The following additional policies were introduced by the government in January 2022 to encourage the repatriation of foreign graduates and students:
- Temporary lifting of employment restrictions for all holders of student visas
- visa extensions for qualified Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders
- Visa Application Charge (VAC) reimbursements for students who enter Australia during the eight-week window from 19 January to 19 March 2022.
NOTE: If you have applied for a different substantive visa, you might want to think about whether it would be acceptable in your situation to withdraw that application.
Your subclass 485 visa will expire if you don’t withdraw that application and we issue you another visa before September 30, 2022.
485 Visa extension eligibility criteria
- If you met all of the requirements on February 18, 2022, your Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa was extended until September 30, 2022.
- On December 15, 2021, you were in possession of a temporary graduate visa that would have expired on September 30, 2022.
The primary visa holder was in Australia at the time the visa was granted. - The primary visa holder was outside Australia for any time between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 (inclusive).
- As the holder of a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, the visa hasn’t been cancelled since 15 December 2021.
- You haven’t been granted a new substantive visa since then.
If you met all of the following requirements, your Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa was reactivated (brought back into force) on February 18, 2022, and extended until September 30, 2022, if it had expired between February 1, 2020, and December 14, 2021:
- From1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 that your temporary graduate visa expired (inclusive)
- As the primary visa holder of a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, you were in Australia at the time of grant
- You were outside Australia for any time between 1 February 2020 and 14 December 2021 (inclusive)
- Your visa was not cancelled
- You had not been granted a new, more substantial visa.
Eligibility
Applicants must be outside of Australia at any time between 1 February 2020 and 15 December 2021 and either now have, or have held, a Temporary Graduate visa that expired on or after 1 February 2020.
In most cases, candidates are only eligible for one Temporary Graduate visa, and additional visas may only be obtained via regional employment and education.
The specifics of the application requirements are currently being worked out. To apply for this visa route, candidates will probably need to provide some supporting documentation.
Staying in Australia
The first Temporary Graduate visa of the applicants will be valid for its whole period. The degree of their qualification determines this.
Cost
The principal visa applicant must pay AUD1,680 for the visa. Each family member who applies for the visa with them must pay a fee as well.
The whole visa application fee will be charged because successful applicants will get the full validity.
