Visa Options After 485 Visa – A Must Read Guidelines

What are the Visa Options After 485 Visa? A Must-Read Guidelines for International Graduates

Are you an international graduate nearing the 485 Visa expiry date? Are you looking for the next visa options after the 485 Visa? If so, please read on.

This article will guide you through all the secure and stable visa options after the 485 Visa, eventually leading you to permanent residency. We have carefully curated these options according to specific conditions that may suit you, providing you with a sense of reassurance and confidence in your future in Australia!

What is a 485 Visa?

The 485 Visa, or Temporary Graduate Visa, allows international students to remain in Australia after completing their studies. It provides opportunities for international students to live and work in Australia, allowing them to prepare to obtain permanent residency through the Australian Skilled Visa.

To apply for the 485 Visa, you must have completed a course at an Australian educational institution for at least two academic years. You must submit the 485 Visa six months after completing your course. You must also achieve satisfactory academic results.

The 485 Visa has three different streams with different requirements and validity periods:

1. The Graduate Work stream is valid for 18 months. The main requirement is completing a CRICOS-registered course for at least two academic years (92 weeks of study). You must be under 35 years old.
2. The Post-Study Work stream is valid for up to 4 years. The main requirement is completing a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. You must be under 35 years old.
3. The Second Post-Study Work stream is valid for up to 2 years. The main requirement is to complete a course in the Australian Regional Area and successfully obtain at least a Bachelor’s Degree. You must hold a Post-Study Work stream and be under 35 years old to apply for this stream.

Can an existing 485 Visa be extended?

You can only extend your 485 Visa once, which is possible only for the Post-Study Work stream. If you hold a 485 Visa—Post-Study Work stream, you can extend your stay by applying to the Second Post-Study Work stream.

You must meet the general requirements for Second Post-Study Work stream including:

• Be under 35,
• Hold 485 Visa – Post-study Work stream,
• Have completed a course in Australian Regional Area, 
• Have lived, worked and studied in the Australian Regional Area for at least two years,
• Have adequate health insurance,
• Meet the health and character requirements.

Read more: IELTS Test Score: New Student Visa Rules for Australia 2024

Can a 485 Visa lead to permanent residency?

485 Visa does not offer a direct permanent residency pathway but can be a stepping stone in your journey to permanent residency.

As mentioned above, the 485 Visa may be valid for up to 4 years, which you can use to obtain professional work experience in Australia. Later, after holding the 485 Visa, you can explore the PR pathway through a Skilled Independent Visa, Skilled Nominated Visa, Employer Sponsorship-Based Visa, or even a Partner Visa. This flexibility and adaptability in choosing your future path can empower you to take control of your future in Australia.

485 Visa to Permanent Residency Pathway

We have curated different 485 to PR pathways below, which may suit your specific circumstances. Remember, ONEderland Consulting is here to support and guide you through this journey, making you feel supported and confident in your visa application process.

Skilled Visa Options

There are three available Skilled Visa options, two of which are direct permanent residency!

Remember to facilitate the validity period of your 485 Visa wisely to meet the professional work experience required for one of the following visas.

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

The Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) grants you direct permanent residency. It is an independent visa, meaning you do not need to be nominated by the Australian state or territory government or by an approved business in Australia. It is considered the most flexible skilled visa, allowing you to permanently live and work in any Australian state or territory.

The 189 Visa runs with a point test, in which you must score at least 65 points in your Expression of Interest application.

To be eligible for the 189 visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Aged under 45 years old, 
• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) application before submitting the visa application,
• Passed the minimum benchmark score of 65,
• Your occupation must be on the designated Skilled Occupation List,
• Have the minimum education, training, and work experience requirements for your nominated occupation,
• Have a positive Skills Assessment,
• Have at least Competent English.

Get more details on 189 Visa here: 189 Visa – Skilled Independent Visa

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) also grants you a direct permanent residency. However, the 190 Visa requires you to be nominated or invited by an Australian state or territory government agency to live and work in that specified state or territory.

The 190 Visa also runs with a point test, so you must obtain at least 65 points in your Expression of Interest (EOI) application.

The requirements for a 190 Visa are:

• Be less than 45 years old,
• File an Expression of Interest (EOI) application before filing for a visa,
• Be invited by an Australian state or territory government,
• Exceeded the benchmark score requirement of 65,
• Your profession needs to be listed on the approved list of skilled occupations and in your targetted state or territory skilled occupation list,
• Possess the minimum of training, education, and job experience needed for your chosen occupation,
• Obtain a positive Skills Assessment,
• Have at least Competent English.

Learn more about 190 Visa here: 190 Visa – Skilled Nominated Visa

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491)

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491) is the only point test-based visa valid for five years. Like the 190 Visa, the 491 Visa requires you to be nominated or invited by an Australian state or territory government. Even though it’s a temporary visa, the 491 Visa provides you with permanent residency through the 191 Visa.

Remember, you must pass the benchmark point of 65 to be invited to apply for the 491 Visa.

The requirements you must fulfil for a 491 Visa are similar to those for a 190 Visa:

• Be under 45 years of age,
• Apply for an Expression of Interest (EOI) before submitting a visa application,
• Receive an invitation from a state or territory government in Australia,
• Exceeded the required benchmark score of 65,
• Your occupation must be included in the state or territory’s skilled occupation list and the authorized list of skilled occupations.
• Have the minimum of education, training, and work experience required for your chosen field of work,
• Obtain a positive Skills Assessment result.
• Have at least Competent English.

Read more about 491 Visa here: 491 Visa – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa Subclass 491

Employer Sponsorship-Based Program Pathway

This option would suit you if you have received a sponsorship offer from an approved business in Australia. Your sponsor must have Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) and pass the Labour Market Testing (LMT) process, showing their genuine need to hire an overseas skilled worker.

Unlike the Skilled Visa above, you may need to obtain another temporary work visa before applying for a permanent work visa.

Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482)

The Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) allows you to work for 2 or 4 years, depending on your occupation and visa stream. You can work in any area of Australia. The 482 Visa provides a permanent residency pathway through the 186 Visa – Temporary Resident Transition stream.

Many skilled workers love the 482 Visa for being the only high skill work visa with no age requirements. 482 Visa has three different streams with different requirements and visa validity periods:

1. The short-term stream is valid for two years. Your occupation must be listed on the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and meet the minimum qualification and work experience requirement for your nominated occupation.
2. The medium-term stream is valid for four years. Your occupation must be listed on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL), and you must meet the minimum required qualifications and work experience for your nominated occupation.
3. The Labour Agreement stream is valid for four years. An employer with a Labour Agreement with the Australian government agency must sponsor you. You must also meet the minimum qualifications and work experience required for your nominated occupation.

Find the details about 482 Visa here: TSS 482 Visa Australia – Temporary Skill Shortage Visa

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494)

The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (subclass 494) allows you to live and work only in a designated Regional Area in Australia. It is valid for five years and provides a permanent residency pathway through the 191 Visa.

The 494 Visa has a maximum age limit of 45 years old. The 494 Visa also requires you to be sponsored by an approved Australian business in an Australian-designated regional area. 494 Visa only has two different streams, which are:

1. Employer-sponsored stream, which is valid for five years. You must be sponsored by an approved business operating in an Australian-designated regional area.
2. The Labour Agreement stream is valid for five years. You must be sponsored by a business operating in an Australian-designated regional area and possess a Labour Agreement developed between the Australian government and the company.

Learn more about 494 Visa here: 494 Visa – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Subclass 494

Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (subclass 186)

The Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (subclass 186) is a permanent visa. The 186 Visa allows you to work permanently in any area in Australia. It serves as a PR pathway for 482 Visa holders and a direct PR pathway through its Direct Entry stream. Suppose you possess three years of professional work experience in your field. You may have the 485 Visa PR pathway through the 186 Visa – Direct Entrry stream.

The 186 Visa has an age limit of 45 years old. The 186 Visa has three different streams, which are:

1. The Direct Entry stream acts as your direct 485 to PR pathway if you have at least three years of work experience in your nominated occupation, which must be on the Skilled Occupation List.
2. The Temporary Resident Transition stream acts as your PR pathway if you hold a 482 Visa under the Short-term or Medium-term stream and are still under 45 years old. Your occupation must be on the Skilled Occupation List.
3. The Labour Agreement stream acts as your PR pathway if you hold a 482 Visa under the Labour Agreement stream and are under 45 years old. You must continuously meet the regulations set in your agreement.

Read more about 186 Visa here: 186 Visa – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (ENS)

From 485 Visa to PR with Partner Visa

This option would suit you if you’re married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent Resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. You can consider the onshore Partner Visa (subclass 820/801) as your 485 to PR pathway.

The requirements you must fulfil to apply for the onshore Partner Visa are:

• Be at least 18 years old to be married or in a de facto relationship,
• Be sponsored by your partner,
• Provide genuine evidence of your relationship (i.e. marriage certificate),
• Have been living together with your partner for at least 12 months if applying based on a de facto relationship,
• Be onshore when applying,
• Ensure your current visa is free from 8503 – No Further Stay condition,
• Have obeyed your current visa conditions,
• Meet the health and character requirements.

Suppose you have lived together with your partner for less than 12 months. In that case, consider registering your relationship with the respective government agency.

You must submit the onshore Partner Visa application before your 485 Visa expires. At the time of visa lodgment, you will be granted a Bridging Visa A, allowing you to live, work and study in Australia legally until you receive the outcome for your onshore Partner Visa application.

Learn about the details of Partner Visa here

What other options are available after holding a 485 Visa?

If none of the above options suits your situation, you have to consider these last options after holding a 485 Visa:

Training Visa (subclass 407)

The Training Visa (subclass 407) is a temporary visa valid for up to 2 years. Obtaining a Training Visa (subclass 407) may help you gain more experience, specifically on-the-job training experience, to enrich your background for the Skilled Visa application.

It may be difficult to locate a prospective company that provides training for recent graduates from abroad, but it is a viable choice to consider. To improve your chances of getting hired, we advise going to job fairs, contacting professional associations, and networking within your field. You can also look through career websites and online employment boards targeted at overseas grads.

Read more: Visa 407: Training visa – Gain the Work Experience for a Visa 482

Go back home

We understand that it sounds bitter, but if none of the above options after 485 Visa suit your situation, you must return home. Starting 1 July 2024, the Australian government set strict regulations for international graduates who wish to extend their stay in Australia. The government prohibits international graduates from submitting an onshore Student Visa application from 1 July 2024.

But don’t worry. Once you’ve arrived in your home country, you can still enrich yourself with work experience and other skills. Later, you may consider one of the visa options above and submit it from your home country.

Which options is the best for you?

It depends on your circumstances. You can choose which options after 485 Visa is appropriate for you in a private consultation with our Registered Migration Agent. To ensure that you apply for the best possible visa choice, our Registered Migration Agent will conduct the following steps:

• comprehensive assessment of your background, 
• taking into account your age, education, work history, and skill level;
• professional advice on difficult situations that might prolong the process;
• provision of all available visa options based on your background and circumstances;
• provision of a written report detailing the outcomes of your meeting with our Registered Migration Agent and the associated expenses.

We promise a full refund for our consultation session if you’re unsatisfied with our service. We have a 98% success rate and are experts in complex matters. Please call us or click the following link:

ONEderland Consulting is Here to Help You

We at ONEderland Consulting understand that choosing the best options after holding a 485 visa is crucial. Throughout your journey, we are committed to offering empathetic and individualised support while paying close attention to your particular circumstances and goals.

Our team of highly qualified and experienced migration specialists is dedicated to putting in a lot of effort and planning ahead of time on your behalf. We pay close attention to every detail and apply our extensive knowledge to handle even the most complex cases.

We are committed to being open and honest with you, keeping you updated and involved at every stage. We will work tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome for your future in Australia, and you can rely on us to be your dependable partner and advocate.

We are complex visa specialists. As registered Australian migration agents with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), we are regulated in our professional practice and bound by the profession’s Code of Conduct issued by the MARA.

Take the first step and contact us. Our team members are professional and honest and speak various languages, such as Mandarin/Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic, Japanese, and Thai. Contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1300 827 159. Alternatively, you may book your consultation online, and it is backed by our 100% Money Back Guarantee Program.