Post-study work
Post-Higher Education Work (485)
Two to three years of full work rights after your Australian degree, longer for some passports, while you build toward what comes next.
Requirements
What the stream asks of you.
You must be in Australia when the application is lodged, holding an eligible student visa or having held one within the previous six months.
Bachelor and coursework masters
A bachelor degree, with or without honours, a masters by coursework or a masters extended degree, completed in the last six months after at least two years of study in Australia, with the applicant under 36 at lodgement. A graduate diploma commenced in the same or next academic year, in a related field of study, may also count.
Research masters and doctorates
A masters by research or a doctoral degree on the same completion and study settings, with the age limit lifted to under 50 at lodgement.
English, insurance and character
English at the required level from an accepted test, adequate health insurance arrangements for the stay, and health and character requirements. An Australian Federal Police check is applied for before lodgement.
How long the visa runs
Up to two years for bachelor and coursework masters graduates, and up to three years for research masters and doctoral graduates. Indian nationals can access up to three years for a first-class-honours STEM bachelor degree or any masters, and up to four years for a doctorate. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders can stay five years.
The pathway
How we run your 485.
Timing check
Completion date, student visa status and age are checked against the six-month window before anything is lodged.
Police check and English
The Australian Federal Police check is ordered and your English evidence confirmed as current.
Lodgement in Australia
You must be in Australia when the application is lodged. It goes in decision-ready.
Grant and next steps
You can be in or outside Australia at grant. We map the pathways that may follow: points-tested, employer sponsored or regional.
General information only, not immigration advice. Your circumstances matter. Visa requirements, fees and processing times change regularly. Facts on this page last reviewed 15 July 2026. Check current details with the Department of Home Affairs , or speak with us for advice on your situation. Website terms.
Begin with a conversation.
Speak with a MARA-registered migration agent in Melbourne about your pathway. Book a time that suits you.