Australia Announces Changes to Temporary Graduate Visa Programs
- The Australian government has announced a series of proposed changes to the Temporary Graduate visa programs in its recent Migration Strategy.
- These changes should take effect from 1 July 2024, subject to the passage of legislative amendments. Clarification of these changes is listed below.
Graduate Work stream
- The Graduate Work stream will be renamed the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.
- The maximum eligible age for Post-Vocational Education Work stream applicants will be reduced to 35 years of age or under.
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
- Applicants no longer eligible for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream due to the age reduction may be eligible for a number of other visas.
- Applicants must hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification, closely related to their nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
- Applicants with a degree level qualification or higher will no longer be eligible for this stream. If an applicant holds one of these qualifications, they must apply through the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
- Applicants may continue to stay for up to 18 months.
- Hong Kong or British National Overseas passport holders may be able to stay for up to 5 years.
Post-Study Work stream
- The Post-Study Work stream will be renamed to the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
- The maximum eligible age for Post-Higher Education Work stream applicants will reduce to 35 years of age or under.
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders will continue to be eligible provided they are under 50 years of age.
- Applicants no longer eligible for the Post-Higher Education Work stream due to the age reduction may be eligible for a number of other visas.
- The ‘select degree’ two-year extension will cease.
- Stay periods will change to the following:
- Bachelor’s degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Masters (coursework and extended) – up to 2 years
- Masters (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) – up to 3 years.
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for up to 5 years.
- Stay periods for Indian nationals under the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA):
- Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
- Bachelor degree (with first-class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
- Masters (coursework, extended, and research) – up to 3 years
- Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.
Second Post-Study Work stream
- The Second Post-Study Work stream will be renamed the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream. There are no other changes to this stream.
- This visa was introduced for current and former Temporary Graduate visa holders who lost time on their original visa due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The replacement stream will cease from 01 July onwards.
