Attention all students: If you live in Queensland, there’s just 36 days until the start of exams! And as though you weren’t stressed enough, if you are graduating this year then your Student visa will also be expiring very soon. But do not stress, because at AMVL we have your back!
Firstly, let’s look at the eligibility criteria for the 485 Temporary Graduate visa. The common criteria are:
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You must be less than 50 years of age
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You have to currently hold an eligible visa
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You must meet health and character requirements
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You have overall Competent English (IELTS overall 6 with no less than 5 in any band, or equivalent test)
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You must meet the Australian study requirement
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You must hold adequate health insurance
Then, there are two streams for this visa; the Post Study Work Stream and the Graduate Work Stream.
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The Post Study Work Stream is for students who applied for their first ever Student visa after 5 November 2011, and who have completed at least a Bachelor degree level qualification. This visa is valid for 2 to 4 years, depending on the qualification gained (Bachelor/Masters/PhD).
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The Graduate Work Stream is for students who have completed qualifications that closely relate to an occupation on the Medium to Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Applicants in this stream need to apply for a skill assessment in their nominated occupation before lodgement of the visa, and have a positive outcome before a 485 visa can be granted.
You will need to wait until you have completed your course of studies (the date you met course requirements, not graduation) before you can apply for a 485. However, there are things you can start working on now to help ease the process.
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Check if you have adequate English language test scores. Results are valid for 3 years from the date of the test, so ensure that these will be valid by the time you wish to apply. If you need to sit a new test, book this now as there will be a lot of competition for seats closer to the end of the year and in the lead up to the major Student visa expiry date on 15 March.
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Ensure that your passport is still valid and has a good amount of time left (at least 6 months is best). You will need identity documents for the 485 visa such as your birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates, change of name documents, and ID cards, so it is good to collect copies of these now. Check this for each family member too!
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Organise your police clearances from Australia and overseas. It is a requirement that the Australian Federal Police clearance be applied for prior to lodgement of your 485 visa. Some overseas clearances take a long time to be issued, which can delay processing of your application. Clearances are only valid for 12 months from the date of issue, however, so don’t apply for these too far in advance of lodging your visa application.
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Confirm your eligibility. If you are not sure if you are eligible to apply for a 485 visa, or if you would like to look at your permanent or employer-sponsored visa options, it is a good idea to obtain professional advice from a Migration Agent, or to undertake your own research now.
We strongly recommend gathering all of your documents and information early to prevent stressing at the last minute and missing critical deadlines. If you need assistance with your application, or if would like to check your eligibility, contact us here or call us on 07 3212 2200.
