A Temporary Graduate visa matter is mostly a deadline-management exercise before it becomes a visa application. The client finishes their course, their Student visa may be close to expiry, the 485 application window starts running, English evidence has a time limit, and some applicants also need a skills assessment underway before lodgement.
This guide sets out a practical workflow for Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) matters, including the Post-Vocational Education Work stream, Post-Higher Education Work stream and the second regional Post-Higher Education Work stream.
It is written for registered migration agents and their teams. It is general information, not legal advice. Check the Department of Home Affairs website before relying on any requirement because visa rules and accepted evidence can change.
The 485 streams at a glance
| Stream | Who it is generally for | Typical stay | Key extra requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-Vocational Education Work | Graduates using an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification | Up to 18 months | Qualification closely related to a nominated occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list, with a skills assessment requirement |
| Post-Higher Education Work | Graduates using a bachelor degree, masters or doctoral degree | Usually 2 to 3 years | Recent eligible higher-education qualification |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work | Eligible first 485 holders who studied and then lived in a designated regional area | 1 to 2 additional years | Regional study and residence requirements |
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders have separate concessions in parts of the program. Age and stay rules can also differ for some Masters (research) and doctoral graduates. Check the client's exact circumstances before choosing the stream.
Stage 1. Intake: start with the dates
Open the matter as soon as the client is approaching course completion. Do not wait until the Student visa is about to expire.
Record:
- passport and passport expiry
- date of birth
- current Student visa details and expiry
- course name, CRICOS provider and qualification level
- the date the education provider confirms successful course completion
- whether the client has held a Student visa within the last six months
- English test type, test date and results
- Australian Federal Police check status
- health insurance arrangements
- family members to be included
- whether the client studied and lives in a designated regional area
- for vocational graduates, the likely nominated occupation and assessing authority
Write a short file note recording the stream you are considering, the evidence still missing and the deadlines you explained to the client.
Before paid work starts, send the client service agreement.
Stage 2. Confirm the Australian study requirement
The Temporary Graduate visa study requirement is based on eligible Australian study.
Home Affairs describes the two-academic-year component as 92 weeks of registered study. The qualification must be from CRICOS-registered study undertaken in Australia, taught in English and completed while the person held a visa that authorised the study.
More than one course can sometimes be used to meet the study requirement, but the courses and qualifications still need to fit the rules for the stream being claimed.
Record:
- each course and CRICOS code
- registered course duration
- actual study dates
- qualification completion evidence
- any credit or advanced standing that could affect the calculation
- whether more than one course is being combined
Do the study calculation early. A client who does not meet it cannot fix the problem by simply lodging before their Student visa expires.
Stage 3. Choose the correct stream
The qualification used to meet the 485 study requirement drives the stream.
Post-Vocational Education Work
This stream is generally for an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification.
The qualification needs to be closely related to the nominated occupation, and the applicant needs the required skills-assessment evidence for that occupation. The current stay period is up to 18 months for most applicants.
Post-Higher Education Work
This stream is generally for a bachelor degree, masters or doctoral degree.
Current stay periods are generally:
- bachelor degree, including honours: up to 2 years
- masters by coursework or extended masters: up to 2 years
- masters by research and doctoral degree: up to 3 years
Separate stay periods continue for some Indian nationals under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.
Second Post-Higher Education Work
This is a further 485 for eligible graduates whose first relevant 485 was based on study at an institution in a designated regional area and who meet the regional residence requirements.
The extra stay is generally 1 or 2 years depending on where the person studied and where they lived while holding the first relevant 485.
Record the stream decision in the file. Home Affairs says the stream cannot be changed after the application is lodged.
Stage 4. Check age before anything else expires
For the main 485 streams, the general maximum age is 35 years or under at the time of application.
Exceptions apply. For example, some Post-Higher Education Work applicants using a Masters (research) or Doctoral Degree can be under 50, and Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders can also have an under-50 concession.
Record the client's date of birth and the final date on which the application can safely be lodged under the applicable age rule.
Do not assume the age exception applies across every stream. Check it against the exact stream.
Stage 5. English evidence
Unless an exempt passport rule applies, the client needs evidence of the required English level.
Home Affairs currently requires the accepted English test result to fall within the 12 months immediately before the visa application. Accepted tests and score tables changed from 7 August 2025, so do not rely on an old office checklist.
Record:
- test provider
- test date
- overall result and each sub-skill result
- any accepted retake used
- the last day the result remains within the 12-month application window
If the client still needs a test, book the matter around the result date, not only around the Student visa expiry.
Stage 6. Australian Federal Police check and health insurance
The AFP check has its own timing rule.
For a 485 application, Home Affairs states that the applicant must have applied for the required AFP National Police Check before lodging. The AFP application must be made no earlier than 12 months before and no later than the day before the visa application.
Record:
- AFP application date
- receipt or submission confirmation
- certificate date when received
- any overseas police certificates later requested
Also record evidence of adequate health insurance for every applicant. Check that the cover starts when it needs to and does not leave an avoidable gap when the Student visa arrangements end.
Stage 7. Skills assessment for Post-Vocational Education Work
If the client is applying in the Post-Vocational Education Work stream:
- confirm the nominated occupation
- confirm the qualification is closely related to that occupation
- identify the relevant assessing authority
- lodge the skills assessment in time
- record the skills-assessment application date, reference and outcome
- diary any expiry date on the assessment
Home Affairs requires the application to include the nominated occupation. The applicant must provide the required skills-assessment evidence, and the occupation cannot simply be changed after lodgement.
Treat the skills assessment as an early-stage task, not something to chase in the final week.
Stage 8. Build the application checklist
A 485 checklist will normally include:
- passport and identity documents
- course completion and qualification evidence
- Australian study requirement evidence
- English evidence
- AFP check application evidence
- health insurance evidence
- family relationship documents where applicable
- skills-assessment evidence for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream
- regional study and residence evidence for a second Post-Higher Education Work application
Use a reusable document checklist so the team can see what has been requested, received and reviewed.
Stage 9. Lodge inside the eligibility window
For the main 485 streams, the applicant generally needs to be in Australia when applying, hold an eligible visa, have held a Student visa within the previous six months and have completed the relevant course within six months of applying.
This makes the course-completion date one of the most important dates on the file.
Before lodgement:
- recheck the selected stream
- recheck the age rule
- recheck the six-month course-completion window
- recheck English timing
- confirm the AFP check was applied for before the visa application
- confirm health insurance evidence
- confirm skills-assessment evidence where required
- confirm every mandatory document is attached
Then record:
- application date and time
- transaction reference number
- visa application charge receipt
- bridging visa details
- the client's contact details as lodged
Stage 10. After lodgement
Keep the matter active after submission.
- record any health examination request and completion
- log every Home Affairs information request with its due date
- update passport or contact details if they change
- keep the client informed of bridging visa conditions and travel implications
- record family members who apply as subsequent entrants
- save the final documents and correspondence to the matter
Use visa application stages so the team can see whether the matter is preparing, lodged, awaiting information, decision-ready or finalised.
Stage 11. Grant and the client's next deadline
When the visa is granted:
- record the grant date
- record the visa end date
- record all visa conditions
- send the client the grant notice and a plain-language summary
- note any future pathway the client wants to explore
- for regional graduates, assess whether a future Second Post-Higher Education Work stream may be relevant
For a client considering the second regional 485, start recording regional address history early. Home Affairs requires the relevant applicant to have lived in an eligible designated regional area for at least two years immediately before applying for that second stream.
A second regional 485 can also carry condition 8610, requiring the holder to live, work and study only in a designated regional area. Check the grant conditions in VEVO and the grant letter.
The dates to record for every 485 matter
| Date | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | General age limit is measured at application; exceptions are stream-specific |
| Student visa expiry | Helps plan lawful status and lodgement timing |
| Course completion confirmation | The main 485 application generally must be made within 6 months |
| English test date | Accepted result generally needs to be within 12 months before application |
| AFP check application date | Must be before lodgement and within the AFP timing rule |
| Health insurance start/end | Evidence is required and gaps can create problems |
| Skills-assessment application/outcome | Required for Post-Vocational Education Work matters |
| 485 lodgement date | Fixes the application-time eligibility checks |
| Bridging visa grant and conditions | Important while the application is pending |
| Home Affairs request due dates | Missed deadlines can affect the application |
| 485 grant and expiry | Drives the client's next planning window |
| Regional residence dates | Relevant to a Second Post-Higher Education Work application |
How AgentDS fits this workflow
AgentDS is a CRM for migration agents. A 485 matter can be kept in one workflow instead of split across a spreadsheet, inbox and calendar:
- Visa expiry and deadline tracking. Keep the Student visa expiry, six-month lodgement window and evidence deadlines visible.
- Visa application stages. Move the matter from intake to documents, lodgement, requests and decision.
- Document checklists. Reuse a 485 checklist and see what has been requested and received.
- File notes and tasks. Keep advice records, owners and due dates with the client matter.
The free visa expiry planner can also help practices that are still moving away from spreadsheet-based date tracking.
Frequently asked questions
How long after course completion can a graduate apply for a subclass 485?
For the main 485 streams, Home Affairs requires the course to have been completed within six months of applying. Record the provider's course-completion confirmation date and diary the deadline.
What is the age limit for a 485 visa?
The general rule is 35 years of age or under when applying. Exceptions apply, including for certain Masters (research) and doctoral graduates and some Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders. Check the exact stream.
How recent must the English test be for a 485 application?
For applicants who need to rely on a test, Home Affairs currently requires an accepted result from the 12 months immediately before the visa application. Accepted tests and score rules should be checked against the current Home Affairs table.
Does every 485 applicant need a skills assessment?
No. The skills-assessment requirement is a key part of the Post-Vocational Education Work stream. The Post-Higher Education Work stream is structured around the eligible higher-education qualification instead.
When should the AFP police check be applied for?
Home Affairs says the required AFP check must be applied for before the visa application. For the 485, the AFP application must be no earlier than 12 months before and no later than the day before the visa application.
How long does a Post-Vocational Education Work 485 last?
For most applicants, up to 18 months. Different arrangements apply to some Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders.
How long does a Post-Higher Education Work 485 last?
Generally 2 years for bachelor degrees and masters by coursework or extended masters, and up to 3 years for masters by research and doctoral degrees. Separate arrangements apply in some cases, including certain Indian nationals.
What is the second regional 485?
The Second Post-Higher Education Work stream gives eligible graduates an additional 1 or 2 years where the first relevant 485 was based on study in a designated regional area and the applicant also meets the regional residence requirements.
This guide is general information, not legal or migration advice. Check current requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website.