As part of the Australian government’s Migration Strategy, the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) Visa will have substantial changes that will come into effect as of 1 July 2024.
If you are an international student or a graduate, the last few weeks would have been quite tough. Bits and pieces of information all over the web and social media may have been daunting and puzzling. In this article, we aim to shed some light on all the recent changes to the Temporary Graduate visa that you may have missed out. The recent changes that have been announced as a part of the government’s Migration Strategy have shaken up the international students’ community and will come into effect as of 1 July 2024.
Subclass 485 Graduate Work Stream: All You Need to Know
This stream has been utilised primarily by international graduates who have completed a degree level or higher qualification to temporarily live, study and work in Australia. However, unfortunately, applicants who have completed a degree level or higher qualification will no longer be eligible to apply in this stream and they must apply through the Post-Higher Education Work stream, which will be discussed in this article.
The name of this stream will be renamed to ‘Post-Vocational Education Work stream’.
The most significant change in the Post-Vocational Education Work stream is the age limit. The maximum age limit eligibility to apply will be reduced to 35 years of age or under at the time of application. This initiative indicates that the Australian Governments encourages young graduates to stay further as they can work and contribute to the Australian economy for a longer period. Hong Kong and British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders will continue to be eligible for the Post-Vocational Education stream up until 50 years of age at time of application.
If an applicant is ineligible for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream due to the age reduction, they may still be eligible for a number of other visas. An Immigration lawyer or a registered migration agent may provide you with further guidance on this.
The previous requirement of an overall IELTS score of 6.0 for English proficiency has also been increased to an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent), with no individual band score lower than 5.5. This adjustment is to ensure that the eligible applicants have the required level of English skills to join and sustain in the Australian job market. This new English requirement is already in effect from 23 March 2024. This increased minimum English language requirement is not applicable for passport holders from Hong Kong and British National Overseas (BNO).
Applicants in the ‘Post-Vocational Education Work’ stream must hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
Applicants who are granted this visa may continue to stay for a period up to 18 months with the exception of Hong Kong or British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders who will be granted a visa for a period of 5 years.
Post-Study Work Stream and the New Visa Grant Periods
The Post-Study Work stream will be renamed as ‘Post-Higher Education Work stream’.
The maximum age for this stream will be reduced from 50 to 35 and under, at the time of application. Under 50 years age requirement remains unchanged for Hong Kong and British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders.
Another significant change to this stream is related to alterations in the period during which the visa is granted. The new grant period is as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree (including honours) – up to 2 years.
- Master’s degree (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years.
- Master’s degree (research) – up to 3 years
- Doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will be granted a visa for five years regardless of their course of study.
Pursuant to the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), the stay periods for Indian nationals remain as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Bachelor’s degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
- Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
- Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.
Second Post-Study Work Stream
The Second Post-Study Work stream will be renamed to the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. No further changes to this stream have been announced and the requirements will stay as they currently are.
Replacement Stream
The Replacement Stream which was majorly used for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will cease on 1 July 2024.
More Information
You can visit the official website of the Department of Home Affairs to learn more about the eligibility requirements.
If you wish to discuss the changes to the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, have any questions or need assistance with your application, please contact Amity Lawyers on 03 8630 2828 and speak to one of our experienced immigration lawyers or submit an online enquiry.
