The Australian Government announced changes to the Temporary Graduate visa programs in its recent Migration Strategy. These changes should take effect from 1 July 2024 📣📣
The maximum eligible age for 485 Visa for both streams’ applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
The ‘select degree’ 2 year extension will cease.
Stay periods will change to the following:
🔸Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
🔸Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years
🔸Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years.
Stay periods for Indian nationals, as agreed in the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), remain as:
🔸Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
🔸Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
🔸Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
🔸Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.
The Second Post-Study Work stream will be renamed the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. There are no other changes to this stream.
The Replacement stream will cease.