The Post-Higher Education Work stream sits within the broader Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) and is aimed specifically at degree-level graduates, distinct from the Post-Vocational Education Work stream used by diploma and trade qualification holders. To qualify, your course must have been CRICOS-registered, taught entirely in English, and completed while you held a valid student visa, with a total study load of at least 92 weeks, roughly two academic years, spread across a minimum of 16 calendar months in Australia. Since 14 December 2024, a Graduate Certificate on its own no longer meets this study requirement, which has caught out a number of graduates who assumed their qualification was sufficient.

Because this stream carries no nominated occupation and no skills assessment, what actually determines your eligibility is the qualification itself, your age, your English language result, and your timing. You generally need to be under 35 years of age at the time of application, meet the visa’s English language requirement, and apply within six months of completing your course while you are still in Australia. Once granted, the visa gives you full, unrestricted work rights, with no cap on hours and no requirement to work in any particular occupation, for a period that depends on the level of your qualification.