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Quick answer: Australia’s Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa has three streams with different qualification levels, stay lengths, and costs. Home Affairs’ Post-Higher Education Work stream grants 2–3 years for a degree, the Post-Vocational Education Work stream grants up to 18 months for a diploma or trade qualification tied to the skilled occupation list, and the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream adds 1–2 more years for graduates who spent time in a regional area.
By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed October 2026
What is the Temporary Graduate (485) visa?
It’s a temporary visa that lets international students who recently finished study in Australia stay on to live, work, and in most cases bring family, according to the Department of Home Affairs’ own visa listing. It sits inside Australia’s skilled-migration system rather than existing as a standalone work permit the way Canada’s PGWP does — which matters, because the stream you qualify for depends on exactly what you studied, not just that you studied.
The name “Graduate Work stream” still shows up in older blog posts and forum threads. Home Affairs doesn’t use that name anymore. The current structure, confirmed on the Temporary Graduate visa page, is three named streams: Post-Vocational Education Work, Post-Higher Education Work, and Second Post-Higher Education Work. Getting the right stream name matters because you cannot switch streams once you’ve applied.
Who’s eligible, across every stream?
Home Affairs lists one basic eligibility set that applies before you even look at which stream fits you. You must be 35 years old or under when you apply (limited exceptions apply, detailed on the official page rather than guessed here), hold an eligible visa, have held a Student visa at some point in the 6 months before applying, hold a recent qualification from a CRICOS-registered course, and apply for only one eligible stream — the application form won’t let you switch after you submit it.
Each stream then layers on its own specific requirements on top of that baseline. The Post-Higher Education Work stream, for instance, also requires you to be physically in Australia when you apply, to show evidence you’ve applied for an Australian Federal Police check, to hold adequate health insurance for every applicant on the application, and to provide evidence of the required English level.
What are the three streams, and how do they differ?
The easiest way to tell them apart is by what qualification you hold, not by how long you want to stay.
| Stream | Who it’s for | Stay | Cost (from) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-Vocational Education Work | Associate degree, diploma, or trade qualification relevant to an occupation on Australia’s skilled occupation list | Up to 18 months (5 years for Hong Kong/BNO passport holders) | AUD5,750 |
| Post-Higher Education Work | Bachelor’s degree or higher from a CRICOS-registered course at an Australian institution | Usually 2–3 years, depending on qualification level (5 years for Hong Kong/BNO passport holders) | AUD5,750 |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work | Current or former Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work, or Replacement stream holders whose qualifying degree came from a regional institution | 1–2 years, depending on the regional classification of your institution and where you’ve lived | AUD2,265 |
The Post-Vocational Education Work stream is the one most people miss. It exists specifically for diploma and trade-qualification holders whose occupation sits on the skilled occupation list — a university degree isn’t the only path into this visa, but a degree that doesn’t lead to a listed occupation also won’t qualify you for this particular stream.
The Second Post-Higher Education Work stream is a follow-on application, not an entry point straight out of graduation. Home Affairs’ eligibility page for that stream states you must already hold (or have held) a Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work, or Replacement stream visa, and have lived in an eligible designated regional area for at least 2 years immediately before you apply. It rewards time spent regionally on top of an existing stream.
What English test score do you need?
Home Affairs requires evidence of Competent English for the Temporary Graduate visa, and as of tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the required scores changed. For IELTS (Academic or General Training), you now need at least 6.0 in each of the four components — listening, reading, writing, and speaking — rather than an overall band score with a lower floor in individual skills.
The other accepted tests carry their own component minimums under the same Competent English standard: PTE Academic needs at least 47 (listening), 48 (reading), 51 (writing), and 54 (speaking); TOEFL iBT needs at least 16, 16, 19, and 19 in the same order; CELPIP General needs 7 in each of the four skills; Cambridge C1 Advanced needs at least 163, 163, 170, and 179. Citizens of Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the UK, and the US can satisfy this requirement with a valid passport instead of a test score.
One restriction catches people out: Home Affairs does not accept fully online, remote-proctored test formats — IELTS Online, CELPIP Online, MET Digital at-home, OET@Home, and the TOEFL iBT Home Edition are all explicitly excluded. Your test has to be sat in a secure, in-person test centre.
How do you apply, and what evidence do you need?
You apply online through ImmiAccount, attaching your evidence at the time of lodgement rather than afterward — Home Affairs is explicit that you must attach required evidence when you apply, not supply it on request later. For most applicants that package includes proof of your qualification and the CRICOS course it came from, your English test result (or passport, if you qualify that way), evidence you’ve applied for an AFP character check, and proof of health insurance covering every person on the application.
Processing times for the 485 aren’t fixed and move with application volume, so stating a number here would go stale fast. Home Affairs publishes a visa processing time guide tool that shows timeframes for recently decided applications in your specific stream — check that directly rather than relying on a figure in any article, including this one. The same goes for your exact cost: the baseline figures above are Home Affairs’ own “from” prices, and the department’s Visa Pricing Estimator calculates what you’ll actually owe, including any additional applicants on your application.
Can you switch streams, or apply twice?
No, not after you’ve submitted. Home Affairs states plainly that it is not possible to change streams after you apply, which makes the stream choice itself one of the highest-stakes decisions in the whole process. If your qualification sits in a grey area — a combined degree, a qualification completed partly online, a course that changed CRICOS registration mid-study — that’s worth resolving with your institution’s international office or a registered migration agent before you lodge, not after.
You can apply for a second Temporary Graduate visa, but only through the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, and only if you meet its regional-residence requirement on top of already holding (or having held) a qualifying first-stream visa. There’s no general “apply for 485 again” path outside that one regional route.
What comes after the 485 visa ends?
The Temporary Graduate visa is explicitly temporary — it doesn’t convert automatically into anything permanent. Most graduates who want to stay longer use the time on a 485 to build the work experience, skills assessment, or points profile that Australia’s skilled migration or employer-sponsored pathways require. Australia’s PR and work permit pathways lays out what those routes actually require once your 485 clock starts running.
If you’re still deciding whether a 485-eligible course is worth the investment compared with how Canada, the UK, or the US structure their own post-study work options, the structural differences are significant enough to change which country makes sense for you — see our comparison of post-study work options by country for how the 485 stacks up against PGWP, Graduate Route, and OPT.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the 485 visa with an associate degree?
Yes, through the Post-Vocational Education Work stream — but only if your associate degree, diploma, or trade qualification is relevant to an occupation on Australia’s skilled occupation list. A qualification outside that list doesn’t qualify you for this stream.
How long can I stay on the Temporary Graduate visa?
It depends on your stream: up to 18 months on the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, usually 2 to 3 years on the Post-Higher Education Work stream depending on your qualification, and an additional 1 to 2 years on the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream if you qualify for it. Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders can stay 5 years under either of the main streams.
Do I need IELTS 6.0 overall or 6.0 in each section for the 485 visa?
Each section. Home Affairs’ Competent English standard, as of tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, requires at least 6.0 in every one of the four IELTS components — listening, reading, writing, and speaking — not an averaged overall score.
Can I switch from the Post-Vocational stream to the Post-Higher Education stream after applying?
No. Home Affairs states you cannot change streams after you’ve applied for the Temporary Graduate visa, so confirm which stream your qualification actually fits before you lodge.
The bottom line
Three streams, three different qualification bars, three different stay lengths and costs — and no way to change your mind once you’ve applied. Match your actual qualification (and, for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, your regional residence history) against Home Affairs’ own eligibility page for each stream before you lodge, and verify your exact cost and processing timeframe using Home Affairs’ own calculators rather than a number in any third-party guide.
Related guides
- What happens after you graduate? Post-study work compared across four countries
- Australia PR and work permit pathways explained
- Australia proof of funds requirements for international students
- IELTS vs PTE for the Australian student visa
Official & verified sources
- Department of Home Affairs – Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
- Department of Home Affairs – Post-Higher Education Work stream eligibility
- Department of Home Affairs – Post-Vocational Education Work stream
- Department of Home Affairs – Competent English test score requirements
Last updated: October 2026. Visa costs, processing times, and stream rules are set by the Department of Home Affairs and can change — always confirm current figures on the official pages linked above before you apply.
