From 1 July 2024, a number of changes will impact the Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) (Graduate) visa program, in line with the Australian government’s Migration Strategy.
Pre 1 July 2024 criteria for the Graduate visa program
- be in Australia;
- be less than 50 years of age at the time of making the application;
- have undertaken a language test in the 12 months preceding the application;
- include evidence that you have applied for an AFP clearance in the 12 months immediately before making the application; and
- include evidence of adequate arrangements for health insurance.
Additional criteria then applied depending on the stream:
Stream |
Additional criteria |
|
Graduate Work stream |
Nominate a skilled occupation in a specified occupation. You must have satisfied the Australian study requirement in the period of 6 months immediately before the day the application was made. That is, you must have finished 1 or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications which:
Each degree, diploma or trade qualification used to satisfy the Australian study requirement is closely related to the applicant’s nominated skilled occupation. The application was accompanied by evidence that the applicant had applied for an assessment of the applicant’s skills for the nominated skilled occupation. |
|
Post-Study Work stream |
You must hold / have held a Student visa that was lodged on or after 5 November 2011 and it was the first Student visa that you held; You must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher which was conferred by a CRICOS provider. The qualifications must satisfy the Australian study requirement (see above) in the 6 months before the application was made. |
Summary of changes to eligibility from 1 July 2024
At a superficial level, the stream names will be changed to more accurately reflect the purposes of the visa.
A brief summary of the changes to the eligibility requirements for the streams is now outlined below:
Old stream name |
New stream name |
Relevant old criteria |
Relevant new criteria |
|
Graduate Work stream |
Post-Vocational Education Work stream |
Be less than 50 years of age at the time of making an application |
The maximum eligible age will be reduced to 35 years of age or under at the time of application. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will still be eligible if they are under 50 years of age. |
|
Post-Study Work stream |
Post-Higher Education Work stream |
Be less than 50 years of age at the time of making an application |
The maximum eligible age will be reduced to 35 years of age or under at the time of application. Masters (research), doctoral degree (PhD) graduates, and Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will still be eligible if they are under 50 years of age. |
All other criteria remain the same.
Summary of new stay periods from 1 July 2024
The stay period granted for the Graduate visa program will also be impacted:
Old stream name |
New stream name |
New stay periods |
|
Graduate Work stream |
Post-Vocational Education Work stream |
Applicants may continue to stay for up to 18 months. |
|
Post-Study Work stream |
Post-Higher Education Work stream |
Stay periods will change to the following:
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may be able to stay for up to 5 years. Stay periods for Indian nationals subjec tto the Australia India – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement are:
|
Restrictions to onshore visa applications from 1 July 2024
Finally, from 1 July 2024, holders of certain visas, including Visitor and Temporary Graduate visas, will no longer be able to apply for Student visas while in Australia. This can significantly impact people wishing to consider further study following a period of employment (for example, Bachelor students who plan to complete Master’s programs after a period of industry experience on a Graduate visa).
Any questions?
The above changes reflect the Australian Government’s ongoing efforts to streamline immigration processes and ensure that visa programs align with national skills needs and educational outcomes. For those impacted by the new changes, particularly the age limits, understanding alternative visa options is essential. Feel free to contact us by email at [email protected] or phone +61 3 9016 0484 if you would like to discuss further
