Who is eligible for the Subclass 485 visa?

The Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa requires: Under 35 years of age at application (with exemptions for select fields); Recent graduate of an eligible Australian qualification (CRICOS-registered); Held a valid student visa in the last six months. Always verify current criteria on immi.gov.au.

What are the fees for the Subclass 485 visa?

The base application charge for the Subclass 485 visa is from $2,235 (check immi.gov.au for current fee). Additional charges apply for secondary applicants. Always verify the current fee schedule on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying.

How long does Subclass 485 processing take?

The median processing time for a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is approximately 4-12 months. Processing times vary depending on complexity, demand, and completeness of documentation. Check the immi.gov.au processing times dashboard for current estimates.

Can I bring family on the Subclass 485 visa?

Eligible family members (partner and dependent children) can generally be included in a Subclass 485 application. Each additional applicant incurs a separate charge. Family member eligibility conditions apply — verify on immi.gov.au.

Subclass 485Graduate18 months to 5 years (depending on stream and qualification)

Temporary Graduate visa

The Subclass 485 visa lets recent graduates of eligible Australian qualifications stay temporarily after their studies to live, work, study, and travel. It has two main streams — the Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly Graduate Work and Post-Study Work) for bachelors and higher, and the Post-Vocational Education Work stream for trade qualifications. The visa is not points-tested and does not require any sponsor.

At a glance

Points test: Not points-tested
Sponsor: No sponsor required
Base application charge: from $2,235 (check immi.gov.au for current fee)
Processing time: ~4-12 months (median)
Eligibility list: No specific occupation list
Pathway: Does not directly grant PR but lets graduates build the local work experience, English, and skills assessment needed for a points-tested or employer-sponsored visa.

Recent updates

See all updates →

7 Dec 2024info
OSCA launched as ABS classification standard
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), progressively replacing the long-standing ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). OSCA preserves a similar 6-digit structure but introduces revised major groups, updated occupation definitions, and new entries for emerging roles. The Department of Home Affairs is adopting OSCA progressively across 2025-2026 — most skilled-visa occupation lists still reference ANZSCO codes during the transition. Always cross-check the live occupation list on home affairs at application time.
1 Dec 2024info
Direction 110 replaces Direction 99 for s501 character decisions
Ministerial Direction 110 issued under section 499 of the Migration Act 1958, providing the framework decision-makers must apply when refusing or cancelling visas on character grounds under section 501. Direction 110 replaces Direction 99 and re-emphasises Australia's expectations of non-citizens. Affects character considerations across all visa subclasses, including skilled visas at the application and post-grant stage.

Key requirements

High-level eligibility criteria. Each criterion has further sub-rules; verify with immi.gov.au before applying.

Under 35 years of age at application (with exemptions for select fields)
Recent graduate of an eligible Australian qualification (CRICOS-registered)
Held a valid student visa in the last six months
Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent)
Positive skills assessment (Post-Vocational Education Work stream only)
Health, character, and Australian Health Insurance

Skills assessment

No occupation-list eligibility — any qualification recognised by the AQF is in scope, with skills assessment only required for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.

Eligible occupations(213 total)

ANZSCO occupations currently flagged for Subclass 485 in our latest dataset.

Browse all →

Skill-level distribution

How the 100 occupations on this page split across ANZSCO skill levels (1 = highest qualification).

Skill level 1
100
Skill level 2
0
Skill level 3
0
Skill level 4
0
Skill level 5
0

Scan to talk to our AI about Subclass 485 pathway, fees, and timeline — no agent affiliation.

Government data last reviewed by editorial team: 26 April 2026

At a glance

Recent updates

Key requirements

Skills assessment

Eligible occupations(213 total)

Construction Project Manager

Engineering Manager

Child Care Centre Manager

Nursing Clinical Director

Primary Health Organisation Manager

Welfare Centre Manager

Arts Administrator or Manager

Environmental Manager

Dancer or Choreographer

Music Director

Musician (Instrumental)

Artistic Director

Accountant (General)

Management Accountant

Taxation Accountant

External Auditor

Internal Auditor

Actuary

Statistician

Economist

Land Economist

Valuer

Management Consultant

Architect

Landscape Architect

Surveyor

Cartographer

Other Spatial Scientist

Chemical Engineer

Materials Engineer

Civil Engineer

Geotechnical Engineer

Quantity Surveyor

Structural Engineer

Transport Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electronics Engineer

Industrial Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

Production or Plant Engineer

Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)

Petroleum Engineer

Aeronautical Engineer

Agricultural Engineer

Biomedical Engineer

Engineering Technologist

Environmental Engineer

Naval Architect / Marine Designer

Engineering Professionals nec

Agricultural Consultant

Agricultural Scientist

Forester / Forest Scientist

Chemist

Food Technologist

Environmental Consultant

Environmental Research Scientist

Environmental Scientists nec

Geophysicist

Hydrogeologist

Life Scientist (General)

Biochemist

Biotechnologist

Botanist

Marine Biologist

Microbiologist

Zoologist

Life Scientists nec

Medical Laboratory Scientist

Veterinarian

Conservator

Metallurgist

Meteorologist

Physicist

Natural and Physical Science Professionals nec

Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher