Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

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Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

Post-study work visa for international students who have recently graduated from Australian educational institutions. The temporary Graduate Visa provides Australian work experience that is essential for skilled migration points and PR pathways.  

2026 Important Changes:

  • Maximum age limit reduced to 35 years (from 50)
  • Processing times reduced to 21 days for most applications
  • Enhanced pathways for regional graduates
  • Stronger Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirements

Streams Available:

  • Graduate Work Stream: 18 months for Bachelor degree graduates
  • Post-Study Work Stream: 2-4 years depending on qualification level
  • Second Post-Study Work Stream: Additional time for regional graduates

This visa is critical for building Australian work experience, improving English proficiency, and increasing points for subsequent skilled visa applications.

Skilled Regional Permanent Visa (Subclass 191)

Skilled Regional Permanent Visa offers Permanent residency pathway for Subclass 491 and 494 visa holders who have maintained residence and met income requirements in regional Australia for 3 years. 

Requirements:

  • Held 491 or 494 visa for at least 3 years
  • Complied with visa conditions
  • Minimum taxable income threshold for 3 years
  • Continued residence in regional Australia

Employer Sponsored Visas

Employer sponsored migration is a unique way that provides direct pathways to Australian permanent residency when you have by your side an Australian employer wiling to sponsor your skills. These visas are ideal for skilled workers with job offers in occupations that generally face workforce shortages, allowing you to secure Australian PR through employer nomination. 

2026 Employer Sponsorship Updates:

  • Skills in Demand (SID) visa replacing TSS from January 2026
  • Three-tier salary structure: Specialist (AUD 141,210+), Core (AUD 76,515-141,209), Essential
  • Faster pathway to PR: 2 years on temporary visa
  • Priority processing for high-salary specialist roles
  • Enhanced regional employer sponsorship allocations

Skills in Demand Visa (Replacing TSS in 2026) (Subclass 482)

The new Skills in Demand visa framework prioritizes employer-sponsored migration based on salary tiers and skills shortages, replacing the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (TSS). 

Three Tiers:

  • Tier 1 – Specialist Skills: Salaries above AUD 141,210 with priority processing and faster PR pathways
  • Tier 2 – Core Skills: Salaries AUD 76,515-141,209 for mainstream skilled roles
  • Tier 3 – Essential Skills: Targeted sectors with specific regional or industry needs

Pathway to Permanent Residence:

  • Shorter qualifying period (2 years vs. previous 3-4 years)
  • Direct pathway through Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
  • No age limit for Tier 1 applicants

Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)

Direct pathway to Australian permanent residency through employer nomination. Allows skilled workers nominated by Australian employers to live and work in Australia permanently.

Streams:

  • Direct Entry Stream: For applicants with at least 3 years skilled work experience
  • Temporary Residence Transition Stream: For 482 visa holders with 2 years employment with nominating employer
  • Labour Agreement Stream: For workers nominated under specific labour agreements

Benefits:

  • Permanent residence from grant
  • No points test required (employer-sponsored)
  • Work for nominating employer or any employer after grant
  • Include family members
  • Medicare and social security access

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa (Subclass 494)

Regional employer-sponsored visa with a 5-year validity and pathway that opens door to permanent residence through Subclass 191. 

Regional Focus:

  • Designated regional areas (entire Australia except Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
  • Regional Occupation List (ROL) access
  • Flexible requirements than metropolitan employer sponsorship
  • Strong demand in healthcare, construction, hospitality, and trades
  • be over 45 years of age, if a labour agreement or DAMA states it; otherwise, under 45 years of age.

Training Visa (Subclass 407)

Training Visa offers temporary visa for workplace-based training that enhances your skill in occupation, area of tertiary study, or professional development. 

Suitable For:

  • Professional development programs
  • Structured workplace training
  • Research programs
  • Occupational training required for registration

FAQ's

We provide expert guidance, personalized solutions, and end-to-end support for your academic and career goals.

A registered migration agent provides professional advice and assistance for Australian visa applications, migration planning, eligibility checks, documentation, and communication with the Department. Nepcoms offers support across skilled migration, employer-sponsored visas, student visas, partner visas, and family visas.

A MARA-registered migration agent is authorized to give Australian immigration advice under the migration framework. This gives applicants professional guidance, better application preparation, and support with complex visa pathways, policy updates, and documentation requirements.

The best pathway depends on your age, occupation, English score, work experience, education, and family situation. Common PR pathways include Skilled Independent Visa (189), Skilled Nominated Visa (190), Skilled Work Regional Visa (491) leading to 191, and Employer Nomination Scheme (186). Nepcoms assesses multiple pathways to find the strongest option.

Subclass 189 is a points-tested skilled visa without state nomination. Subclass 190 is a state-nominated skilled visa that gives extra points and PR. Subclass 491 is a regional skilled visa with more nomination points and a pathway to permanent residency through Subclass 191 after meeting eligibility requirements.

The minimum threshold is 65 points, but competitive invitations are often much higher depending on the visa subclass, occupation demand, and invitation rounds. Strong English scores, skilled work experience, and state or regional nomination can improve your total points. 

You can improve points by increasing your English score, gaining skilled work experience, completing eligible qualifications, using spouse skills where applicable, and applying for state nomination (190) or regional nomination (491). Regional nomination provides a larger points boost. 

Yes, skills assessment is required for General Skilled Migration visas and many employer-sponsored pathways. The assessing authority depends on your occupation and visa category. Nepcoms helps coordinate skills assessment preparation and submission. 

The Skills in Demand (SID) visa is the updated employer-sponsored temporary work visa framework replacing the older TSS system. It is structured by salary tiers and skills demand, with pathways to permanent residency for eligible applicants.

Yes. Many international students use a study-to-PR pathway by choosing suitable courses, gaining Australian qualifications, improving English, building work experience, and transitioning through visas such as Subclass 485 and then skilled or employer-sponsored visas.

Yes. Student visa holders generally have limited work rights during study periods and broader work rights during scheduled breaks, subject to current visa conditions. Nepcoms advises students on compliance and long-term migration planning.