EMC Australia / Subclass 485
After an eligible Australian course — with a short window to apply.
485 is for after you finish an eligible Australian course, if you qualify. Streams and duration have changed more than once. The application window after the course ends is strict. It is not a skilled independent visa and not a partner visa. A skills assessment is a different application if you later want 189, 190 or 491.
Who this page is for
- You have finished, or are about to finish, an eligible Australian course
- You need to know which 485 stream and how long you would get
- The 485 window is close and you do not want to miss it
How it works
What this visa asks of you
These are the parts of this visa, in the order they usually matter.
Eligibility
Australia
The course and the date you finished
The course, its CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) registration, and the date on the completion letter all matter.
Waiting until you “have time” is how people miss the window.
Usually in Australia
The 485 visa
English, health insurance, health and character, and the stream you actually fit.
Including a partner is not automatic. Their English and identity have to be ready too.
The 485 visaAfter grant
Australia
What 485 is for
Work while you decide the next visa — skilled, employer or partner — if that visa is real.
A 485 grant is not a skills assessment and not an invitation.
How EMC works
How we help
01
The window
We count from the completion date the Department will use, not from graduation day on Instagram.
02
The next visa, honestly
If 189, 190, 491 or 482 is the plan, the occupation and assessment have to start on 485, not in the last month.
First conversation
What to bring
- Passport and student visa
- Completion letter and CoE
- English test
- If including family: their passports and tests
Before you apply
Things that go wrong
- The application window is short. Do not wait.
- Course changes can kill 485 eligibility.
- A 485 is not extra points by itself. Australian study points sit on the skilled test, with their own rules.
Questions
People ask this first
Usually you apply in Australia, and the timing is tight. If you have already left, get advice before you assume you can lodge.
Start with your situation.
You do not need to memorise the subclass. Book a consultation, or send us a message.
MARN 1800335 · Level 14, 333 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
Related topics
This page is general information, not advice about your circumstances. Australian migration law changes. You should consult a Registered Migration Agent before you apply. EMC Australia is OMARA-registered (MARN 1800335).