Look, if you are on a visitor visa thinking you will just switch to a student visa while you are here, that option disappears on 1 July 2024.
The government has overhauled both student visas and the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa. Some changes are already live. Others kick in next month. And if you are not across them, you could find yourself locked out of pathways you assumed were still open.
Changes Already in Effect
Financial Capacity Requirement (from 10 May 2024)
The minimum funds you need to show for a Student visa is now $29,710 for an individual. That is not negotiable. If your evidence falls short, your application fails.
Genuine Student Requirement (from 23 March 2024)
The old Genuine Temporary Entrant test is gone. In its place: targeted questions designed to test whether you are actually here to study or just using the visa as a back door. The Department is looking harder at your real intentions.
English Language Requirements (from 23 March 2024)
Both student and temporary graduate visa applications now face stricter English proficiency thresholds. No exceptions.
Changes from 1 July 2024
Subclass 485 Age Limit Drops to 35
This is the one that catches people off guard. The age limit for Temporary Graduate Visa applicants is coming down to 35 years or under. If you are 36 when you apply, you are out.
The only exceptions: Masters by research and PhD graduates can still apply up to age 50.
Visitor Visa Holders Blocked from Onshore Student Applications
From 1 July 2024, you cannot apply for a student visa from inside Australia if you hold:
• Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate)
• Subclass 600 (Visitor)
• Subclass 601 (Electronic Travel Authority)
• Subclass 602 (Medical Treatment)
• Subclass 651 (eVisitor)
• Subclass 771 (Transit)
• Subclass 988 (Maritime Crew)
• Subclass 995 (Diplomatic Temporary) – primary holders only
• Subclass 403 (Temporary Work International Relations) – Domestic Worker stream
• Subclass 426 (Domestic Worker Temporary)
That visitor visa you used to enter Australia? It no longer gives you the option to pivot to study onshore. You will need to leave and apply from overseas.
Post-Study Work Visa Durations Are Changing
The length of your Subclass 485 depends on your qualification. But here is what matters more: if you work in a skilled occupation during that time, the new 4-year Skills in Demand visa could give you a faster route to permanent residency than the old graduate pathway ever did.
What Should You Do?
If you are currently on a visitor visa and planning to study, you have until 30 June to lodge onshore. After that, you are applying from overseas or not at all.
If you are turning 35 soon and want the Subclass 485, the clock is ticking.
And if the student pathway is closing off, employer sponsorship might be the smarter play.
Not sure where you stand under the new rules? Book a consultation and we will map out exactly what options are still open to you.
This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your specific circumstances, book a consultation.
