Australia's Subclass 485 Post-Study Work Visa: 2026 Rules Explained

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The **Subclass 485 Post-Study Work (PSW)** visa is Australia's primary post-graduation work pathway for international students. On 1 July 2024, the Department of Home Affairs implemented substantial changes to age limits, course requirements, and work duration. This guide covers the 2026 rules in full, reflecting those changes — figures from before the reform (including some older third-party guides still in circulation) may show longer durations that no longer apply.

Two Streams of the 485 Visa

Post-Higher Education Work Stream (Post-Study Work stream)

Designed for graduates who completed bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees at Australian universities. To qualify you must have held a Subclass 500 student visa within the last 6 months, studied in Australia for at least 16 calendar months (for courses of at least 2 academic years), meet English language, health and character requirements, and lodge your application within 6 months of course completion. There is no restriction on occupation and no skills assessment — you can work in any role, in any sector, for the full visa duration.

Graduate Work Stream

For graduates with qualifications linked to an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), requiring a positive skills assessment. Duration is 18 months. This stream is now less commonly used since the Post-Study Work stream covers most degrees.

Post-Vocational Education Work Stream

Designed for graduates who completed 职业教育课程 or VET (Vocational Education and Training) qualifications.

Core Eligibility (2026)

Age: You must be under 35 years old at the time of application (some master’s and doctoral degrees allow up to age 50)
Course duration: You completed at least 2 academic years (92 weeks minimum, at least 16 calendar months) of a CRICOS-registered course
Language: IELTS 6.0 overall with no band below 5.0 (or PTE/TOEFL equivalent)
Location of study: You must have completed your course while physically in Australia on a valid student visa
Application window: Lodge within 6 months of course completion
First-time application: Generally, you can apply for 485 only once (limited exceptions for certain master’s and doctoral combinations, and for the Regional Graduate second-485 stream — see FAQ)

Work Visa Duration (2026 Schedule, post 1 July 2024 reform)

For a bachelor’s degree (including honours), the standard duration is 2 years, with an additional 1–2 years available if you live and work in a designated regional area. A master’s degree — coursework or research — also provides a standard 2 years, plus the same 1–2 year regional bonus. A doctorate (PhD) offers a standard 4 years, plus a 1–2 year regional bonus. For 职业教育课程 / VET qualifications, the standard duration is 18 months, with a 1-year regional bonus.

Regional bonus, by category: Regional Australia is split into two bonus tiers. Category 2 (Cities & Major Regional Centres) — including Perth, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra, Geelong, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, and Hobart — carries a +1 year bonus. Category 3 (Regional Centres & Other Regional Areas) — including Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, and regional QLD/SA/TAS — carries a +2 year bonus. The bonus stacks with your base duration: a bachelor’s graduate in a Category 2 city gets 2 + 1 = 3 years; a PhD graduate in a Category 3 area gets 4 + 2 = 6 years.

Application Timeline

Step 1: Obtain Your Completion Letter

Once you finish your course, your university will issue a Completion Letter or official academic transcript. Applying with the completion letter is sufficient — you don’t need to wait for the graduation ceremony or a mailed transcript, and doing so risks missing the 6-month application window.

Step 2: File Online

Submit your 485 application through ImmiAccount with:

Passport biographical page
Completion Letter and official transcript
IELTS/PTE/TOEFL score (must still be valid at lodgement — a test used for your student visa years earlier may have expired)
Federal Police clearance (AFP) + home country police clearance
Overseas health insurance (OVHC—note: different from OSHC)
Medical examination report (if required)
Family relationship documents (if applicable)

Step 3: Automatic Bridging Visa

Upon submission, you’re automatically granted a Bridging Visa A, allowing you to remain in Australia and work lawfully whilst the Department assesses your 485 application, with the same work rights as your previous student visa.

Step 4: Wait for Processing

Processing typically takes 3–9 months (Home Affairs reports roughly 90% of applications processed within 3–6 months). You may be asked for additional documents or interviews.

Visa Fees

The base visa application charge is AUD $1,945 (2026 rate). Including a partner adds AUD $485; each dependent child adds AUD $120. Adding family members does not change the visa’s end date — they receive the same expiry as the primary applicant.

What Comes After 485?

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Once you hold a 485 work visa, your options include:

Skilled Independent Migration (189): If you score 65–95+ points under the points-based system (threshold varies by occupation demand), you’re typically eligible for an invitation.
State Sponsorship (190 or 491): Each state maintains its own priority occupations list; regional states (South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania) tend to have more accessible pathways.
Employer Sponsorship (482 or 186): Secure an employer willing to sponsor you.
Onshore Partner visa (820/801): You can lodge a Partner visa application while holding a 485; the provisional 820 currently takes around 12–24 months to process, and you remain on a Bridging Visa A with full work rights in the meantime. The 485 doesn’t directly assist the partner assessment, but it keeps your status and work rights active while it’s underway.
Return home: Let your 485 lapse and leverage your Australian work experience in your home job market.
Further study: Use your 485 period to pursue a second master’s or PhD on a new student visa.

A Practical Timeline for Using the 485 Toward PR

Graduates aiming for permanent residency generally follow a pattern like this: in the first 1–3 months, land skilled work in an occupation on the MLTSSL or STSOL — it doesn’t need to be a dream role, just a foothold. Between months 3–12, accumulate professional experience — 12 months of skilled work in Australia earns 5 points on the points test, and a formal skills-assessment letter from your employer becomes valuable evidence. Between months 12–18, sit your English test at the highest level manageable: Superior English (IELTS 8.0 across all bands) is worth 20 points, Proficient (IELTS 7.0 across all bands) is worth 10 — many graduates retake IELTS/PTE specifically to clear the superior threshold. Between months 18–24, lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, targeting multiple visa subclasses and states for 190 nomination (and the 491 pathway if you’re in a regional area). From month 24 onward, if invited, lodge your application — processing for 189/190 typically takes 6–18 months, during which your Bridging Visa A carries the same work rights as your 485.

Occupations that tend to receive invitations at lower point thresholds (roughly 65–75 points) include Registered Nurse, Secondary School Teacher, Early Childhood Teacher, Social Worker, Civil Engineer, and Electrical Engineer; Software Engineer and Accountant typically face higher thresholds (85–100). A degree in a lower-demand field doesn’t rule out a PR pathway — it usually just means leaning more on state nomination, regional relocation, or a skilled partner.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting too long to apply. You have exactly 6 months from course completion to lodge. Apply with your completion letter — it’s sufficient; don’t wait for the graduation ceremony or a mailed transcript.
Ignoring English test expiry. Your test must be valid at the time of lodgement. Book a new test early if your existing one is close to its 2-year validity limit.
Not collecting employment evidence from day one. Keep payslips, employment contracts, reference letters, and tax documents for later skills-assessment and points claims.
Assuming the 485 leads automatically to PR. It doesn’t — it buys you time. What you do with that time determines whether you stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work full-time on 485?

Yes. The 485 visa carries no work hour restrictions, matching Australian permanent resident employment rights.

Can I leave and re-enter Australia on 485?

Yes. The 485 is a multiple re-entry visa. If you need to travel while your 485 is still being processed (i.e. while on a Bridging Visa A), you must apply for a Bridging Visa B (AUD $175, up to 2 weeks to process) before departing.

I’ll be over 35 when I graduate. Can I still apply?

Doctoral and certain postgraduate research degrees allow extensions to age 50. Most master’s taught programmes cap out at 35. If you’ll exceed the age limit, consult a MARA-registered agent about your specific circumstances.

Are there any COVID-related extension visas still available?

No. As of 1 July 2023, these temporary extensions were withdrawn. Only the standard 485 duration and regional bonuses apply.

Can I apply for a second 485 visa?

Generally only one primary 485 is granted per person. The exception is the Regional Graduate (2nd) 485 stream: if you completed a degree in a designated regional area and previously held a 485, you can apply for a further 1-year (Category 2) or 2-year (Category 3) extension, within 18 months of the first 485 ceasing.

What if my degree isn’t on any occupation list?

For the Post-Study Work stream, no occupation list applies to the visa itself — you can work in any job. Occupation lists only matter later, for PR pathways like Subclass 189 (which requires your occupation on the MLTSSL).

UNILINK’s 485 Support

MARA-registered agents + Sydney office: We can assist with in-person document lodgement at our CBD office
Application service: Zero fees for 485 lodgement, including document preparation, medical referrals, and police clearance coordination
Migration planning: Before you file, we map out your next steps (189, 190, employer sponsorship) so your 485 work experience aligns with your long-term migration strategy

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