Two Year Extension for Subclass 485 Graduates from 01 July 2023

Starting July 1, 2023, international graduates with select degrees, and in areas of verified skill shortage will receive a two-year extension of their post-study work rights from the Department 🙌

These extended work rights come into effect from 1 July 2023 and will extend work rights from

two years to four years for select Bachelor’s degrees
three years to five years for select Master’s degrees
four years to six years for all Doctoral degrees.

This will be in addition to the existing extensions for regional and remote Australia.

Who can apply for the visa?

Eligible graduates with a valid Temporary Graduate Visa on 1 July 2023 or who apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa after 1 July 2023 will be considered for the two-year extension.
Graduates whose visa expires before 1 July 2023 can apply for an extension of their work rights through Subclass 408 – Pandemic Visa.

How about people who had their visas expired before 01 July 2023?

Temporary Graduate visa holders in Australia whose visas expired or will expire between 1 September 2022 and 1 July 2023, or Temporary Graduate visa holders who were in Australia throughout the pandemic period and are therefore not eligible for the TGV Replacement stream, may be eligible for the COVID-19 Pandemic Event (subclass 408) visa with a 2-year stay period. You must be working in Australia or have an offer of employment.

You must apply 90 days before your TGV expires, or 28 days after your TGV expires to be eligible for a Pandemic event visa.

If you are granted a 408 Pandemic Event visa, you will not be eligible to then apply separately for an extended TGV.