Work rights and the485 visa.Hours while you study, then years to work after you graduate.
Australia lets you work through your course, then stay on to build real experience with the Temporary Graduate visa. Here is how both work.
Generous.But with limits.
Your student visa lets you work real hours, and the 485 can keep you in Australia to work for years after you graduate. These are genuine advantages, used well.
They are not blank cheques. Term-time work is capped at 48 hours a fortnight, and the 485 has firm conditions, a time window, and you get one in your lifetime. Fees and rules also change. Plan it deliberately, which is what these tools are for.
Your fortnight hours.
Drag to set the hours you would work in a two-week period, then switch between term and break. The meter tells you where you stand.
Volunteering and unpaid work count toward the term-time cap.
You cannot start work before your course begins.
Research masters and PhD students get unlimited hours once commenced.
You will need a Tax File Number to be paid correctly.
Stay on with the 485.
After you graduate, the subclass 485 lets you live and work in Australia temporarily. There are two streams, and which one fits depends on what you studied.
Post-Higher-Education Work
For graduates of an eligible higher-education degree. Generally needs no skills assessment. Length depends on your qualification, with longer terms for higher degrees.
Post-Vocational Education Work
For graduates with eligible vocational qualifications tied to an occupation. Usually requires a skills assessment in your trade.
Could you get a 485?
Answer five quick questions. The dial fills as you go, and the readout shows where you stand. This is a guide, not a decision.
Indicative only. The 485 has further requirements (English, health cover, character) and the rules change. We confirm your real position with you.
What it unlocks.
For the time it lasts, the 485 takes the brakes off. This is where your degree turns into real, paid experience.
Full-time work
Work without the term-time cap, for any employer, in almost any job.
Australian experience
Build local, recognised experience that strengthens any later application.
A pathway, opened
For many, the 485 is a stepping stone toward skilled pathways. It is a step, not a promise.
Family can join
You may include a partner and dependent children on the visa.
Years, not months
Higher qualifications earn longer stays, giving you room to grow a career.
No skills test for most
The Post-Higher-Education stream usually needs no skills assessment.
From classroom to career.
The work story runs in a clean line, if you plan the timing from the start.
Study
Full-time on a CRICOS course, working up to 48h a fortnight.
Graduate
Meet the Australian study requirement of about 92 weeks.
Apply 485
Within six months, while you are in Australia.
Work full-time
Build recognised, paid experience in your field.
Look ahead
Weigh skilled pathways, if they are right for you.
We plan the timing with you.
Choose study that keeps doors open
We help you pick a course that meets the study requirement and leaves the 485 and beyond available to you.
Watch the windows
The 48-hour rule and the six-month 485 window are easy to slip on. We map your dates so you never miss one.
Prepare the application
When the time comes, we help you assemble a clean 485 application, with the right stream and evidence.
Honest about the limits
We will tell you plainly what a 485 can and cannot do. It is a strong bridge, never a guaranteed outcome.
Tap to clear it up.
Work & 485, asked.
Q1How many hours can I work while studying?
Q2What is the 485 visa?
Q3What are the two streams?
Q4When must I apply for the 485?
Q5How long does the 485 last?
Q6Does the 485 lead to permanent residency?
Q7Does Mafit help with the 485?
Study now,work after.
Tell us your course and timeline. We will map your work hours and your 485 window so the path stays open.