485 Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream Visa Length
The length of your stay in Australia with this temporary visa will depend on where you studied and graduated from as the holder of a student visa and where you live as the holder of your first Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Higher Education Work Stream.
If you:
- studied and live in Category 2 area (1 year)
- studied and live in Category 3 area (2 years)
See: Designated regional area.
Hong Kong passport holders can stay up to 5 years.
To stay further in Australia after this visa, you might be eligible for other skilled work visas.
485 Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream Visa Eligibility
Age:
You must be under 50 years of age.
Studied, worked or lived in a designated regional area
You must have obtained your qualification that led to the grant of your first Temporary Graduate visa in the Post-Higher Education Work Stream, from an Australian education provider who is registered on CRICOS and offer degree-level programs. The campus that you studied at must have been based in a designated regional area.
See: Lived in designated regional area for 2 years.
You must have lived only in a designated regional area for a period of at least 2 years immediately before applying for the second Temporary Graduate post-study work stream visa. To do this, show the Department of Home Affairs evidence that in the last 2 years, you resided in a designated regional area.
Designated regional areas are divided into two categories:
Category 2 “Cities and Major Regional Centres”
and Category 3 “Regional Centres and Other Regional Areas”.
If you have lived only in a Category 2 area, you can only be granted an additional 1-year visa.
If you have lived only in a Category 3 area, you can only be granted an additional 2-year visa.
If you have moved between categories, you will be considered for the shorter visa.
If you have been away from your usual residence for a holiday or short work trip, it will not change the way the Department assesses your usual residence.
The table below provides a guide on the residence and study requirements for the second Temporary Graduate Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa.
| Residence locationon first subclass 485 in the Post-Higher Education Work Stream | Study location on student visa | Visa length for second 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa |
| Category 1 – Major cities:Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne (Non-Regional) | N/A | Not eligible |
| Category 2 – Designated cityor major regional centre | Category 1 – Major cities:Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne (Non-Regional) | Not eligible |
| Category 2 – Designated cityor major regional centre | Category 2 – Designated cityor major regional centre | 1 extra year |
| Category 2 – Designated cityor major regional centre | Category 3 – Regional centre or other regional area:(All other locations) | 1 extra year |
| Category 3 – Regional Centre or other regional Area:(All other locations) | Category 1 – Major cities:Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne (Non-Regional) | Not eligible |
| Category 3 – Regional centre or other regional area:(All other locations) | Category 2 – Designated cityor major regional centre | 1 extra year |
| Category 3 – Regional centre or other regional area:(All other locations) | Category 3 – Regional centre or other regional area:(All other locations) | 2 extra year |
If you worked and/or studied while you held your first Temporary Graduate Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa, the work and study must have been in the designated regional area.
You may be asked to provide further information or evidence of your work or study.
Health insurance
You must have adequate health cover for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa. Your cover should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.
Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.
Health and Character
You and any family who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.
You and any family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa must meet our character requirement.
Visa Record
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
485 Second Post-Higher Education Work Stream Visa Checklists
Identity documents
- the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.
- a national identity card, if you have one
- proof of change of name
Documents that prove a change of name include:
- a marriage or divorce certificate
- change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
- documents that show other names you have been known by
Residence documents
You need to show the Department of Home Affairs that you have lived for at least 2 years in the period immediately before you lodge your application, in a designated regional area.
This evidence should show the Department:
- that you lived in a designated regional area since at least 2 years before you lodge the application for the second Temporary Graduate Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa
- that you continued to live in the designated regional area throughout this 2-year period
- that you continue to live in a designated regional area
Evidence of residence could include copies of documents in your name such as:
- driver’s licence
- utility bills
- mortgage documents or tenancy agreements
- bank statements
- documents relating to your children’s schooling
Work and study documents
If you have worked and/or studied while living in a designated regional area while you held your first Temporary Graduate Post-Higher Education Work Stream visa, you may wish to provide evidence that the work and/or study was done in the designated regional area.
Health insurance documents
You must prove that you have adequate health insurance in Australia. Provide:
- a signed letter from a health insurance provider
- evidence of health insurance
Character documents
If requested complete and provide the following forms:
- Form 80 – Personal particulars for character assessment (596KB PDF)
- Form 1221 Additional personal particulars information (338KB PDF)
If requested, you may also need to provide:
- an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16
- military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country
Partner documents
Provide your partner’s following document if your partner is applying with you:
- identity documents
- character documents
- documents about other family members, if applicable
If you are married, provide your marriage certificate or other evidence that your marriage is valid in Australia.
If you are a de facto partner, provide proof of your de facto relationship.
This proof should show that:
- you have a mutual commitment with your partner to the exclusion of all others
- your relationship is genuine and continuing
- you either live together or don’t live permanently apart
- you are not related by family
For a de facto relationship, please also provide evidence that:
- you have been in your de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you applied for this visa, or
- if applicable, provide evidence that your relationship is registered by a participating Australian state or territory
Dependants under 18 documents
For every dependant 18 years old or younger who is applying with you, provide:
- copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children
- copies of the adoption paper, if applicable
- parental responsibility documents
You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:
- has a legal right to decide where the child lives and
- is not coming to Australia with the child
They must complete either:
- Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (240KB PDF)
- a statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to visit Australia on this visa
Alternatively, you can show the Department of Home Affairs:
- an Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia, or
- that the laws of your home country allow them to migrate
Include:
- an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence
- adoption papers or other court documents if applicable
Dependants over 18 documents
To include your child who is over 18 in your visa application, they must be:
- over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23, and dependent on you or your partner, or
- over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner
If your child is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you will need to provide evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.
Provide:
- a copy of their birth certificate to prove their relationship to you
- documents about their other relationships, if applicable
- identity documents
- character documents
You must also provide proof the child is dependent on you.
- proof of your relationship with the dependant such as a birth certificate or adoption papers
- a completed Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (307KB PDF)
- proof of financial dependency such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts
- if the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner that states they are dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions
