What is the post-study work permit duration for Australia and does it depend on the course or subject?

Your Australian post-study work visa length depends mainly on your qualification level, and Indian graduates currently get longer stays than many other nationalities under a specific trade agreement.

Temporary Graduate Visa, Subclass 485, Duration for Indian Nationals

Why Indian Students Get Longer Stays

These extended periods come from the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which gives Indian nationals longer post-study work rights than the general subclass 485 rules provide to most other countries. The one subject-specific exception is the extra year for a bachelor's with first-class honours in STEM or ICT fields. Outside of that, your qualification level, not your specific subject, mainly determines your visa length, and the older additional 2-year extension for degrees in selected skills-shortage fields is no longer available for new applicants. A second 485 visa is also available for eligible graduates who study and then live in regional Australia, adding further time in some cases.

My Advice

Confirm your exact 485 stream and eligibility with your university's international office or a migration adviser before you finalise your course, since visa rules and entitlements can change. If you are choosing between a bachelor's and honours year, the extra year of STEM or ICT honours can be worth it purely for the additional post-study work year it unlocks.