The 485 reality has changed. Your strategy needs to match.
For international graduates planning post-study work in Australia. The 2026 reforms tightened fees, English requirements, age caps, and timing rules — we navigate them so your application lands clean the first time.
Who this is for
- International graduates who completed (or are completing) a CRICOS-registered course at an Australian institution
- Bachelor, Honours, Master's, or PhD degree holders applying under Post-Higher Education Work
- VET sector graduates with qualifications related to a skilled occupation, applying under Post-Vocational Education Work
- Current student visa holders with course completion within the past 6 months or upcoming
Eligibility at a glance
The eligibility gates that matter most in 2026:
- Course completion — CRICOS-registered course completed in Australia, satisfying the 2-year study requirement (92 weeks of study in 16 months)
- Lodgement window — apply within 6 months of meeting the Australian study requirement
- English proficiency — minimum IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each band (or accepted equivalents), valid within 12 months of lodgement
- Age — 35 or under at lodgement; Master's by Research and PhD graduates remain eligible up to age 50
Stream-specific requirements:
- Post-Higher Education Work — for bachelor, master's, and doctoral graduates (no skills assessment required)
- Post-Vocational Education Work — for VET graduates with a positive skills assessment in an occupation related to your qualification
- Second Post-Higher Education Work stream — additional 1-2 years for graduates who studied and lived in designated regional Australia during their initial 485
- Documentation — adequate health insurance, immigration medical examination, police clearances from every country lived in 12+ months since age 16
How we prepare your 485 application
The 2026 fee increase made wasted applications expensive. Our methodology is built around decision-ready preparation that protects your investment.
01
Eligibility gate check
Before anything else, we confirm you actually meet the gates that matter most: completion timing, English validity, age cap, course CRICOS status. If any gate is unmet, we map a path to readiness rather than rushing.
02
Stream selection
We help you choose between Post-Higher Education Work and Post-Vocational Education Work based on your qualification and your intended pathway after the 485.
03
Regional study assessment
If you studied in a designated regional area, you may be eligible for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream — an additional 1 to 2 years on top of your initial 485. We assess this carefully because it is the single biggest extension lever in 2026.
04
Pathway-aligned lodgement
Your 485 should not be a destination. We lodge your application with a clear view of what comes next — skilled migration, employer sponsorship, partner visa, or state nomination.
Timeline & cost
Processing times for the 485 vary by stream and individual circumstances. We’ll give you realistic expectations based on current Departmental processing data when you book a consultation.
The Department’s 2026 fee structure increased significantly for primary applicants and dependants. We’ll walk you through the current applicant, partner, and child fees during your consultation.
What’s worth knowing strategically: a wasted 485 application now costs significantly more than it did before March 2026. Decision-ready preparation is no longer just best practice — it’s basic financial protection.
Why decision-ready matters
The 2026 reforms created what migration professionals are calling a policy cliff. Wasted 485 applications now carry significantly higher financial consequences than they did even six months ago.
The most common 485 mistakes that now cost applicants thousands:
- IELTS test results older than 12 months at lodgement (the validity window dropped from 3 years to 1 year in March 2024)
- Lodging outside the 6-month post-completion window
- Age cap miscalculation (the Master's by Research and PhD exemption is narrower than most realise)
- Insufficient evidence that the course satisfied the 2-year Australian study requirement
- Letting the current student visa expire before lodgement (the Bridging Visa A only activates when the current substantive visa expires)
A 485 that’s refused or returned isn’t just lost time. It’s lost fees, lost work rights, and often a closed door to the migration pathway you were planning.
Take the next step
Find out where you stand
Take the 485 Graduate Visa quiz — a 3-minute self-assessment against the 2026 eligibility gates. Receive a free decision-ready checklist tailored to your readiness tier.
Or book a consultation
Speak with Dulari Premadasa Smith (MARN 2418399) about your specific situation. We’ll review your timing, your English, your stream eligibility, and your post-485 strategy.
Frequently asked questions
No. The 6-month window from meeting the Australian study requirement to lodgement is a hard rule. If you’ve missed the window, the 485 is no longer available — but other pathways may be. Book a consultation to discuss.
No. Since March 2024, the validity window for English test results was reduced from 3 years to 1 year. If your test is older than 12 months at the date of lodgement, you’ll need to retest before applying.
No, not while in Australia. Since 1 July 2024, 485 visa holders cannot apply for a Student Visa onshore. If your post-485 plan involves further study, you’ll need to apply for the Student Visa offshore.
Post-Higher Education Work is for bachelor, master’s, and doctoral graduates and does not require a skills assessment. Post-Vocational Education Work is for VET graduates and requires a positive skills assessment in an occupation related to your qualification.
A separate 485 grant for graduates who studied in designated regional Australia. It provides an additional 1 to 2 years on top of your initial 485, but only if you can evidence regional study and regional living during your first 485. We assess eligibility carefully — the criteria are strict.
This page provides general information about Australian visa programs. It does not constitute migration advice. Your individual circumstances may affect eligibility, processing, and outcomes. Book a consultation for personalised advice from a registered migration agent (MARN 2418399).