Post study work visa in Australia | An Overview

International students can find a variety of job opportunities in Australia. The country has a growing need for skilled workers, so it attracts and integrates international students by offering lucrative post-study work visas. The post-study work visa in Australia allows international students to stay there for up to four years after finishing their studies and encourages them to work. We will discuss how to apply for a post-study work visa in Australia and its requirements. 

Types of post-study work visa in Australia

The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs is in charge of immigration and residency in the country. It welcomes students with various types of work visas to help them realize their dreams and build rewarding careers.

Let’s take a look at the various types of Australian work visas

Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) for graduate workstream

This visa is ideal for international students who have graduated from prestigious Australian institutions with skills and qualifications. The educational qualifications you acquire should be closely related to an occupation that the Australian labor market needs in the medium to long term. This visa allows you to stay for up to 18 months, and you can also bring your family to Australia. Students must apply for this visa within 6 months of finishing their courses.

Eligibility requirements

All international students can stay and work in Australia for up to 18 months with this visa. To be eligible for this type of post-study work visa, applicants must meet the following criteria-

• The candidate must be under the age of 50 and a recent graduate.
• The applicant’s skills and qualifications should be relevant to the demand in Australia and thus appear on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
• The applicant must have an Australian study visa and must study in English.
• The candidate must have a valid IELTS, TOEFL-iBT, PTE Academic, or Cambridge C1 advanced test score to demonstrate their English proficiency.
• The applicant must have received at least one diploma or degree from a CRICOS registered course in the previous six months.
• The candidate must meet all medical and character requirements.
• They should not have either a subclass 476 or a subclass 485 visa.
• If the applicant’s visa has been canceled or denied in the past, the application will be rejected.

Skilled recognized graduate visa (Subclass 476)

Only engineering graduates who have completed engineering qualifications from approved educational institutions within the last two years can apply for this visa. They must have this visa to bring their family to Australia, and their stay can last up to 18 months.

The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs introduced an additional post-study work arrangement for international students in November 2019. International students studying in Australia other than Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will receive a one or two-year extension on their current two-year post-study workstream of the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) beginning in 2021. The primary goal of this additional extension is to encourage more international students to come to Australia and study, thereby increasing diversity and prosperity in various parts of Australia.

Eligibility requirements

Engineering graduates are ideal candidates for this visa. It allows applicants to study and work in Australia for up to 18 months.

The requirements are as follows

• Applicants must be under the age of 31.
• The applicant must have received an engineering degree from a recognized educational institution within 24 months.
• The applicant cannot have a skilled, recognized graduate visa (subclass 476) or a temporary graduate visa (subclass 485)
• The applicant must meet the stated character and health requirements.
• For this post-study work visa in Australia, the applicant must be fluent in English. He or she must have a valid passport from one of the following countries- the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, or the Republic of Ireland.

Basic details of post-study work visa in Australia

Eligibility requirements

The Department of Home Affairs, Government of Australia, has specific requirements that students must meet for each type of post-study work visa in Australia. Australia’s post-study work visa requirements may differ depending on the length of stay.

Let’s look at the requirements for different post-study work visas

The post-study work visa requirements in Australia differ depending on the type of visa. The basic requirements to apply for a post-study work visa in Australia are discussed here.

• The age of the applicant must be below 50.
• The applicant must have a graduate degree in a CRICOS-approved course.
• The applicant must have a current student visa. An applicant is also eligible if he or she has held a student visa within the last six months.
• The candidate must not have either a subclass 485 or a subclass 476 visa.
• The candidate must meet all Australian study criteria.

The candidate must hold at least one of the following degrees

• Bachelor’s degree
• Honors with a bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree by subject/coursework
• Master’s degree (extended)
• Master of Research degree
• Doctoral degree

• This work visa type is unavailable to students with diplomas or trade qualifications.
• The candidate must have a valid IELTS, TOEFL-iBT, PTE Academic, or Cambridge C1 advanced test score to demonstrate their English proficiency.
• The applicant must meet all the medical and character requirements.

How to apply for an Australian post-study work visa?

Step 1- Gather all required documents before beginning the application process.

Step 2- Navigate to the ImmiAccount official website.

Step 3- Click ‘create ImmiAccount’ (for new users) or log in if you already have an account.

Step 4- Review and complete the visa application form. Please include all the necessary documents.

Step 5- Provide the contact information for any family members accompanying you.

Step 6- Use your credit card, BPay, or PayPal to pay the application fees online as specified.

Documents required to apply for post-study work visas in Australia

The following documents are required for your post-study work visa application.

• Identity documents
• Educational documents
• Documents for your health insurance
• Character documents
• If your partner accompanies you, then you need to submit the documents of your partner
• You also have to submit the documents for any dependents below the age of 18

Key takeaways

• The post-study work visa in Australia helps international students stay and work in the country for up to four years after completing their studies and encourages them to work. 
• There are 3 types of post-study work visas temporary graduate visa (Subclass 485) for graduate workstream, temporary graduate visa (Subclass 485) for post-study workstream, and skilled recognized graduate visa (Subclass 476).
• The applicant must be under the age of 50 and must have a graduate degree in a CRICOS-approved course along with a current student visa. You should check the requirements before applying to avoid rejection. 

Did you find this blog informative? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Click here to contact us for more information on a post-study work visa in Australia. We would be happy to assist you with your queries.

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FAQs

Q1. Can I get a work permit after 1-year of study in Australia?

Ans- To be eligible for a post-study work visa, students must have completed at least two years of academic study in Australia. You can earn a single or multiple degrees, but your total study time must be at least two academic years.

Q2. Can I buy a house with a 485 visa?

Ans- Skill Graduate Visa Subclass 485 holders can borrow up to 80% of the purchase price, with a 20% deposit plus costs such as stamp duty.

Q3. Can I get a post-study work visa after my diploma in Australia?

Ans- Students who have completed academic programs that result in only a diploma are ineligible for the post-study work visa. However, you may be eligible for a visa under the ‘Graduate Work’ stream with only a diploma.