Temporary Graduate (485)
Since 2 October 2026, 485 holders can't go back to a student visa from inside Australia. That makes the time on your 485 the most important window you'll have.
- Category
- Graduate
- Streams
- Post-Higher Education Work; Post-Vocational Education Work; Second (regional)
- Key requirements
- 35 or under (under 50 for Masters research/PhD); held a Student visa in the last 6 months; AFP check; English
- Stay
- Usually 2–3 years by qualification; +1–2 years regional
- Government charge
- A$5,750 main applicant
- Our fee
- From A$890
Start here
Do this
- Start your skills assessment early
- Work in your nominated occupation and keep every payslip
- Pick a route — employer, state or independent — within 6 months
- Book an English test early if you need more points
Avoid this
- Treating the 485 as a break before planning
- Working outside your field if you need skilled experience
- Assuming you can study again from inside Australia
- Leaving the plan until the last few months
What a wrong turn can cost: Using the 485 years without a plan can leave you with no visa to move to — and studying again now means applying from outside Australia.
Are you on the right track?
- Do you know your nominated occupation?
- Are you working in that field now?
- Do you know which route you're aiming for?
Unsure about any of these? Talk it through on a free call — you're not alone in this.
Is this you?
- You've just finished a degree, diploma or trade course in Australia.
- You have your 485 and haven't started a PR plan.
- You have under a year left and options feel like they're shrinking.
What changed
2 Oct 2026 485 holders can no longer apply for a Student visa from inside Australia.
17 Sep 2026 The Government announced new 485 applications won't allow family members. Check the start date with us.
2026–27 State nomination places rose; regional places were reportedly cut.
Who qualifies
- Be 35 or under when you apply — or under 50 if you're using a Masters (research) or Doctoral degree.
- Have held a Student (subclass 500) visa in the last six months.
- Provide evidence you've applied for an AFP check, and English evidence, with the application.
- Meet the Australian study requirement with an eligible qualification; the qualification decides the stream.
- Graduates of a regional provider who lived regionally may be eligible for a second 485 (1–2 more years).
Step by step
- Months 1–3Consultation, then start your skills assessment.
- Months 3–9Work in your nominated occupation and keep every payslip.
- Months 6–12Choose your route: employer (482 then 186), state (190/491) or independent (189).
- Before expiryLodge a decision-ready application.
Document checklist
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
Common problems
Myths and facts
How we help you with Temporary Graduate
- 1UnderstandA consultation on your course, occupation and goals.
- 2PlanA written 485-to-PR plan with month-by-month milestones.
- 3PrepareSkills assessment, experience tracking and English planning.
- 4LodgeYour next visa lodged before the 485 runs out.
- 5DestinationPR planned and tracked.
What you'll receive
How we keep in touch: Quarterly check-ins across your 485, plus alerts when rules change for your occupation.
Three ways to do it
An honest look at your options. Some people do this themselves, and that can work well.
| Topic | With Omar Nafiz | Doing it yourself | With another provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning | A month-by-month plan from day one | Often left until the last year | Varies |
| Experience | Tracked so it counts for points | Often in the wrong field | Rarely tracked |
| Route | Employer, state and independent compared | One route, often a friend's | Varies |
| Deadlines | Tracked by your case officer | Easy to miss | Varies |
| After 2 Oct | Plans that don't rely on studying again | Many still plan to re-study onshore | Varies |
Free mini-course: Skills assessment, first time right
3 short lessons and quick checks. About 11 minutes.
A situation like yours
An illustrative situation, in Omar's words. Names and details are fictional. See all situations.
Just granted a 485, no plan yet
- Age 29
- English Proficient
- ⏳ Temporary Graduate
The situation. Rohan is an IT graduate with a new 485. He says he will work first and think about permanent residence later.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. From 2 October 2026, 485 holders cannot go back to a Student visa from inside Australia. The clock starts the day the 485 is granted, so later is the most expensive time to start.
The options. Book a skills assessment early. Plan his English retest. Watch the state registration dates. Keep a 482 or a regional route open as a second plan.
Age and English. Rohan is 29. His age scores the federal maximum of 30 (ages 25 to 32) and 300 in Victoria (ages 20 to 29). At 30 the Victorian score drops to 286. His English is Proficient: 10 federally, 100 in Victoria. Superior would add 10 and 100. English is the one lever he controls.
My caution. A 485 is temporary. If the skills assessment or the English test takes longer than planned, his options shrink. Nothing here is a promise of an invitation.
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Questions people ask
Which stream am I in?
Degrees usually go to Post-Higher Education Work. Diplomas and trade qualifications usually go to Post-Vocational Education Work.
I finished more than six months ago. Can I still apply?
You need to have held a Student visa in the last six months. Talk to us straight away — other pathways may fit better.
I'm over 35. Is the 485 closed to me?
Usually, unless you're using a Masters (research) or Doctoral degree — then you can apply under age 50.
Can my partner come on my 485?
A change was announced so new applications can't include family members. Check the start date with us before you apply.
Does any job count as experience?
For skilled visas, only work in your nominated occupation at the right skill level, usually 20+ hours a week.
Pricing
Consultation
A full review of your situation and a written plan.
485 application
Eligibility check, stream choice, checklist and lodgement.
485 + PR Roadmap
Everything above plus a month-by-month PR plan and quarterly check-ins.
Second (regional) 485
Eligibility check of regional study and residence, and lodgement.
Government visa charge (Department of Home Affairs, as at 1 July 2026)
| Visa | Main applicant | Extra 18+ | Extra under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Graduate (485), Post-Higher Education or Post-Vocational | A$5,750 | A$2,875 | A$1,450 |
| Temporary Graduate (485), Second Post-Higher Education | A$2,265 | A$1,140 | A$575 |
Checked 22 October 2026. Official pricing table · Estimate for your family
Our prices as at 22 October 2026. Packages are paid in stages, only after you sign a written service agreement. All services and fees.
Book
Talk to us about Temporary Graduate
Start with a free 15-minute phone call. If you need full advice, book a A$110 consultation — it comes off your package.
Often considered alongside
Official sources
Figures checked 8 October 2026. Visa rules and charges change — we confirm everything for your situation before you pay for a package.