Can you explain the difference between the post-study work visa and the job seeker visa in Australia?
Australia does not have a standalone job seeker visa. The visa people mean is the Temporary Graduate visa, Subclass 485, granting unrestricted work rights for 2 years after a bachelors or coursework masters, and 3 years after a research masters or PhD, if you apply in time.
You may have heard the term job seeker visa in connection with Australia, but no such standalone category exists there. What you actually need is the Temporary Graduate visa, Subclass 485, which lets you stay on after your course to work in any job while you search for long-term opportunities.
Subclass 485 Duration by Qualification
| Highest Qualification Completed | Length of Stay |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree or Master's (Coursework) | 2 years |
| Master's (Research) or Doctoral Degree (PhD) | 3 years |
| Eligible Diplomas or Trade Qualifications | 18 months |
Eligibility Rules You Need to Know
- You must apply within 6 months of officially finishing your course, while holding an eligible Student visa, Subclass 500.
- You generally must be 35 years of age or under at the time of application, with exceptions up to 50 for some research or doctoral graduates.
- You must have completed a formal, CRICOS-registered course of study in Australia first; you cannot enter purely to search for work, unlike Germany's job seeker visa model.
My Advice
Mark your course completion date now and set a reminder well before the 6-month application window closes, since missing it forfeits your post-study work rights entirely. If your goal is the longer 3-year stay, weigh a research masters over a coursework masters early in your application planning, not after you have already enrolled.
How long can you stay and work after an Australian master's?
Post-study work rules are changing. Know what you will actually get.
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