The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — the bridge many students expect between graduation and skilled migration — carried several changes into 2026 that quietly narrow who qualifies.

What changed

  • Age limit reduced to 35 at the time of application (previously higher).
  • English lifted: applicants generally need IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each band, and results issued within 12 months before applying.
  • Fee increased in the 1 July 2026 charge round (with a lower fee available from 1 March 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens).
  • Onshore switching narrowed: students on visitor or temporary graduate visas generally can no longer switch to a student visa from within Australia — those applications now go offshore.

Why intake screening matters

Each of these is an early, hard gate. A student who assumes a 485 pathway may be over the age limit, short on English, or unable to switch onshore — and the time to discover that is at intake, not months later when they’re relying on it.

The three streams, and why the choice is final

The 485 is not one visa. Home Affairs runs three streams, and you cannot change stream after you apply — which makes the decision at lodgement irreversible.

Post-Vocational Education Work stream. For graduates with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list. Stay is up to 18 months. Cost is from AUD5,750.

Post-Higher Education Work stream. For graduates with a degree-level qualification or higher from an Australian institution. Stay is usually between 2 and 3 years, depending on the qualification. Cost is from AUD5,750.

Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. For holders of a Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work or Replacement visa who graduated from an institution in a regional area. Stay is between 1 and 2 years, set by the regional location of the institution and the regional area lived in on the first visa. Cost is from AUD2,265.

Two cross-cutting points: Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders may stay for 5 years in either of the first two streams, and lower charges apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens.

The eligibility gates that catch people out

Beyond the stream choice, the basic requirements are where screening actually pays. An applicant must:

  • Be aged 35 or under when they apply — exceptions apply, so it’s worth checking rather than assuming
  • Hold an eligible visa
  • Have held a Student visa in the last 6 months
  • Hold a recent qualification in a CRICOS-registered course
  • Apply for the correct stream, with the required evidence attached at lodgement

The six-month rule is the quiet one. A graduate who drifts onto a visitor visa, or lets a gap open after their student visa ends, can fall out of eligibility without ever being told — and no amount of qualification strength fixes it.

What this means for your practice

The value here is catching the disqualifier early and setting honest expectations. That’s a screening problem: date of birth against the age limit, English scores and their validity window, current visa against the switching rules.

When a student’s key facts are captured once at intake and checked against current requirements, ineligibility surfaces immediately instead of derailing an application later. Building that screening into the file — across both the education and migration desks — is what Centrio is for.

This is general information, not migration or legal advice. Requirements, fees and dates were accurate at publication and change often — always confirm against the primary source before advising a client.

Sources: