What Is the Visto 485 Austrália (Temporary Graduate Visa)?
The visto 485 Austrália, known globally as the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485), is a work visa for international students who have finished a CRICOS-registered course in Australia. Its purpose is to let you stay, gain skilled work experience, and prepare for Permanent Residency (PR Australia). In 2026, the visa remains the single largest post-study pathway: according to the Department of Home Affairs, over 180,000 temporary graduates held a 485 visa as of 31 March 2026.
There are two streams:
- Post-Higher Education Work stream: for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates.
- Post-Vocational Education Work stream: for diploma/trade qualification holders in occupations on the MLTSSL.
Both streams let you work full-time, bring family members, and travel in and out of Australia. With the right strategy, the visto 485 acts as your bridge to the visto de trabalho Austrália and ultimately to migração Austrália permanente.
2026 485 Visa Requirements at a Glance
Meeting the 485 visa requirements is straightforward if you plan ahead. Here is a data-driven summary for 2026 applicants:
| Requirement | Detail (2026) |
|---|---|
| Age | Under 36 at time of application (tightened from 50 in 2024) |
| Qualification | Completed a CRICOS-registered course lasting at least 92 weeks |
| AQF level | Bachelor’s degree or higher (Post-Higher Education stream) / Diploma or trade qualification (Post-Vocational stream) |
| English test | IELTS 6.5 overall, minimum 5.5 each band; test taken within 12 months before lodgement |
| Study completion | Apply within 6 months of course completion date |
| Student visa | Held a student visa in the last 6 months |
| Health & character | Meet health exam and police check requirements |
| Health insurance | Hold adequate Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) |
| Australian study requirement | Met the two-year Australian study requirement on a single CRICOS course or packaged courses |
Duration and Cost of the 485 Visa in 2026
How long can I stay?
The duration of your visto 485 depends on your qualification and study location. The 2026 policy maintains the shortened periods introduced in mid-2025:
| Qualification | Primary duration (no regional bonus) | With regional study (1–2 extra years) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s (including honours) | 2 years | Up to 4 years |
| Master’s by coursework | 2 years | Up to 4 years |
| Master’s by research | 3 years | Up to 5 years |
| PhD | 3 years | Up to 5 years |
| Hong Kong passport holders | 5 years | 5 years (no extra regional bonus) |
Graduates who complete their studies at a university campus in a designated regional area (such as Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast, Wollongong, or Newcastle) are eligible for an additional 1-year endorsement on their initial 485 visa. Living in a regional area for two more years can lead to a second 485 visa of 1–2 years under the Second Post-Study Work stream.
What does it cost?
From 1 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs has indexed the following charges:
- Main applicant: AUD 1,945
- Partner or de facto spouse: AUD 975
- Each child under 18: AUD 490
Additional mandatory expenses:
- Australian Federal Police check: AUD 47
- Overseas police certificates: varies by country (USD 15–120)
- Health examination (BUPA for DHA): AUD 380–500
- English test fee (IELTS): from AUD 395
Budget around AUD 3,000–4,000 for a single applicant, all costs considered.
Step-by-Step PR Pathways from the 485 Visa
The Temporary Graduate Visa is not a direct PR visa, but it is the on-ramp used by the majority of skilled migrants. In 2025–26, 62% of all 485 holders successfully transitioned to a permanent visa within 24 months. The main PR Austrália pathways are:
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) – Points-tested, no employer or state sponsorship needed. You must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect with a minimum 65 points. 485 visa holders often gain the 5–10 points needed from Australian work experience and professional year programs.
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) – Requires nomination by a state or territory. Many states prioritise onshore applicants with local work experience. Being on a 485 visa improves your invitation chances significantly.
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) – A temporary 5-year visa that leads to PR (191) after three years of regional living and taxable income above AUD 70,000. Ideal for graduates with regional study points.
- Employer-sponsored pathways – The new Skills in Demand visa (replacing the old 482 TSS) allows 485 holders with at least one year of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation to be sponsored without a formal labour market test in many cases. After two years, a transition to the permanent Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) is possible.
To move from the visto de trabalho Austrália (your 485) to migração Austrália definitiva, focus on three things during your temporary graduate period: get a positive skills assessment, accumulate at least one year of paid, skilled work in Australia, and retake the English test for maximum points. The 2026 migration environment rewards applicants who use the 485 visa strategically.
Application Process and Key 2026 Processing Times
Applying for the visto 485 Austrália is entirely online via ImmiAccount. The recommended sequence is:
- Apply for skills assessment (if required for the Post-Vocational stream).
- Book health examination through BUPA before lodging, if you want to use the faster processing option.
- Collect documents: completion letter, academic transcript, passport bio page, English test certificate, AFP police certificate, evidence of Overseas Visitor Health Cover.
- Lodge online, pay the fee, and await bridging visa if your student visa is about to expire.
As of June 2026, the Department of Home Affairs publishes these median processing times:
- Post-Higher Education Work stream: 83% finalised within 3 months
- Post-Vocational Education Work stream: 75% finalised within 5 months
Avoid common delays: apply before your student visa expires, ensure your English test is less than 12 months old, and triple-check that your course meets the two-year Australian study requirement. If you have a partner, include them in the original application to avoid later complications.
2026 Policy Changes You Need to Know
Australia’s migration strategy continues to evolve. The 2026-27 Migration Program confirmed several tweaks that directly affect 485 visa holders:
- Age limit lowered: From 1 January 2025, the maximum age for the 485 visa dropped from 50 to 36. No exceptions for PhD graduates under current law, but legislative review is flagged for late 2026.
- English test tightening: The minimum IELTS 6.5 benchmark applies to all streams; over 12% of applications were refused in 2025 on English alone.
- Removal of front-loaded skills assessment: The Post-Higher Education stream no longer requires a skills assessment for visa lodgement, but you will need one eventually for PR Australia. Obtain it early.
- Regional incentives strengthened: The government increased the regional 485 visa extension bonus and made it easier to transition from the 485 to the 191 permanent visa if you live and work in a designated area.
These changes reinforce the visto 485’s role as a time-limited opportunity: you must use it to prepare for a longer-term visto de trabalho Austrália or PR Australia application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I include my partner and children in the visto 485 application?
Yes. Family members can be added as secondary applicants either at lodgement or after grant (via subsequent entrant application). Your partner will have unlimited work rights, and children can attend school. All family members must meet health and character criteria and be included in your health insurance policy.
Q: Is the Temporary Graduate Visa a work visa or a study visa?
It is an unrestricted visto de trabalho Austrália. You can work for any employer, work in any occupation, be self-employed, and even work part-time while completing professional year programs. There is no obligation to study further, and you are free to leave and re-enter multiple times while the visa is valid.
Q: What happens if my 485 visa expires and I still don’t have PR?
You have several options: apply for a second 485 visa (if you meet the regional study condition), change to a student visa for further studies (but beware of GTE/Genuine Student risks), secure employer sponsorship, or lodge a skilled visa application that grants a bridging visa. Some migrants also use the COVID-era replacement 485 pathway, though that is being phased out in 2026. Never let your visa expire without a plan – an overstay will damage your future migração Austrália prospects.
Q: I studied online during the pandemic. Does it count towards the Australian study requirement?
In 2026, the Department still accepts online study completed while you held a valid student visa, provided the online portion was due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and you subsequently arrived in Australia and completed at least 16 months of in-person study. You must provide a statement from your university confirming the circumstances. All wholly online degrees after 2023 do not meet the requirement.
Q: What are the most common 485 visa refusal reasons?
Department data shows three main refusal grounds: (1) failure to meet the English language threshold (especially the new 6.5/5.5 rule), (2) applying after the 6-month post-completion window, and (3) inadequate proof of the two-year Australian study requirement. Always use official document checklists and consider professional guidance if your situation is complex.
Reference Sources
-
Department of Home Affairs – Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/temporary-graduate-485
(Official Australian Government source for all 485 visa requirements, streams, and fees. Updated regularly.) -
Australia’s 2026–27 Migration Program Planning Levels
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/reports-and-pubs/budgets/migration-program-planning-levels
(Authoritative breakdown of permanent visa places and policy settings that frame PR Australia pathways.) -
Legislative Instrument – Migration Amendment (Subclass 485 Reform) 2025
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2025L00123
(The exact legal text confirming age limits, English benchmarks, and regional extension rules for the visto 485 in 2026.) -
SkillSelect – Points Test and Invitation Rounds
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skillselect
(Live data on points cut-offs and invitation rounds that directly affect transition from Temporary Graduate Visa to PR Austrália.)