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【485 Visa】Skills Assessment Explained

  • Post category:Visa & Migration
  • Reading time:7 mins read

2024 April Update:

The Australian government has announced that starting from 1 July 2024, the two streams of the 485 visa will be renamed. The Post-Study Work Stream (PSW) will be renamed as the Post-Higher Education Work stream, and the Graduate Work stream will be renamed as the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.

Applicants must also be under 35 years old (Hong Kong passport and BNO passport holders are allowed up to 50 years old) when they submit their 485 visa.

Many individuals are confused about the Skills Assessment requirement when applying for the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa has two streams: the Post-Study Work Stream (for those who have completed a bachelor’s degree or above qualification) and the Graduate Work Stream (for those who have completed a Vocational Education and Training course).

A Skills Assessment is only required for applicants applying under the Graduate Work Stream. If you have graduated from a Bachelor’s degree or above and are applying for the 485 Post-Study Work Stream, you do not need to provide a Skills Assessment with your application.

However, if you applied for or were granted a student visa before September 2011, even after completing a degree course, you can only apply for the Graduate Work Stream (GWS), which does require a Skills Assessment.

In this article, we will address some common questions about Skills Assessment for the 485 Graduate Work Stream Visa.

skills assessment

1. I Can Apply for Skills Assessment and the 485 Visa with any VET course that I completed?

Not all courses are qualified for the 485 Graduate Work Stream Visa. The Graduate Work Stream requires applicants to have completed courses that are listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) for a positive skills assessment.

Many courses offered by VET institutions, particularly in the Business field, are not included on the MLTSSL list. As a result, graduates of these courses cannot obtain a Skills Assessment and thus fail to meet the requirements for applying for the Graduate Work Stream 485 visa. Individuals aiming to obtain the 485 visa by completing a VET course should take note of this to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for the visa application.

2. Where Can I Apply for the 485 Skills Assessment?

Different professions may have different assessing organisations. For individuals who have completed VET courses, the most common organisations for conducting a skills assessment are VETASSESS and TRA.

For those who held a student visa before 2011 and can only apply for the GWS, it depends on specific professions or specialisations. For example, accounting professionals may need to undergo a skills assessment through CPA, while those in the IT field may require assessment by ACS, and so on.

3. Is the Skills Assessment Required for the 485 Visa the same as the one for Skilled Migration?

For most VET occupations, the Skills Assessment required for the 485 visa is usually different from the Full Skills Assessment required for Skilled Migration.

Take Commercial Cookery as an example: the 485 visa Skills Assessment only requires applicants to demonstrate completion of the required course and internship. However, for the Skills Assessment required for Skilled Migration, TRA may require applicants to complete at least one year of supervised work experience and pass the Job Ready Program. In VETASSESS assessments, work experience is usually not required for the 485 Skills Assessment but is necessary for Skilled Migration Assessments.

For individuals who held a student visa before 2011 and can only apply for the GWS, the situation is different and needs to be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

When discussing the relationship between ‘Skills Assessment’ and ‘work experience,’ it’s important to note that some occupations on the MLTSSL list theoretically qualify for the GWS 485. However, since some Skills Assessments may require applicants to have work experience, those who haven’t obtained a work visa after the student visa expires may face an ‘application paradox.’

Contact us for a consultation if you are looking for an eligible course that can apply for 485 Graduate Work Stream visa.

4. Application Timeframe

The Skills Assessment required for the 485 Graduate Work Stream can only be submitted after completing the course, including exams and internships. It necessitates the Completion Letter and Transcript from the school.

Typically, Skills Assessments take 1-4 months to receive results. However, student visas usually expire 1-3 months after the course ends. Many students worry that the Skills Assessment may not be completed before the student visa expires, thereby preventing them from applying for the 485 visa. Fortunately, the Immigration Department only requires proof of the ‘Lodgement of the Skills Assessment’ at the time of submitting the 485 application. Applicants can wait for the Skills Assessment results after submitting the visa application.

Our recommendation:

  • Complete the course on time before the student visa expires, and obtain the required IELTS/PTE results before completing the course;
  • After completing the course, wait for the school to issue the Completion Letter and Transcript, and start preparing the Skills Assessment application;
  • Once the Skills Assessment application is submitted, proceed to submit the 485 GWS visa application and obtain a bridging visa to continue staying in Australia legally;
  • Submit the Skills Assessment results to the Immigration Department;
  • Wait for the visa outcome.

If you need professional assistance in submitting the Skills Assessment or 485 GWS visa application, please contact us for consultation.

How much does the Skills Assessment cost?

The cost of Skills Assessment varies for each occupation and assessment authority, with official application fees ranging from AU$130 to $1000. It’s important to note that this fee covers only the Skills Assessment and does not include the costs associated with the 485 visa application.

Our current service fees for the 485 GWS application are collected in two stages: Skills Assessment (AUD $220) + 485 Application Lodgement (AUD $440 for a single applicant).

In reality, the eligibility and application process for the 485 GWS visa are more complicated compared to the 485 PWS. We recommend individuals applying for the 485 GWS visa to plan and submit the application carefully.

Our Advice

Most student visas expire in mid-March and late August each year. Students applying for the 485 visa should prepare in advance and avoid overstaying. Students in Brisbane can visit the AAS office for visa consultation and application, while those in other regions or states can contact us online for assistance.

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