Exciting visa pathways to stay in Australia after completing your studies
Student visas present a great opportunity for overseas students to come to Australia and obtain world class qualifications & skills and be eligible to apply for the short-term Temporary Graduate Visa (485) to gain work experience or to further explore General Skilled Migration pathway if interested.
Below are the visa pathways available:
Temporary Graduate Visa
Based on which course you have completed in Australia will lead to the relevant graduate visa stream.
It is a great option for international students who would like to extend their stay in Australia after completing their studies.
It is important to note here that to have access to migration pathways, you must adhere to all the visa conditions prescribed to your previous student visa.
There are two Temporary Graduate visa streams:
- Graduate Work Stream
- Post-Study Work Stream
Some of the Common Criteria for the two visa streams are:
- You have completed a trade certificate, diploma, bachelor’s degree, graduate diploma, masters or PhD qualification in Australia within the last 6 months
- You have applied for 485 visa within 6 months of completion of your Australian studies
- Your Australian studies are registered on CRICOS
- You must be aged under 50 at time of application
- Evidence of English Language: If you hold a passport from UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or NZ, you will not need to undertake an English test. Otherwise, you are required to provide evidence of English Language: IELTS, Pearson (PTE Academic), ORT, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge (CAE Advanced)
- Meet all health, character and other visa requirements
- Once granted, you will have unlimited work rights in Australia for the duration of the visa. The duration of the 485 visa will depend on the course you have completed
- You must maintain private health insurance prior to lodging your application and whilst on a temporary graduate visa
Gradate Work stream visas are valid for 18 months from the date of grant of the application.
Post-Study Work Visas are dependent on which qualification has been completed in Australia as follows:
- 2 years: completion of bachelor’s degree, Bachelor with Honours, Masters by Coursework or Masters (Extended)
- 3 years: Masters by Research
- 4 years: Doctorate
Whilst on a 485 visa, you have full working rights and can live anywhere in Australia.
General Skilled Migration
International students who have completed their studies in Australia have an advantage over others in applying for skilled migration pathway to Australia.
There are dedicated points allocated for studies completed in Australia, especially if in a regional area in the Points-test criteria for skilled migration.
Additionally, having an Australian tertiary qualification makes it easier to get through the stringent Skills Assessment requirements for occupations in demand.
Partner Migration
Found love in Australia? We are happy for you.
If you are married or in a de facto relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, then your Australian partner may be eligible to sponsor you for permanent residence.
Employer sponsorship
From 18 Mar 2018 onward, to be eligible for an employer sponsorship visa (TSS), you will need to have a minimum of two years of post-qualification experience in your nominated occupation.
If you have a job offer from an Australian company, it may be possible for them to sponsor you on the temporary skills shortage visa if you meet the eligibility requirements.