How Do Pakistani Students Get an Australia Post-Study Work Visa (Subclass 485)? (2026)

What is the subclass 485 visa and who is it for?

The subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is Australia’s post study work visa. It lets recent international graduates stay in Australia temporarily to live, work and build professional experience after finishing their studies. For a Pakistani student who has just completed a degree in Australia, it is the bridge between graduation and the next step, whether that is skilled work, further study, or a longer term move toward residence.

It is a temporary visa, not a permanent one, but it is one of the most valuable outcomes of studying in Australia because it turns a study investment into local work experience that Australian employers and the skilled migration system both value. If you are still at the study stage, it pairs naturally with our guide on how to get an Australia student visa, subclass 500, from Pakistan, because the choices you make as a student affect your 485 eligibility later.

Which stream applies to you?

Since the 2024 reforms, the 485 has two main streams. The one that fits you depends on the type of qualification you finished.

• Post Higher Education Work stream: for graduates of an Australian Bachelor, Master’s or Doctoral degree, regardless of field. This is the stream most Pakistani university graduates use.
• Post Vocational Education Work stream: for graduates of an eligible vocational or trade qualification tied to an occupation on the relevant skilled list. It usually requires a skills assessment and is aimed at trade and diploma pathways.

There is also a Replacement stream for holders whose earlier 485 was affected by pandemic travel disruption, but that is a narrow case. For most readers of this guide, the Post Higher Education Work stream is the right door.

How long can you stay on a 485 visa?

Your stay length depends on your qualification. Under the current rules, Bachelor and Master’s graduates in the Post Higher Education Work stream generally receive up to two years, and Doctoral graduates receive up to three years. The Post Vocational Education Work stream generally grants around 18 months. Holders of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passports have separate, longer arrangements.

An important change to know is that the earlier temporary two year extension for selected degrees in areas of skill shortage has been discontinued, so you should plan around the standard grant length for your qualification rather than an extension that no longer exists. Because these terms change, always confirm your exact entitlement against the Department of Home Affairs before you lodge.

What are the eligibility requirements?

To qualify for the Post Higher Education Work stream you generally need to tick every one of these boxes.

• Held a student visa: you must have held an eligible student visa in the last six months.
• Met the Australian study requirement: at least two academic years of study, which is 92 weeks registered on CRICOS, completed in no less than 16 calendar months, taught in English.
• Completed your course: you must have met all course requirements and apply within six months of completion.
• Age: 35 or under at the time you apply, for the main stream, with exceptions covered below.
• English: competent English, evidenced by an accepted test at the required score.
• Health insurance: adequate health insurance for your time on the visa.
• Health and character: a health examination and police checks as required.

Miss any one of these and the application fails, so the detail matters. The two year study requirement in particular trips people up, because a course that looks like two years on paper can fall short of 92 weeks once you count the actual registered duration.

What is the age limit, and are there exceptions?

For the Post Higher Education Work stream, you must be 35 years old or under at the time of application. This came down from 50 in the 2024 reforms, so older guides that still quote 50 are out of date for the main stream. There are two important exceptions where the limit remains 50. Graduates with a PhD or a research Master’s keep the higher age limit, and holders of Hong Kong and British National Overseas passports also retain it.

If you are close to the age cut off, timing your course completion and application carefully becomes part of the strategy. This is one of several places where planning your study path with your post study visa in mind pays off.

What English score do you need?

The English bar rose in 2024. For the 485 you now generally need competent English shown by an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each of the four bands, or the accepted equivalent in PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET or Cambridge. This is up from the older overall 6.0 requirement.

Two rules catch people out. Your test result must be no older than 12 months when you apply, and the Department accepts only tests taken at a secure, in person test centre, so at home and remotely proctored formats are not accepted. If your English test is aging or was taken online, sit a fresh in person test before you lodge. If you are still working on your score, our guide on the IELTS band score Pakistani students need to study abroad explains how the bands work and how to prepare.

How much does the 485 visa cost in 2026?

The 485 application charge rose sharply in 2026. After an increase in March 2026, the base application charge for the primary applicant rose again to around AUD 5,750 from 1 July 2026 for both the Post Higher Education Work and Post Vocational Education Work streams. This is a large jump from the roughly AUD 2,300 that applied before 2026, so budget for the current figure and confirm it on the Department of Home Affairs pricing estimator before you apply.

Family members added to your application pay their own charges. As a guide, a partner or dependent aged 18 and over pays around AUD 2,875, and a dependent child under 18 pays around AUD 1,450. On top of the government charge you will spend on your English test, health examination, police certificates and health insurance.

What documents do you need?

A clean document set makes the difference between a smooth grant and a delay. Gather these before you start the online application.

• A valid passport with enough remaining validity.
• Your completion letter or transcript showing you met all course requirements.
• Evidence that your study met the Australian study requirement, including CRICOS registered course dates.
• Your English test result, taken in person within the last 12 months.
• Adequate health insurance covering your time on the visa.
• An Australian Federal Police check, and any overseas police certificates required.
• Health examination results if requested.
• For the Post Vocational Education Work stream, evidence you have applied for a relevant skills assessment.

Keep digital copies organised and named clearly. Immigration decisions move faster when the officer can find every piece without asking you for it. The habit of a tidy, well sourced file is the same one that helped you get your student visa, and it carries over here.

What is the step by step application process?

The 485 is lodged online through your ImmiAccount while you are usually in Australia. Here is the sequence most graduates follow.

1. Confirm eligibility: check your qualification, age, English, and the six month window after course completion.
2. Sit or refresh your English test: book an in person test if your current result is old or was taken online.
3. Get your police checks and health insurance: apply for your AFP check early, since it takes time, and arrange insurance for the visa period.
4. Complete a health examination: if the system requires one, book it with a panel clinic.
5. Gather your completion evidence: transcript, completion letter and CRICOS course dates.
6. Lodge online through ImmiAccount: complete the form, upload documents, and pay the application charge.
7. Wait for a decision: respond quickly to any request for more information.

Most applicants apply from inside Australia and can hold a bridging visa that lets them keep working while the 485 is processed, which is one reason applying before your student visa expires matters.

Can you work full time and bring family?

Yes on both counts. The 485 gives you full, open work rights, so you can work for any employer in any occupation, unlike the capped hours you had as a student. This is what makes the visa so useful for building real experience. If you want a refresher on the student stage rules, our guide on whether Pakistani students can work part time while studying in Australia sets out the contrast.

You can also include eligible family members in your application, such as a partner and dependent children, though each attracts their own application charge as noted above. Family members included on the visa generally gain work and study rights too, which helps couples plan the post study period together.

Does the 485 lead to permanent residency?

Not directly, but it is one of the strongest stepping stones toward it. The 485 buys you time and, more importantly, Australian work experience and the chance to gain a positive skills assessment and points for skilled migration. Many graduates use their 485 years to work in their nominated occupation, improve their English score, and build the points needed for a skilled visa or an employer sponsored route.

Because permanent residence pathways shift with policy and occupation lists, treat the 485 as a platform rather than a promise. Our broader guide on whether Pakistani students can get PR after studying abroad explains where Australia sits among the options and how the study to work to residence chain typically works.

What mistakes cause refusals or short grants?

The most common problem is missing the six month window after course completion. Graduates relax after finishing, then discover the clock has run out. The second is a study record that falls short of the 92 week requirement, often because a credit transfer or a shortened course reduced the registered weeks below the line. The third is an English test that is either too old or was taken online, which the Department will not accept.

Other avoidable errors include applying under the wrong stream, forgetting that the age limit is now 35 for the main stream, and underbudgeting for the 2026 fee increase. Each of these is easy to prevent with a proper eligibility check before you lodge. If your situation is unusual, for example a change of course or a gap in study, get advice rather than guessing, because a refused 485 is expensive and hard to undo. You can compare Australia against other destinations any time through our destinations hub.

How does Border and Bridges help?

Border and Bridges is an education and immigration consultancy in Johar Town, Lahore, working with Pakistani students since 2016. We are recognised by ICEF and the British Council and registered with SECP and FBR, so you are dealing with a verified firm, not a middleman. For the 485, we confirm whether your qualification and study record meet the rules, check your grant length, make sure your English test is valid and in person, and help you assemble a document set that a case officer can approve without follow up questions.

We are also honest about what we cannot promise. No agent can guarantee a grant, and anyone who does is not being straight with you. What we give you is an accurate eligibility check, a clean application, and a plan that connects your student visa, your 485, and your longer term goals. When you are ready, reach us through our contact page and we will review your case.

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