Post-Study Work arrangements were introduced by the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) on 23 March 2013.
Students who graduate with an Australian Bachelors, Masters or a Doctoral degree and meet the other eligibility criteria will have access to the Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV). Please see the Department of Home Affairs website for eligibility requirements.
The duration of the Post-Study Work Visa you are able to apply for will depend on the degree you attain, as follows:
- Bachelor and Master by Coursework graduates will be eligible to apply for a two* year post-study work visa
- Master by Research graduates will be eligible to apply for a three* year post-study work visa
- PhD graduates will be eligible to apply for a six year post-study work visa
*From 1 July 2023 graduates with select Bachelor or select Master degrees will be eligible for a visa with a further two year validity if their qualification is listed on the Department of Education's 'Eligible Qualifications List (EQL'.
Students may also be eligible to apply for a Second Post-Study Work stream visa for a further one year duration, if you have lived, worked and/or studied in a regional area (South Australia) while holding your first Post-Study Work Visa, and your first Post-Study Work Visa was granted on the basis of a degree or higher from an Australian institution located in a regional area. Please see the Department of Home Affairs website for eligibility requirements.
The Post-Study Work arrangements is an additional stream in the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa. You may apply for the temporary graduate visa through either the Post-Study Work stream or the Graduate Work stream provided you meet the specific eligibility requirements.
The Department of Home Affairs has temporarily changed the requirements for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa for those who have been impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions:
Online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing student visa holders (online study outside Australia is counted from the time of student visa grant).
Graduates affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions will be able to apply for and be granted a PSWV visa outside Australia (they must hold or have held an eligible student visa.
Please see the Department of Home Affairs website for more information.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the Post-Study Work Visa, you must:
- successfully complete an Australian Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral degree
- have applied for and been granted your first student visa on or after 5 November 2011
- hold an eligible visa
- have held a student visa in the last six months
- meet the Australian study requirement in the six months immediately before making your post-study work visa application
- be in Australia
- be under 50 years of age
- meet the English language requirement
Other requirements that will need to be met include health, character and security requirements.
Graduates who do not meet the requirement for the Post-Study Work stream may be eligible to apply for an 18 month visa through the Graduate Work stream.
The Australian study requirement
Regardless of whether you are applying under the Post-Study Work stream or the Graduate Work stream, you must meet the Australian study requirement in the six months before making your subclass 485 visa application.
The Australian study requirement is defined as study in Australia in a registered course for a period of at least two academic years. The course must be conducted in English and must be completed in no less than 16 calendar months.
To meet the Australian study requirement, you must:
- attain either a single qualification requiring at least two academic years study or multiple qualifications resulting in a total period of at least two academic years study
- undertake this study in no less than 16 calendar months.
