At a glance: The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets international students who finish an Australian qualification stay on to live, work, and study for 18 months to 4 years. Application charges rose to AUD $5,750 for the primary applicant from 1 July 2026, and you must lodge within 6 months of your results being released — there is no exception. Because the streams, English test rules, and skilled occupation lists changed significantly in the last two years, hiring a registered migration agent in Melbourne who works with the 485 visa every day is the safest way to avoid a refusal.

If you've finished studying in Melbourne and are searching for the best 485 visa agent in Melbourne, this guide covers what the visa actually requires in 2026, what a good agent should do for you, and how to tell a genuine MARA-registered consultant from a risky operator.

What Is the 485 Visa, and Who Is It For?

The subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa is a post-study work visa administered by the Department of Home Affairs. It's built for international graduates of Australian institutions who want real work experience in their field — or time to plan a skilled migration pathway — before their student visa expires.

There are currently two live streams (the Replacement stream closed to new primary applicants on 1 July 2024):

• Post-Vocational Education Work stream (formerly Graduate Work stream) — for diploma, associate degree, or trade-qualified graduates whose occupation appears on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Degree-level graduates are no longer eligible here.
• Post-Higher Education Work stream (formerly Post-Study Work stream) — for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral graduates. No nominated occupation or skills assessment is required to apply; stay periods range from 18 months up to 4 years depending on qualification level, with longer durations for Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders.

A Second Post-Higher Education Work stream also exists for eligible existing 485 holders applying again.

2026 Eligibility, Fees, and Processing Times — What's Changed

• Application charge: From 1 July 2026, the base visa application charge (VAC) for a primary applicant in the Post-Vocational or Post-Higher Education Work streams is AUD $5,750, with additional charges for secondary applicants over and under 18. Fees are indexed and can change, so always confirm the current amount on the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging.
• The 6-month deadline is absolute. You must apply within 6 months of the date your results were officially released or your course formally concluded, whichever is later. Home Affairs grants no extensions and exercises no discretion — miss it by even one day and you become permanently ineligible for that qualification.
• Study requirement: Your course must be CRICOS-registered, taught and assessed in English, completed while physically in Australia, and total at least 92 weeks (roughly 16 calendar months) of study.
• English language testing: For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, Home Affairs expanded the list of accepted tests to include CELPIP General, LANGUAGECERT Academic, and the Michigan English Test, alongside IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL. Some passport holders (including certain Hong Kong and BNO passport holders) may be exempt.
• Age limit: Applicants must generally be under 35 at the time of application.
• Processing times vary by stream and are published on the Home Affairs Global Visa Processing Times tool; they're updated monthly and can shift with application volumes, so treat any figure you read online as indicative only.

Because these settings move — fee increases, stream renaming, expanded English tests — relying on outdated blog posts or forum advice is one of the most common reasons genuine applicants get refused.

Why Hire a Migration Agent for Your 485 Visa Instead of Applying Yourself

Self-lodging is legal, and many straightforward cases succeed without help. But a registered migration agent earns their fee when your situation has any complexity:

• Stream selection mistakes. Applying under the wrong stream (or nominating an occupation not on the current MLTSSL) is a common, entirely avoidable refusal reason.
• Study requirement disputes. Course packaging, transfers between institutions, or partially online study can complicate whether you meet the 16-month/92-week rule.
• Timing risk near the 6-month cutoff. An agent will calculate your deadline precisely and, where needed, help you lodge a Bridging Visa A application alongside your 485 so you remain lawful while it's assessed.
• Document and evidence gaps. Health exams, police checks, English test validity windows, and CRICOS confirmation all need to line up correctly before lodgement.
• Forward planning. A good agent won't just get you the 485 — they'll map how it connects to your longer-term goal, whether that's employer sponsorship (subclass 482/186), skilled independent or state-nominated visas (189/190/491), or permanent residency.

How to Choose the Best 485 Visa Agent in Melbourne

1. Confirm MARA registration. Every legitimate migration agent in Australia must be registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Ask for their registration number and verify it independently before paying anything.
2. Ask about 485-specific experience. Migration law is broad — you want someone who actively lodges Temporary Graduate visa applications, not just skilled or partner visas occasionally.
3. Get a clear, itemised quote. Reputable Melbourne agents explain their professional fee separately from the government VAC, with no vague "package" pricing.
4. Check how they handle deadlines. A strong agent will independently verify your 6-month cutoff rather than relying on what you tell them.
5. Look for transparency about outcomes. No agent can guarantee a visa grant. Be cautious of anyone who promises certainty — that's a red flag, not a selling point.
6. Read recent reviews and ask for references, especially from students who completed the same course level or institution as you.

Common Red Flags to Avoid

• Unregistered "consultants" or education agents offering migration advice they're not licensed to give.
• Pressure to pay large upfront fees before a proper eligibility assessment.
• Advice that ignores the MLTSSL, current English test rules, or the hard 6-month deadline.
• Anyone guaranteeing visa approval or promising to "fast-track" processing outside official channels.

How Edvise Hub Can Help

Edvise Hub is a Melbourne-based, MARA-registered migration and education consultancy that works across the skilled, student, and post-study visa pathways, including the 485 Temporary Graduate visa. Their team assesses your stream eligibility, checks your study requirement and deadline, prepares your documentation, and helps you plan what comes after the 485 — whether that's employer sponsorship or a skilled migration pathway — so the visa fits into a longer-term plan rather than a one-off application.

Final Thoughts

The 485 visa remains one of the most valuable pathways for international graduates in Melbourne, but 2026's fee increases, stream renaming, and updated English test rules make professional advice more valuable than ever. Before you lodge, verify your agent's MARA registration, confirm your exact 6-month deadline, and check every figure against the official Department of Home Affairs website — settings change, and only the source page is guaranteed current.

FAQs

Do I need a skills assessment for the 485 visa? Not for the Post-Higher Education Work stream. The Post-Vocational Education Work stream requires your occupation to be on the current MLTSSL, but a formal skills assessment is generally not required before lodging the 485 itself.

How long can I stay on a 485 visa? Between 18 months and 4 years, depending on your qualification level and stream, with longer durations available for eligible Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders.

What happens if I miss the 6-month deadline? You become permanently ineligible for the 485 visa based on that qualification — there are no exceptions or extensions.

Can a 485 visa lead to permanent residency? Not directly, but it's commonly used as a bridge to build local work experience toward employer-sponsored or skilled migration visas.