends
For the 2020-2021 program year, the immigration program level remains at 160,000. And even though this quota won’t change, the distribution will.
Hence, the family stream will rise to 77,300 from 47,732 in 2021.
2. Visa approval rate
There was an increase in offshore cancellation rate between 2015 and 2016.
However, there has been a reduction in the visa cancellation rate between 2020 and 2021. And this is widely due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Processing time
Here are the visa processing times for a temporary graduate visa.
75% of applications (17 months)
90% of applications (19 months)
4. Full-time work
With your 485 temporary graduate visa, you will be able to work full-time throughout the validity of your visa.
Suppose you wish to remain in Australia after the expiration of your visa. In that case, you will apply for another visa under a different subclass.
5. Number of applications
You are only allowed to apply for a 485 visa once. This is why you need to make sure your application is in order and why you need to take full advantage if approved.
485 Visa Requirements
Here are mandatory 485 visa requirements in Australia
1. Visa applicant’s eligibility
- Your age must be u
- You must have held a student visa in the past 6 months
- You must have a recent qualification in any CRICOS course
2. Insurance requirement
The Department of Home Affairs needs you to hold continuous health insurance covering all through your stay in Australia.
3. Language requirements
An IELTS score of overall 6.5 is required for the 485 visa.
4. Eligible Family Members
You are allowed to include a spouse and dependents when you apply for your temporary graduate visa.
How to apply for the 485 Visa in Australia
Applying for a 485 visa is easy, and you can do it yourself.
Follow these steps!
- Create an account on immiaccount (only online applications are accepted)
- Log into your personal account and fill out the required fields
- Upload required documents
- Submit the application and pay the 485 visa fee
Alternatively, you can visit our website, as the expert consultants can help you with your 485 visa application. They make the entire process easy for you!
485 Visa Extension
If you were wondering if it was possible for the 485 visa extension, you are absolutely correct. 485 visa extension is very much possible.
I’ve already mentioned how you can only apply once for a 485 visa as the main applicant. However, you can apply for a 485 visa extension as a secondary applicant if you have a partner studying in Australia and are applying as a primary applicant.
Once again for 485 visa extension, Immigration and Education Services (IES) Portal can help you make the application process go smoothly. Simply visit our website to get started for the 485 visa extension.
Pros and Cons of 485 Temporary Residency Visa
Below are some of the significant pros and cons of the 485 visa
Pros
- Suppose you’re a temporary visa holder working in the tourism and hospitality sector. In that case, you can access the SC 485 stream for as long as 12 months.
- Suppose you’re a temporary visa holder in the tourism and hospitality sector. In that case, you can apply for the SC 485 Covid-19 visa 90 days before your existing visa expires.
- Generally, the 485 visa can extend your stay in Australia and allow you time to finish your programs.
Cons
- Your application must be supported by evidence that you are employed in a critical sector.
- Your application must also prove that your current employer could not find an Australian citizen to fill the job you occupy.
- The fact that the 485 visa demands that you work in a critical sector make it biased ( it also doesn’t ensure permanent residency)
Best Way to Get The 485 Visa
You can apply for a 485 visa yourself, as I have mentioned before. Just follow the steps listed earlier in this article.
Nonetheless, there is an easier way you can apply for this visa. And that is via IES Portal.
Once again, you can visit IES Portal website to book an hour’s session with the counselors. They are in the best position to advise you accordingly.
FAQs
Australian immigration authorities have announced that any 485 visa holder can be eligible for a second visa if they have studied, lived, and worked in regional areas for a minimum of 2 years.
Many people make inquiries about the 485 visa fee. The 485 visa fee is as follows:
$1,650 for the main applicant
$825 for a partner and child above 18 years of age
The subclass 801 visa can lead to temporary residence in Australia. Temporary residence in Australia refers to having a meantime stay in the country.
No, you can’t apply for a temporary graduate visa without having a skill assessment for a 485 visa. Still, If you’re applying in the Post Study workstream, you wouldn’t need to have a skill assessment for a 485 visa.
There is three 485 visa document checklist for spouse application. Without any of these three, your 485 visa document checklist is incomplete.
Each three 485 visa document checklist includes:
1. Valid international passport
2. Birth certificate
3. Evidence of name and name change (if any)
Once you are applying through subclass 485 as a couple, your documents must contain the items listed above for the 485 visa document checklist.
No funds are required to be demonstrated as it is not required for a 485 visa.
You will require a minimum score of 6 in IELTS, 6.5 per band, and an overall of 50/per module more than 36 for PTE.
No, the 485 isn’t a permanent residency. It’s rather for a temporary residence in Australia. As long as it is 485 visa you apply for, you are not getting a permanent residence but temporary residence in Australia.
The temporary graduate visa 485 is valid for 18 months. However, it is valid for as long as 5 years for British and Hong Kong citizens with valid passports and visas.
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Conclusion
The temporary graduate visa 485 allows you to extend your stay in Australia. It comes in 2 streams: the graduate workstream and the post-study workstream.
With this visa, you are free to work and gain relevant experience in your field, which will prepare you for full-time employment in Australia.
Application is relatively easy, but you would need to provide the relevant documents such as your valid passport, recent bank statements, marriage certificates, Australian Federal Police Check, and other required documents.
As a reminder, you cannot apply for the 485 visa if you are 50 years old and above.
If you wish to make your temporary graduate 485 visa application easier, then I recommend contacting IES Portal. They are experts in Australian visa application procedures and will guide you through the entire process.
Thanks for reading!
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