Once you have completed your studies in Australia, the next logical step is to apply for a Temporary Graduate Work Visa. Not only does this allow one to work, live and study in the country, it is also a route to obtaining permanent residency (PR) as it provides you the required time duration to increase your point score in Australia by gaining work experience and Professional Year program, PTE, NAATI and so on.   The 485 Visa has two streams namely Graduate Work Stream and Post Study Work Stream. These are valid for about 1.5 to 4 Years.   Applying for a 485 Visa can be a cumbersome process. There are many pitfalls that can hinder you from getting one. The best way out is to educate yourself about such shortcomings and try your best to avoid these.

Some of the things you need to take into consideration when applying for a 485 Visa are as follows:

Select the Apt Stream

Before applying for your visa, you need to know everything about the stream that you should apply with. For these there are following criterias.

-> Education

If you have completed your higher education in Australia, such as Bachelors, Master or PHD, you might be eligible for a post study work stream (PSW) subject to other factors like your first arrival in Australia.   On the other hand, you might be eligible for a graduate work stream (GWS) if you have completed vocational training courses such as Certificate IV or Diploma subject to other factors which includes the course is in Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and attaining the skill assessment for 485.

-> Validity

A PSW can be granted for about 2 to 4 years, whereas a GWS is granted for about 18 months.

-> Skills Assessment

If you are applying for a GWS, you will be required to pass a skills assessment test. This does not apply for PSW.

Ensure the Your Main Documents are Ready

To ensure that your Visa application can be submitted before the expiry of your current visa, you must start the collection and preparation of documents way before your course completion. Apart from the passport and visa application, there are several other documents that you need to keep organised when applying for a 485 Visa. Some of these are subjected to time restrictions and other criteria. Some of the key documents are as follows:

->Educational Documents

To ensure that your Visa application can be submitted before the expiry of your current visa, you must start the collection andpreparation of documents way before your course completion. Apart from the passport and visa application, there are several other documents that you need to keep organised when applying for a 485 Visa. Some of these are subjected to time restrictions and other criteria. Some of the key documents are as follows:

-> AFP Police Check

Australian Federal Police check is the mandatory document for the submission of the 485 visa and it must be requested before the submission of the visa. In case you are unable to receive a certificate on time, you can provide the receipt number of the AFP request document and prove that you have already requested before lodgment then upload your certificate on the portal afterwards once received.

-> Health Insurance Certificate

When you hold a student visa in Australia, you will be on an Overseas Student’s Health Cover (OSHC). However, when you are transitioning to a Temporary Graduate Work Visa, you will be required to shift to an Overseas Visitor’s Health Cover (OVHC).

-> English Proficiency Examination

English examinations like IELTS is a mandatory requirement when applying for a 485 Visa. You need to attain the minimum of 6 overall with no band less than 6 and the validity of English test for this visa is of 3 years from the test date. This exam has many applicants every year and therefore getting a slot is extremely difficult. Additionally, if you do not score well, you might need to retake the examination within a short period of time. Prior planning for this is therefore beneficial.   To avoid any errors in your visa file which could lead to negative outcome of the visa, we highly recommend you lodge your visa through a Registered Migration Agent. If you need assistance in applying for a 485 Visa? Strengthen your prospects with PFEC Global. Give us a call today to book an appointment with one of our Registered Migration Agent orcontact us.