485 Visa Work Rights: Temporary Graduate Visa for Employers

Information checked 31 October 2026.

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) is for international students who have recently finished studying in Australia. Home Affairs describes it as letting the holder live, study and work in Australia temporarily after their studies.

Work rights and key limits

• The visa lets the holder live, study and work in Australia temporarily after finishing their studies.
• The Post-Higher Education Work stream is for recent graduates with a degree from an Australian institution.
• Applicants must be aged 35 or under when they apply (Post-Higher Education Work stream).
• It is a temporary visa, so note the expiry date on the grant.

What to check before they start

1. Confirm the visa is a subclass 485 and check the conditions and expiry date on the worker's grant.
2. Diarise the expiry date, since the right to work ends with the visa.
3. With the worker's consent, check their visa and its conditions through VEVO before they start, and keep the result on file.
4. It is against the law to hire a non-citizen who does not hold a valid visa, or to have them do work that goes against their visa conditions.

RefChecks runs a Right to Work check through VEVO: the worker gives consent and their details, and you get their visa, its conditions and expiry in their report. Related: Student visa (subclass 500), Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).

Official sources

• Home Affairs: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
• Home Affairs: subclass 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream
• Home Affairs: information for employers and labour hire organisations

General information only, not migration advice. For advice about a specific visa, speak to a registered migration agent.