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Free Visa Checklist

Frequently asked questions

Student or Graduate Visa 


I have completed a course of study in Australia, am I eligible for a 485 visa?

If you have completed the requirements of the Australian Study Requirements which involved studying in Australia under a CRIOS Registered course, then you are eligible to apply for a 485 visa.

Can I work during my studies in Australia?

Yes, you can work while you’re studying in Australia. International students are permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight during study periods and unlimited hours during study breaks. There are no work restrictions for students completing a masters by research or doctoral degree.

What is the Australia Study Requirement?


You have completed 1 or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for an award by an Australian educational institution as a result of a course or courses:


(a) that are registered courses; and

(b) that were completed in a total of at least 16 calendar months; and

(c) that were completed as a result of a total of at least 2 academic years study; and

(d)  for which all instruction was conducted in English; and

(e) undertaken while in Australia as the holder of an appropriate visa;

(f) an academic year is defined as a total of at least 46 weeks.

Do I have to pay all the tuition fees at once?

No, you can pay your tuition in instalments – usually every 3 to 6 months depending on the institution.

The exception is for English courses, where you must pay the first 3 months upfront.

I have completed a Diploma Level Qualification which meets the Australia Study Requirement, am I eligible to apply for a 485 visa?

You may be able to apply for the 485 Graduate Work Stream only if your occupation is on the Medium and Long‑term Strategic Skills List. In addition, you will you need to have a skills assessment of that occupation undertaken by the relevant skills assessing authority of that occupation. Once approved, an 18-month visa will be granted, with no work restrictions;


Skilled migration


What is an Expression of Interest (EOI)?

An EOI is not a visa application, it is an application that you would like to be invited to apply for a skilled visa. It’s an online form, with no fee which asks you a series of questions about how you intend to score your points for a subclass 189, 190 or 491 visa application. It is imperative that your points are calculated accurately so that when a visa application is lodged after being granted an invitation, the points in the visa application are the same as the points claimed in the EOI. An EOI does not result in a bridging visa.

I have lodged an EOI. Does that mean I will get an invitation?

No, not necessarily. You must obtain a minimum of 65 points to lodge an Expression of Interest. The higher the points, the more likely it is that you will receive an invitation to lodge a visa application.


However, depending on the volume of applications with the same occupation received by the Department of Home Affairs, a higher score than 65 is usually required to be granted an invitation to lodge a visa application. As an example, accountants may require 90 points or more to be granted an invitation whereas high school teachers may only require 80 points. The way the Department of Home Affairs will issue an invitation depends on a lot of factors, which could be what occupations are in most need at that point in time, such as medical occupations in the Covid – 19 era receive the most invitations.


I am a holder of a subclass 491 visa. Can I apply for a subclass 189 or 190?

If you are a holder of a subclass 491 or 494 you must have held that visa for at least 3 years before you can lodge an application for a subclass 189 or 190. You will have to meet all criteria of that visa subclass in order to be granted the new visa.