The Post Study Work stream of the 485 subclass visa or PSWV is a work visa lasting between 2 and 4 years. Students need to complete studies at the Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate level which take at least 2 academic years.
It is a great option for students who would like to extend their stay in Australia after their studies. It also helps those who are seeking to stay in Australia permanently – either through General Skilled Migration or employer sponsorship.
Validity Period
The duration of the visa depends on which studies have been completed as follows:
- PhD: 4 years
- Masters by Research: 3 years
- Masters by Coursework or Bachelor Degree: 2 years
What does the Visa Allow Me to Do?
The visa has full work rights, and also full study rights. It allows you to travel freely to and from Australia during the validity of the visa.
What is the First Student Visa Requirement
You can only qualify for a Post Study Work Visa if you have applied for and been granted your first student visa on or after 5 November 2011.
If you have held a student visa which you applied for prior to 5 November 2011, then you are not eligible. This would include situations where you have studied and returned to your home country, have held a visa to study non-award courses or English courses, or even if you held a student visa as a dependent.
Even if you hold a student visa which you did apply for on or after 5 November 2011, you will still be ineligible if you have held a student visa which you applied for prior to this date.
Note that it is the date you applied for the visa which is critical, not the date of grant.
If you made a student visa application prior to 5 November 2011 but it was not approved (eg due to refusal or because you withdrew your application), then you may still be eligible.
What is the Australian Study Requirement?
You must complete a course or series of courses in Australia which take at least 2 academic years. There are a number of requirements:
- Only studies at the Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate level count towards the 2 years requirement
- The studies must be registered on CRICOS (see http://cricos.deewr.gov.au), and the total registered study period according to CRICOS must be at least 92 weeks
- If you have exemptions due to overseas studies, these may count against you when calculating the 92 week requirement
- You can count more than one course, providing each course meets the above requirements and results in 2 academic years of study
- You can have a break in between studies
Which Occupations Can I Choose From?
There is NO occupations list for the Post Study Work Visa – the area of specialisation is not relevant providing your studies are at the right level.
Do I Need My Skills Assessed?
Skills assessment is NOT required for the post study work visa.
What is the English Language Requirement?
You will need to establish your English language ability when you lodge your 485 visa application.
You can show this in one of the following ways:
- Hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or New Zealand; or
- IELTS (Academic or General Training): overall average of 6 and at least 5 in each band; or
- Occupational English Test (OET): B Pass in each band; or
- Pearson (PTE Academic): overall average of 50 with at least 36 in each band; or
- TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test): total score of 64, with at least 4 in Listening and Reading, and at least 14 in Writing and Speaking; or
- Cambridge (CAE): 169 overall average with at least 154 in each band.
Note that from 18 April 2015, average band scores apply with lower minimum scores apply to most English tests for the purposes of 485 visas.
What are the Health Insurance Requirements?
You will need to show that you have adequate arrangements for health insurance when your 485 visa is granted. Whilst it is OK to have OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) at the time of application, you will need Working Visa cover for approval of your 485 visa.
You also need to maintain your Working Visa cover whilst you hold your 485 visa. If you do not maintain this level of cover, your 485 visa might be cancelled.
Adequate arrangements for health insurance
Overview
To satisfy 485.215, at the time the application was made it needs to have been accompanied by evidence that the primary applicant:
- had adequate arrangements in Australia for health insurance (485.215(1)) and
- has had adequate arrangements in Australia for health insurance since the time the application was made (485.215(2)). That is, to cover the period between when the visa application was made and when a decision is made on the visa.
The same requirements apply to secondary applicants – refer to 485.312.
The requirement to have adequate arrangements for health insurance in Australia for the duration of the applicant’s stay is supported through the imposition of condition 8501 on all VC-485 visas – refer to VC-485 visa conditions.
For policy and procedure, refer to PAM3: Sch8/8501 – Maintain health insurance.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Applicants who are also Student visa holders may present evidence of a valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy at time of visa application to satisfy 485.215(1). However, OSHC may not be acceptable for the purpose of 485.215(2) (i.e. from the time the visa application is made until the time of decision). This is due to the eligibility and claim requirements of the OSHC insurance which requires a holder of OSHC to be:
- a person holding a student visa, OR
A person who:
- has made an application for a student visa; and
- is the holder of a bridging visa; and
- was immediately before being granted a bridging visa, the holder of a student visa
If the applicant moves from their Student visa to a bridging visa when their Student visa ceases (without making a further student visa application), they will be required to obtain a non-OSHC policy to meet the health insurance requirement of 485.215(2) for their VC-485 visa application immediately after their OSHC ceases.
If the applicant’s student visa is still valid at the time of decision for their VC-485 visa application and they have not obtained non-OSHC health insurance, the case officer should request evidence of adequate arrangements for health insurance from the applicant.
If the applicant is not a student visa holder when they make their application, OSHC is not acceptable evidence of health insurance.
Examples: Scenario A: Application made while on a student visa If the applicant is covered by an OSHC until 15 March, and lodged their application for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa in February (prior to the expiry date of the OSHC), they must obtain adequate non-OSHC health insurance cover that commences from 16 March when their bridging visa commences. If their VC-485 visa is granted prior to the expiry date of their student visa (that is, 15 March), they must further obtain a non-OSHC health insurance cover immediately. Under these circumstances, case officers should contact the applicant to request evidence that they have non-OSHC health insurance cover before finalising the visa application. Scenario B: Application made while on a non-student visa If the applicant is covered by an adequate non-OSHC health insurance when they make their application for a VC-485, they will need to continue to hold adequate non-OSHC insurance while they are waiting for a decision on their application. |
Do I need Health Checks?
You would generally need to do medicals for grant of a 485 visa. If you’ve recently applied for a student visa extension, you may be able to re-use these medicals.
Will I need Police Checks?
You will need an Australian Federal Police (AFP) Check for yourself and any members of your family aged 16 or over. You must apply for the AFP checks prior to lodgement of your 485 visa.
Note that from February 2015, police checks for countries you have lived in outside Australia are no longer required.
Are There Time Limits in Applying?
You must apply for your 485 visa within 6 months of completion of your Australian studies. You must either hold a student visa when you apply, or to have held a student visa within the last 6 months. You must also make sure that you apply prior to expiry of your student visa, or at least have applied for another visa and are on a bridging A or B visa when the 485 application is lodged.
Do I Get a Bridging Visa When I Lodge?
When you apply for your 485 visa, you would in general receive a Bridging A visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your 485 visa application.
The Bridging A visa has full work rights. If you held a substantive visa (eg student visa) when you apply for your 485, the work rights on the bridging visa will come into effect when the substantive visa expires.
The Bridging A visa may cease if you depart Australia. If you wish to travel whilst waiting for a decision on your 485 visa, you may wish to apply for a Bridging B visa to facilitate your travel.
How Long Will it Take?
485 visas are currently taking 2-3 months to process for a complete application.
Conclusion
The Post Study Work visa is an excellent option for international students who wish to remain in Australia after completion of their studies.
If you would like assistance in applying for a post study work visa, please book an appointment to discuss further.