Australian post-study work visa

19 February 2018

If you’ve been studying in Australia—or will be—you know that the time will come when you must come back home to Canada.

The Australian Government recognizes the hard work students put into their studies, and offers a post-study work visa to eligible graduates so they may stay in Australia a little bit longer!

OzTREKK Study in Australia
Who wouldn’t want to stay here a little longer?

Wait—what? Stay in Australia longer? Yes, that’s right. If you’re studying in Australia, you may be eligible to apply for another visa in order to stay in Australia for up to 4 years, depending on the visa stream (see below). We’ve complied some of the basics about this post-study work visa to get you started! Be sure to visit the Australia Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection website for full details.

Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)

The Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) is for international students who have recently graduated from an Australian educational institution, and lets you live, study, and work in Australia temporarily after you have finished your studies.

  • This visa allows eligible international students who have completed an Australian education to stay in Australia to gain work experience.
  • You can work in Australia for a period of 18 months and up to 4 years, depending on your qualification.
  • This visa does not restrict the type of work you may do or the number of hours you may work.
  • Applications for this visa must be made in Australia and you must hold an eligible student visa in the last 6 months.
  • You must meet Australian study, English proficiency, health insurance, health and character requirements.
  • You must meet the specific requirements of the stream in which you are applying for this visa.

Which visa stream?
This visa has two streams:

  • Graduate Work stream – for international students with an eligible qualification who graduate with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). A visa in this stream is granted for 18 months from the date of grant.
  • Post-Study Work stream – for international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider, regardless of their field of study. This stream is only available to students who applied for, and were granted, their first student visa to Australia on or after Nov. 5, 2011. A visa in this stream can be granted for up to 4 years from the date the visa is granted, depending on the visa applicant’s qualification.

What to expect when you apply

  • You and anyone included in your application must be in Australia when you apply and when a decision on the application is made.
  • You and anyone else included in your application who have turned 18 at the time of application, must sign an Australian Values Statement.
  • You need to provide documents to prove the claims you make in the application.
  • You must lodge your application online and upload all your documents directly to the online system.
  • Provide all relevant documents and pay the visa application charge when you apply.

You need a valid passport or other travel document for this visa. If you plan to get a new passport, you should do so before applying for your visa. If you get a new passport after you have lodged your application, give the details of your new passport to the nearest Australian Visa Office.

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If you have any questions regarding this student visa, contact OzTREKK! Email info@oztrekk.com or call toll free in Canada at 1-866-698-7355. Find out more about Australian universities and about how you can study in Australia!

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