Applying for the TR Visa
As a new graduate, if you studied an eligible CRICOS course, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) Visa, also referred to as the Temporary Resident (TR) Visa.
There are 2 streams of the visa, the Post-Higher Education Work Stream & the Post-Vocational Education Work Stream.
Depending the the course you studied, you may get 1.5 to 5 years on the visa.
What is the 485 Graduate Visa?
Australia provides the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) for international students studied for a minimum of 92 weeks and graduated from specific courses.
The visa provides graduates with the opportunity to develop workplace skills in the industry in which they studied. It also provides the certain graduates to study the Professional Year Program. Also known as the PY or PYP Year.
Applicants must generally be aged 35 or under at the time of application, through there are exceptions. You must apply from inside Australia within 6 months of completing the program. The application fee for the TR Visa is $1,945 until June 30, 2025.
With this visa, you can work and study full time until the end date of the visa, and included your partner and children as dependents.
The length of the visa will depend on what you have studied, and the stream of the visa.
If your course was at was at Vocational Education and Training (VET) level, and leads to a job on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) (ie chef or carpenter), you will receive a visa for 1.5 years.
If you studied at the higher education level, for most nationalities:
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Bachelor = 2 years
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Masters (by coursework or research) = 3 years
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PhD / Doctorate = 3 years
If you studied in a regional area, and remained in that area for the duration of your graduate visa, you may be able to apply for an additional 1-year Temporary Graduate Visa.