Post Study Work Permit (PSW) in Australia for Indian Students

Australia, as a study-abroad destination, is rather famous for the ease of doing just that. The constant demand for a skilled workforce in the continent country has boosted the education sector, which continues to attract and sustain international students and assimilate them within the country’s industry. But, as an international student, there are some ways and means of going about it. And a Post Study Work Visa in Australia is what you would need. So what is it and how do you get it?

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Latest Updates

June 28, 2023: Indian students can now work for 8 years after their graduation in Australia and not require a sponsorship visa if they stay back to work from July 1, 2023, onwards. Get more details at: 8 Years Without Visa Sponsorship in Australia for Tertiary Courses Students from July 1, 2023

February 23, 2023: Australia announces an increase in working hours for international students by 8 more hours, that is, 48 hours per fortnight while working on the 2-year extended subclass 485 visa after graduation. This increase in working hours is an addition to the previous announcement for visa extension. The rule applies to all international students irrespective of their admission dates, commencing from July 1, 2023. Get more details from here - Australia Increases Working Hours to 48 Hours a Fortnight from July 1, 2023.

September 13, 2022: To bridge the skill shortage in Australia, Education Minister - Jason Clare announces extending post-study work rights for international students for up to six years. Applicants who are currently studying at an Australian University or have graduated from one recently can apply for this post-study work visa. Find more details at - Australia Extends PSW Rights for up to Six Years for International Students

February 15, 2022: Australia is set to open its borders for fully vaccinated visa holders without any travel exemptions from February 21, 2022. Those visa holders who are not fully vaccinated would require a travel exemption and might have to quarantine upon arrival as well.

January 25, 2022: Australia introduces Temporary (subclass 408) visas for international students to foster employment rates in critical sectors and ensure their functioning to provide services to the country. In this case, students either before course commencement or during the course can work for more than 40 hours in a fortnight. Applications are being accepted online and a fee waiver is available for students flying in Australia between Jan 19-March 19, 2022. Find info: Temporary (subclass 408) Visa Introduced in Australia to Bridge Employment Decline

December 13, 2021: Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) Visa holders who were unable to travel to Australia amid COVID-19 restrictions are eligible to apply for a replacement visa. This is applicable for both current and former visa holders in order to apply for the same duration as proposed in the original guidelines. Also, the Australian Government has proposed to increase the stay time for Temporary Graduate Visa holders from 2-3 years and for VET field graduates to 2 years.

These measures have been announced in favour of international students who have spent their time studying away from Australia amid COVID-19. Applications will be available from mid-2022 only. Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) holders willing to apply for a replacement visa must remember that their course must finish as per the CRICOS timeline that is, at least 92 weeks. Also, the course and institution of the applicant must be CRICOS recognised. It is a must to have a job in hand before applying for a post-study work permit in Australia as well.

From November 16, 2019, Adelaide, Perth and Gold Coast are classified as regional by the federal government. This allows the city's university graduates an additional year of post-study work rights (PSWR). Also, the graduates in Darwin city can stay for two more years and PhD graduates can stay up to six years. Even after receiving the regional status for migration, all cities other than Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will not be entitled to the Destination Australia scholarships. 

Regional Australian PSWR

Only areas classified as 'Inner Regional Australia' to 'Very Remote Australia' remain eligible for Destination Australia. Darwin is the only capital city which has access to both the scholarship scheme and an additional two years of PSW. The number of visas set aside for regional migration will increase from 2000 to 25,000 in 2023.

Cities with an additional year of PSWR:

• Adelaide
• Perth
• Gold Coast
• Wollongong/Illawarra Geelong
• Hobart
• Sunshine Coast Canberra Newcastle/Lake Macquarie

An international student is accepted and allowed to study in a foreign country on what is called a Student Visa. This visa is categorically for the purpose of pursuing a course or undergoing vocational training. Once the course is over, however, the validity of the visa expires as well. This might happen immediately or after 6 months (according to the Student Visa Guidelines of the country.)

After the same, a student must apply for and get a Work Permit to continue staying in the country for employment purposes. In Australia, students who have completed their studies in Australia can apply for a Post Study Work Permit or a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). This visa has replaced the earlier Skilled Graduate Visa (subclass 485) and came into effect in March 2013.

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Types of Post-Study Work Permits in Australia

The Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) has two streams or categories. The first is the Graduate Work Stream and the other is the Post Study Work Stream. The difference between the two is essentially the kind of qualification an international student has gained.

Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Graduate Work Stream

A Graduate Work Stream caters to international students who have completed the Australian Study Requirements and have an eligible qualification as well as skills pertinent to occupations listed on the Skills Occupation List (SOL). This generally would cater to students who apply for a Vocational Education and Training qualification and one of the TAFE institutes.

This visa is granted for 18 months, however, temporarily the stay period has been increased to 24 months. The cost of a Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Graduate Work Stream is AUD 1,730.

Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Graduate Work Stream processing time varies. The following are the estimated application processing times:

Applicants applying for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Graduate Work Stream, are eligible to:

• Bring their families with them.
• Hold a qualification in relevance to the skilled occupations list.
• Are allowed to work in Australia and stay for up to 24 months.
• Those who were affected by COVID-19 are eligible to apply for this visa, they can stay outside Australia and still have the visa granted. The visa will be granted only if the applicant held an Australian student visa previously.

Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Post-Study Work Stream

A Post Study Work Stream, on the other hand, is for international students who have completed the Australian Study Requirements and have gained either a bachelor’s, master's or doctoral degree from a recognized Australian University. This visa is only available to students who applied and were granted a student visa for Australia. The tenure depends on the kind of degree you hold.

For instance, a bachelor’s degree, a bachelor’s honours degree, or a master’s course degree (a degree that does not have a linked industrial training) is valid for 2 years. A master's with a Research degree qualifies you for a Temporary Visa for up to 3 years and a Doctoral Degree makes you eligible for a Temporary Visa of 4 years. 

The cost of a Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Post-Study Work Stream is AUD 1,730. The visa processing times vary for those applying for this visa, the following table suggests the time period within which a certain percentage of applications are assessed:

Applicants applying for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) - Post-Study Work Stream are eligible to live and work in Australia, they can bring their families along with them, and they must hold a CRICOS registered course degree. 

Who can apply for Post-Study 485 Visa?

As an international student, you can apply for the same, no later than 6 months after completing your course. In other words, you must apply for this visa within 6 months of completing your course. To be eligible, you must meet the Australia Study requirements, which require a minimum of 16 months of stay and study in Australia and completion of a minimum of 92 weeks of study of a course registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). (This is easily available on the university website so it would be wise to check before you start!)

It is important to note that 92 weeks are how CRICOS sees it and not how long you take to complete a course. For instance, if you took 92 weeks to complete a course that CRICOS thinks should take 74 weeks, then it would only count it as 74 weeks. Hence, extending your study is not the way to go about it! Also, it would be wise to keep in mind that they require a certain level of competence in the skill set. Apart from that, things like the recognition of the institution are also something you should check before you apply for a course with a plan of continuing to stay and work in Australia post your study.

Apart from the above, you have to have completed 18 years of age and should be less than 50, have an eligible visa, and have health insurance in Australia. Apart from that, they would also require you to have a competent level of English as well as health and character certificates. It would do well to have these documents ready before you apply for the visa. The Department of Immigration & Border Protection would provide you with the details of the eligibility, actual cost, and documents required. You can also register on the website and apply for the same.

How much time can an applicant stay after completing studies in Australia?

As per the Department of Immigration and Border Protection of Australia, international applicants holding a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) are allowed to stay in Australia for up to 18 months after they complete their studies. Thus, giving them an opportunity to either travel to Australia or gain work experience or also to improve their English language skills through ELICOS. 

Also, those students who completed their studies in the metropolitan cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, can get two years of post-study work visas, and in regional areas, they can get three to four years of post-study work visas.

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