The graduate visa allows international students to live, study and work in Australia after completing their studies for 18 months up to 5 years. This blog will focus on busting the myths to save the naive audience from getting trapped in false visa guarantees.

If you are applying for Subclass 485 for the first time, you must choose among the two streams, i.e. (i) Graduate Work Stream or (ii) the Post-Study Work Stream. I will try to answer the most frequently asked question through this blog.

Can you change the visa stream oncethe application is lodged?

You must choose your visa stream correctly. The visa stream cannot be changed after you have made the visa application.

Do you require nominating the skilled occupation for this visa?

For the Graduate work stream, you are required to nominate a skilled occupation. However, this condition has been relaxed for applicants from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

Whereas the Post-Study workstream is available to international students who graduated with a higher education degree in any field of study.

Can you apply for this visa offshore?

Yes, you can apply offshore. If you are a spouse, de facto partner of the subclass 485 visa holder or the child or step-child or a dependent child of the visa holder or the spouse or de facto partner can apply for this visa offshore. This means that a subsequent application is allowed for the family unit member of the person who holds a valid graduate visa.

You are also eligible to apply for this visa offshore if you have held an eligible student visa. Eligible student visa excludes the student visa granted to a foreign affairs student or defence student, or a member of the family unit of the student visa holder.

What visa must you have to apply for this visa onshore?

• an applicant holds an eligible student visa
• The applicant holds a Bridging A or Bridging B and has held an eligible student visa in the six months before the application is made.
• The applicant holds a substantive visa and has held an eligible student visa in six months before the application is made.

Age requirement?

The primary applicant must be less than 50 years old.

English Proficiency and test validity?

English language tests must have been undertaken within the three years before the day on which the application was made, and a minimum overall score of 6 is required with no less than 5 bands in each module.

The English requirements are exempted for certain passport holders.

The Australian Study Requirement?

The applicant must have completed an eligible qualification in six months before the subclass 485 visa application was made.

Australian study duration requirement?

The applicant must prove that they have completed their qualification from an Australian education institution for two academic years or 92 weeks.

Opportunity to apply for Subclass 408 if your Temporary Graduate has expired or will expire between 1 September 2022 and 1 July 2023.

You may be eligible for the COVID-19 Pandemic Event (subclass 408) visa with a 2-year stay period. You must be working in Australia or have an offer of employment.

Lastly

The applicants must understand that the above-mentioned rules are subject to change. You may consult a Registered Migration Agent to answer your queries based on an individual case scenario.

You are welcome to ask questions or forward your queries to info@impactmigration.com.au