Australia is a place of academic success and great job prospects for international students. Most non-native students request post-study work permits there. In this blog, we'll look at the hurdles of getting a post-study work permit in Australia after finishing a Masters degree. We will go over the different types of work permits available, qualifying requirements, reasons to apply for a PGWP, necessary documents, application process, validity, processing time, and what to do if your passport expires before you get the permit.
If you are an international student and want to stay back in Australia after higher studies, this blog will help you. Here we have discussed post-graduate work permits in Australia, along with the procedure and requirements to apply for them.
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Types of Work Visa in Australia
If you want to stay back in Australia after studying, you need to apply for the post-study work permit. There are three different types of post-study visas provided by the Australian government based on your qualifications:
- Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 (Post-Study Work), allows you to stay for 2-4 years
- Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 (Graduate Work), allows you to stay for 18 months
- Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa Subclass 476, allows you to stay for 18 months
You must be aware of the qualifications required to apply for the PGWP in Australia, which have been discussed below:
Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 (Post-Study Work)
The post-study work stream visa is one of the most common visas among international students. Anyone who has recently completed their graduation from an accredited institution in any relevant area of study is eligible. Make sure to apply for this visa within 6 months of completing the course. Your stay-back period will be decided based on your qualifications. However, it must be between 2 and 4 years.
Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 (Graduate Work)
The graduate work visa is specifically for students who have graduated with the qualifications and skills specified in the list of skilled occupations. Your skills and occupations must be closely related to the occupation being notified as meeting medium- to long-term needs in the Australian job market. The stay-back period for the visa holders is up to 18 months. And it is recommended to apply for the graduate stream visa within six months of course completion.
Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa Subclass 476
A Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa is for international students who have completed an engineering degree from a specified educational institution in Australia in the last two years. The stay-back period is up to 18 months.
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Stay Back Option after Studying in Australia
After completing your higher studies in Australia, you may have the option to stay back in the country for a quiet period of time. Since you are an international student, you need to have a residency permit for your studies to apply for an extension of your permit to seek employment opportunities.
Once you get the employment offer, you can apply for a work permit after studying in Australia. This will allow you to stay back and work in Australia after completing graduation. Based on your qualifications and level of study, the stay-back options can range from 18 months to 6 years.
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What is Post Graduation Work Permit in Australia and Who is Eligible for It?
If you have a post-graduate work permit visa (PGWP), you can stay and work full-time in Australia after getting your master's or higher degree from a certain school. This gives the holders the freedom to work anywhere in Australia, even if their job or skills aren't linked to their studies. When someone finishes their master's degree in Australia, they can only apply for one work card. Also, since you are the main application, you can only get this visa once.
You don't need to have a job offer to apply for a post-study work permit in Australia. However, you need to fulfill certain conditions, which are discussed below:
- You can apply for the work permit after or within 6 months of the completion of your course.
- You should meet the Australian Study requirements, which require a minimum of 16 months of Australia stay-back period and completion of at least 92 weeks of your course. The course must be registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students, or CRICOS.
- A standalone diploma or trade qualification holder is not eligible to grant a visa in this stream.
- You may have either a bachelor's degree or higher, a diploma, an advanced diploma, or a trade qualification.
- You have been undertaken at any Australian educational institutions in the country.
- The course taught at the institution must be in English.
- You have been undertaken while holding a visa authorizing you to study.
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Other Eligibility Criteria
After completing the above requirements for a post-study work permit in Australia, you have to fulfill some other requirements too. These include:
- You have completed your 18 years of age and should not be more than 50 years old.
- You must show a valid copy of your passport or prove your language proficiency. The minimum scores for some popular tests are:
- You must have adequate health coverage for the whole duration of your stay to be granted the visa. Your cover includes your medically necessary treatment along with your transport.
- You need to meet the character requirements of Australia to apply for a post-graduate work permit in Australia.
- Make sure that your visa may not be canceled or refused while you're staying in the country.
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Why Apply for a Post Study Work Permit in Australia?
What is a post-graduation work permit visa in Australia? Before we go into specifics about post study work permit in Australia, types of visas, etc., let's first try to understand why you need one:
- The country has one of the best economies in the world, so there are chances to grow there. You will have more chances to move toward your goals in many areas, such as business, healthcare, tech, education, and more.
- Some of the best global companies in the world with great benefits are on the Forbes list. These include Microsoft, Google, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Group, Telstra, and many more.
- One of the best things about filing for a student work permit in Australia is that it can help you become a regular resident of that country. It's also a great way to get work experience and see how your lessons can be used in the real world.
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Documents Required to Apply for Post Study Work Visa in Australia
Here's a checklist of documents required for the application for a work permit after studying in Australia:
- Provides the pages of your passport showing your photo, personal details, and the issue of passport with the expiry dates.
- Your completion of a study certificate letter from your education provider The certificate must have a course start and completion date and a CRICOS code.
- Your language proficiency test scores It is recommended that you take the test three years before applying for your visa.
- Your health insurance and medical certificate from your health provider
- Character certificate
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It is advisable that you prepare additional documents requested by the visa officials. Now, let's check the application process for a work permit in Australia after study completion:
How to Apply for Post Study Work Visa in Australia?
Here is a step-by-step guide you can refer to to apply for a work permit after your masters in Australia:
- Step 1: Visit the official Australian government immigration and citizenship website.
- Step 2: Make a new account and select the type of post-study work permit in Australia that you want to apply for.
- Step 3: Complete the application and submit the form with the correct details.
- Step 4: Provide your biometric details (if required) and pay the required application fees.
- Step 5: Prepare and attach all the requested documents during the submission process.
- Step 6:Y ou must appear for the visa interview in front of the officials and provide some additional information asked during the interview.
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Once you get your work permit after studying in Australia, you will get a letter stating that you are eligible to work in the country. Now, let's look at the validity and time for the application of a work permit in Australia:
Validity & Processing Time of Post Graduation Work Permit Australia
You might now be wondering how much it takes to process your Australia after study work permit and the duration of the work permit in Australia. Let's discuss both of them:
What is the Processing Time for my Post Study Work Visa?
According to the Australian Government website of the Department of Home Affairs If you have applied for the Graduate Workstream visa in Australia, it will take between 10 and 13 months to process your visa. Whereas the post-study work stream visa or Australia work permit after masters may take anywhere between 7 and 14 months to process.
What is the Validity of my Post Study Work Visa in Australia?
So, how long is the validity of a post-study work permit in Australia? The validity of the PGWP will depend on the level of your qualifications and the type of graduate visa stream you have applied for in Australia.
- The graduate work stream visa allows students to stay in the country for up to 18 months after completion of their studies.
- Whereas, the stay-back period in Australia for masters or post-work visa holders can last between 2 and 4 years.
- And post-study skilled visa holders can stay for up to 18 months in Australia.
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What to do If My Passport Expires Before Getting a Post Study Work Permit?
One important thing that you must keep in mind before the application is to have a valid copy of your passport for the entire duration of your PGWP. If somehow your passport expires before the application for an Australia post-work permit, in such cases:
- Your visa is electronically linked to your passport. So, if you have a new passport with you, the best step is to update it with immigration so that your visa is electronically linked with your new passport.
- The immigration authorities may contact you regarding the extension of your passport.
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From the Desk of Yocket
Australia is well known for its academic standards and diversity, providing equal opportunities to its students when it comes to job prospects. Its top-ranked universities give the country higher employment, make it easier for students to secure offers, and unlock a bright future. Make the most of your stay with your Australian work permit after your master's and the structured plan for your career. Hence, if you have completed your higher studies and are looking for a work permit after your masters in Australia, do start planning for it in advance.
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