Finishing your course in Australia is a huge milestone — but it also starts a clock. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is what most Nepali students apply for next, and getting it right matters: the stream you qualify for, the duration you're granted, and the deadline you apply by all affect how much runway you have to build towards permanent residency.
What is the 485 visa?
The subclass 485 visa lets international graduates live and work in Australia temporarily after completing an eligible Australian qualification. It is not a permanent visa, but it gives you full work rights and time to gain Australian work experience, save towards skills assessments, and build points for a skilled migration visa (189, 190, or 491) or employer sponsorship.
The two streams explained
There are two distinct streams, and which one applies to you depends on your qualification and occupation — not personal choice.
- →Graduate Work Stream (18 months): For graduates whose occupation is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and who hold a positive skills assessment in that occupation. Common among trades, engineering, nursing, and teaching graduates.
- →Post-Higher Education Work stream (2–4 years base, plus regional bonus): The more accessible stream for most university graduates — no skills assessment and no occupation list requirement. Eligibility is based purely on completing a qualifying Australian qualification.
Most Nepali university graduates (bachelor's, master's, or PhD holders without a specific trade or MLTSSL occupation) apply through the Post-Higher Education Work stream — it's simpler and doesn't require a skills assessment up front.
How long will your visa last?
- →Bachelor's degree: 2 years (+1–2 years if you studied and lived in a designated regional area)
- →Bachelor's degree with Honours: 3 years (+1–2 years regional bonus)
- →Master's degree (coursework or research): 3 years (+1–2 years regional bonus)
- →PhD / Doctoral degree: 4 years (+1–2 years regional bonus)
The regional bonus applies if you completed your study while living in a designated regional area — generally anywhere outside Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. If you studied in Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra, or regional NSW/Victoria/Queensland, check your eligibility carefully — it can add 1–2 valuable years.
The age limit changed — check this first
This catches a lot of people out. For the Post-Higher Education Work stream, the maximum eligible age was reduced to 35 years old at the time of application. The previous limit of 50 still applies only if you are using a Master's (research) or Doctoral degree to meet the study requirement, or if you hold a Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport. If you're a bachelor's or coursework master's graduate aged 36 or above, this stream may no longer be available to you — check your options with a registered migration agent immediately.
The 6-month deadline that catches people out
You must apply for the 485 visa within 6 months of receiving formal notification that your course is complete — not from your graduation ceremony, and not from when you feel ready. The notification date is usually a formal letter or email from your education provider, separate from any graduation event which can happen months later.
Don't wait for your graduation ceremony to start your application. Contact your university or college's student records office for your official course completion notification date the moment you finish your final assessment — this date starts your 6-month clock, and missing it can mean losing the 485 pathway entirely.
English requirement
You generally need an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.0 in each band (or an equivalent score in PTE, TOEFL, or another accepted test), taken within the specified validity period before applying. If you already hold a Competent English assessment from a previous visa application, check whether it's still valid — test results expire.
What can you do on a 485 visa?
- →Work full-time, with no restriction on hours — unlike the student visa's permitted work conditions
- →Study further if you choose to, though most graduates use this time to work and build experience
- →Travel in and out of Australia during the visa period
- →Include eligible family members in your application, subject to additional requirements
Using your 485 time to build PR points
The 485 visa is really a runway, not a destination. The years you have should be used deliberately: gain skilled work experience in your nominated occupation (each year adds points), complete a Professional Year program if your occupation supports one (5 points), consider the NAATI CCL test if you're fluent in Nepali (5 points), and aim for a higher English score if you haven't already hit Superior English (up to 20 points). Each of these can move you from being below the invitation cut-off to receiving one.
See exactly how your current situation scores — and what would move the needle most — with the free PR Points Calculator.
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