Your student visa has an end date, but your future doesn't. You can plan it from the start
The same team that supported your student visa can also guide you through your post-study options. That includes post-study work visas (Subclass 485), employer-sponsored visas (Subclass 482) and Employer Nomination Scheme pathways. We help you understand your choices and plan your next steps in Australia.
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets eligible international graduates stay in Australia for a limited time after they finish studying, so they can gain local work experience, build professional connections and plan their next visa steps.
It is often the bridge between a student visa and longer-term options such as skilled migration or employer sponsorship.
Streams at a glance
There are different 485 streams, depending on what you studied and how you meet the Australian Study Requirement:
Post-Vocational Education Work
For graduates with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification related to an occupation on the skilled occupation list. Allows a period of post-study stay so you can work and gain experience in your field.
Post-Higher Education Work
For graduates who have completed a bachelor degree, master's or PhD with a CRICOS-registered provider. The length of stay depends on your qualification and current policy settings, but commonly gives you several years in Australia after graduation.
Second Post-Higher Education Work
Available to some graduates who already hold a Post-Higher Education Work 485 visa and meet regional study and living requirements, providing an additional period of stay in Australia.
What you can do on a 485 visa
Holding a 485 visa typically allows you to:
Live in Australia
Live in Australia temporarily after you complete your eligible course.
Work full-time
Work full-time and gain Australian work experience.
Study further
Study further if you want to upskill or change direction.
Include family
Include eligible family members in your application.
Build your visa pathway
Use your Australian work history to support future skilled or employer-sponsored visa options. Migration pathways →
For many students, this visa is a key part of turning Australian study into real career opportunities.
Need an Australian bank account?
If you are starting full-time work, you will need an Australian bank account for your salary. You can open a student account with CommBank online.
Open an account →Eligibility snapshot
Requirements differ by stream, but common elements include:
- 1 Age limit
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Being under the relevant age limit at the time of application
- 2 Eligible student visa
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Holding, or having held, an eligible student visa
- 3 CRICOS-registered course
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Completing a CRICOS-registered course meeting the Australian Study Requirement
- 4 English, health and character
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Meeting English language, health and character requirements
- 5 Skills assessment (some streams)
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For some streams, a qualification on the skilled list and a Provisional Skills Assessment (PSA)
Because the rules are detailed and change over time, we always look at your individual study history, visa history and goals before recommending a pathway.
How Blue Education helps with your 485 visa
At Blue Education, we often know your story from the moment you start planning your studies, which puts us in a strong position to support you at graduation. We can:
- Review your eligibility and confirm which 485 stream may fit your situation.
- Plan timelines so you apply within the required window after your course completion.
- Guide you through English, health checks, police clearances and any skills assessment steps that may be relevant.
- Prepare and lodge your application and show you how a 485 visa can fit into a broader plan, such as skilled migration, regional options or employer sponsorship.
Employer Sponsored Visa Opportunities
For some graduates, the next step after a student visa or Temporary Graduate visa is employer sponsorship. If an Australian business is willing to sponsor you for a genuine skilled role, this may create a pathway to keep working in Australia on a temporary visa and, in some cases, work towards permanent residence later on.
Why this matters
Employer sponsorship is not a single application or a guaranteed outcome. It usually involves both the employer and the visa applicant meeting separate requirements, including the business being eligible to sponsor, the role meeting visa criteria, and the worker meeting the relevant skills, English, health and character requirements.
Just remember: it takes two to tango.
Main pathways
Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The subclass 482 visa is a temporary employer-sponsored visa for skilled workers nominated by an approved employer. It allows eligible workers to live and work in Australia in a nominated role, and for many applicants it becomes the first step in an employer-sponsored migration pathway.
Who this may suit
This option may suit graduates who have secured a job offer from an employer willing to sponsor them in an eligible occupation. The exact requirements depend on the stream, occupation, salary level and your background.
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Subclass 494)
The subclass 494 visa is for skilled workers who are nominated by an eligible employer in a designated regional area of Australia. It is a provisional visa and can provide a pathway to permanent residence for eligible applicants who continue to meet the requirements.
When this is relevant
This pathway can be relevant if you are working or planning to work in regional Australia and have an employer ready to support your application in a genuine regional position.
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)
The subclass 186 visa is a permanent employer-sponsored visa for eligible skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer. Depending on the stream, this may be an option for applicants who already have employer-sponsored work experience in Australia or who meet direct entry criteria.
Worth knowing
This is not an automatic next step for every graduate, but for the right applicant and employer, it may become part of a longer-term strategy towards permanent residence.
How employer sponsorship works
Employer sponsorship eligibility
Before sponsoring a worker, the employer usually needs to be approved by the Department of Home Affairs as a sponsor. This is a separate step from the worker's visa application.
Nomination of the role
The employer then nominates the position they want to fill, and the role must meet the relevant visa criteria, including occupation and salary requirements.
Visa application by the worker
Once the sponsorship and nomination requirements are in place, the worker can proceed with the visa application and must meet the criteria including English, skills, health and character requirements.
Important note for employers
One of the most common misunderstandings about employer-sponsored visas is that only the worker needs to apply.
In reality, the employer may first need to become an approved sponsor, then nominate the role, before the worker can lodge their visa application. This is why employer-sponsored migration needs planning on both sides.
How Blue Education helps
We help graduates understand whether employer sponsorship may be realistic based on their course, occupation, work experience and visa history. Where sponsorship may be possible, we can also work with employers to explain the process, identify the relevant pathway, and support the nomination and visa application stages in a clear and organised way.
- Assess whether a 482, 494 or 186 pathway may be relevant
- Review your occupation, qualifications and work history against visa requirements
- Help employers understand sponsorship approval and nomination steps
- Support the preparation and lodgement of the visa application once the pathway is confirmed
What is a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS)?
To sponsor someone on a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa, most Australian businesses must first be approved as a Standard Business Sponsor by the Department of Home Affairs. This is a separate approval that confirms your business is genuine, lawfully operating and suitable to sponsor overseas workers.
What does the SBS application involve?
In simple terms, an SBS application asks your business to:
- Show that you are legally operating in Australia (for example, ABN/ASIC registration and basic business details)
- Show that you are financially viable and active, with evidence that you are actually trading and can pay your staff
- Confirm you follow Australian workplace and anti-discrimination laws, and that there is no serious negative information about your business
Need help with SBS?
We can help employers understand whether SBS is right for them, gather the core documents, and walk through the application so the information you provide is clear, consistent and aligned with current sponsorship obligations.
Talk to Us About SBS →Graduated or about to?
We review your post-study options and tell you which visa applies, how long you have, and what to apply for next, before your student visa becomes a problem.