Post Study Work Rights in Australia for International Students 

If you are an aspiring student with a dream of studying in the best study destination such as Australia, it is not as hard as it seems to be. You can not only study in Australia but also work in Australia after completing your course. This article will help you understand post study work rights in Australia. Continue reading.

New Update on Post-Study Work Rights in Australia - February 2023

From July 1, 2023, eligible international graduates will be granted an additional two years of post-study work rights on their Temporary Graduate Visa. For qualifying students who study, reside, and work in regional areas, this extension is in addition to the current additional one- to two-year employment rights. This helps qualified international students to gain the necessary work experience relevant to their field of study. Some of the eligible course categories include:

• Medical and Nursing 

• Engineering 

• Allied Health

• Teaching 

• Agriculture 

• ICT 

Moreover, from July 1, 2023, there will be an increase in the maximum number of working hours allowed for students. The government has increased the working hour cap for international students from 40 to 48 hours per fortnight.

Updates on Post-Study Work Rights in Australia - September 2022

On September 1, 2022, Jason Clare, Australia’s Minister for Education, announced the extension of post-study work rights in Australia. Though the qualifying courses haven’t been announced yet, this extension permits skilled international graduates to work and stay in Australia for an additional 2 years. Jason Clare announced this extension considering the skill shortage in Australia. This extension encourages international students to study in-demand courses in Australia and continue working there actively.

Post-study work rights for select degrees in areas of verified skill shortages will be increased from:

1) 2 to 4 years for select Bachelor’s degrees
2) 3 to 5 years for select Masters degrees
3) 4 to 6 years years for select PhDs.

What is a Student Visa?

A student visa is a pass you need to study in a foreign country. What that means is that the international student in question is allowed to stay and study in the country until the completion of the course. During the validity of this visa, the student can travel back and forth to the country from which he/she got the visa, in this case, “Australia.” This applies to Vocational Education and Training (VET), undergraduate studies, post-graduate studies, and Ph.D. However, once the course is completed, the visa will expire. The student visa can expire immediately after the course completion or after the six months of the course (this will depend on the Student Visa Guidelines of the country). 

What is Post Study Work Visa (485 Post Study Work Visa)?

Students whose visas are about to expire can apply for a work permit to resume their stay in the country of education. In Australia, you need to apply for a post-study visa or work permit under subclass 485. Thus these visas are called 485 post study work visas. This visa is the replacement for the “Skilled graduate Visa” that was expected of international students, who want to stay and work in their country of education. 485 post-study work rights (PSWR) visas have been in effect since 2013.

3 Types of PWSR Visa in Australia

1. Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) - Post-Study Work Stream
2. Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream
3. Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476)

1) Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Post-Study Work Stream

This is the visa type that is most commonly used by international students in Australia. A temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), as the name suggests, is a temporary visa that allows international students to stay and work after their graduation for a limited period. Keep in mind the provision of these visas are for candidates who are fresh graduates with qualifications and skills that are appropriate for specific occupations that the country needs.

Who can apply?

• The candidate must be under 50 years of age
• The candidate must have applied for and been granted your very first student visa on or after November 5th of, 2011
• The candidate must hold an eligible visa 
• The candidate must have held a student visa at least six months prior to the application
• The candidate must have a recent degree in a CRICOS-registered (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) course
• The candidate must provide evidence of proper health insurance for all applicants when applying
• The candidate must provide evidence of application for an AFP check when applying
• The candidate must show proof of the required level of English knowledge with the application

Stay

• With a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) -post work study stream, the candidate can stay anywhere between 2 and 4 years, depending on the qualification.
• However, the candidate with possession of British National Overseas and Hong Kong passport holders may stay up to five years.

Cost

The cost of a temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)-Graduate work stream starts from AUD1,730

Post Study Work Visa Processing time

• 25% of applications processing is done in 7 months
• 50% of applications processing is done in 8 months
• 75% of applications processing is done in 12 months
• 90% of applications processing is done in 14 months

2) Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream

This visa type is given to students who have successfully graduated from an Australian university/college. The graduates holding this visa are permitted to live, study and work in Australia for a limited period of time. This visa also allows you to bring your immediate family to Australia to stay with you.

Who can apply?

• The candidate must be under fifty years of age
• The candidate must hold an eligible visa
• The candidate must have held a student visa for at least six months prior to the application
• The candidate must have a recent qualification in a CRICOS-registered (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) course
• The candidate must only nominate one stream. Changing the visa stream is not allowed once you apply
• The Candidate must attach specified evidence when applying for the visa

Stay

• With a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) Graduate work stream, the candidate can stay up to 18 months.
• However, Australia has temporarily increased the residing limitation to 24 months for visas from December 1st, 2021. British National Overseas and Hong Kong passport holders may stay for 5 years.

Cost

The cost of a temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)-Graduate work stream starts from AUD1,730

Post Study Work Visa Processing time

• 25% of applications processing is done in 10 months
• 50% of applications processing is done in 10 months
• 75% of applications processing is done in 11 months
• 90% of applications processing is done in 13 months

3) Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476)

This visa type is given to students who recently graduated engineering from a recognised Australian university/college. The candidate should have been graduated from a specified list of Australian institutions to be qualified for the skilled recognised graduate visa (subclass 476)

Who Can Apply?

• The Candidate must be under thirty one years of age
• The candidate must have completed an engineering degree at a specified educational institution not more than 2 years ago
• The Candidate must not have formerly been the primary visa holder of a subclass 476 or 485 visa

Stay

• The candidate can stay up to 18 months with the Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476)

Cost

The cost of Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476) starts from AUD425

Post Study Work Visa Processing time

The processing might take longer due to covid restrictions

Key things you need to know about PSWR in Australia

• Your field of specialisation will not be the deciding factor as if the post-study work visa doesn’t have an occupations list. However, make sure that you are studying at the right levels
• Skills assessment isn’t stipulation to apply for this visa
• Your degree should be from a CRICOS-registered course
• You need to meet the required standard of English language proficiency.

Additional Year in PSWR, Australia

Graduates will get an additional year in their PSWR visa for master’s degree with coursework as they get it from masters degree with research. The following table will show how different cities entitle the students to different extensions to the visa period.

Cities with an additional year of PSWR:

• Adelaide
• Hobart
• Perth
• Sunshine Coast Canberra Newcastle/Lake Macquarie
• Gold Coast
• Wollongong/Illawarra Geelong