Post-Higher Education Work Visa in Australia for Indian Students

Planning to study in Australia and stay on after your studies? Learn about the types of Post-Higher Education Work Visa in Australia, what it entails, what the eligibility is, and how to go about getting one. Every student planning to go outside India for his/her studies does so with the hope of staying in the country. Either permanently or at least for a couple of more years to gain meaningful work experience. If you do not have a job offer for you once you get back, it would be rather advisable to gain some work experience in the country.

Australia, as a study-abroad destination, is rather famous for the ease of doing just that. The constant demand for a skilled workforce in the Australian continent country has boosted the education sector, which continues to attract and sustain international students and assimilate them within the country’s industry. But, as an international student studying in Australia, there are some ways and means of going about it. And a Post Study Work Visa in Australia is what you would need. So what is a Post-Higher Education Work Visa in Australia and how do you get it?

Also, Read

What is Post-Higher Education Work Visa?

A Post-Higher Education Work Visa is a work visa formerly referred to as the Post-Study Work visa (PSWV) in Australia. Applicants who are not Australian citizens can apply for a Post-Higher Education Work Visa to stay back in the country to find a job and work. Based on the level of study in Australia, applicants have a limited period to stay back in Australia. If passing out from regional Australian universities, this visa will apply.  

Regional Australian Post-Higher Education Work Visa

Only areas classified as 'Inner Regional Australia' to 'Very Remote Australia' remain eligible for Destination Australia. Darwin is the only capital city which has access to both the scholarship scheme and an additional two years of PSW. The number of post-study work visas in Australia set aside for regional migration will increase from 2000 to 25,000 in 2023.

Cities with an additional year of PSWR:

• Adelaide
• Perth
• Gold Coast
• Wollongong/Illawarra Geelong
• Hobart
• Sunshine Coast Canberra Newcastle/Lake Macquarie

An international student is accepted and allowed to study in a foreign country on what is called a Student Visa. This visa is categorically to pursue a course or undergo vocational training. Once the course is over, however, the validity of the visa expires as well. This might happen immediately or after 6 months (according to the Student Visa Guidelines of the country.)

After the same, a student must apply for and get a Work Permit to continue staying in the country for employment purposes. In Australia, students who have completed their studies in Australia can apply for a Post Study Work Permit or a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).

Related Reads

• Student Guide for Australia
• Top 5 Universities in Canberra

Post-Higher Education Work Visa in Australia

The Post-Higher Education Work Visa is basically for subclass 485 visa holders, which is nothing but the student visa - undergraduate or graduate study. This visa is applicable for international students who have completed the Australian Study Requirements and have an eligible qualification as well as skills pertinent to occupations listed on the Skills Occupation List (SOL). This generally would cater to students who apply for a Vocational Education and Training qualification and one of the TAFE institutes.

Post-Higher Education Work Visa Duration

The duration of your Post-Higher Education Work visa depends on your degree level:

Eligibility for Post-Higher Education Work Visa

To be eligible for the Post-Higher Education Work visa, you must:

• Complete an Australian degree: You must have completed a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from an Australian university.
•  
  Meet the Australian Study Requirement (ASR): This requires you to have studied in Australia for at least two academic years (16 calendar months) in a registered course.
   
• Apply within six months: You must apply for the visa within six months of completing your studies.  
• Be under 35 years old: There are age limits for different visa categories.
• Meet English language requirements: You must demonstrate proficiency in English.
• Meet health and character requirements: You must provide medical and character certificates.

Who can apply for a Post-Higher Education Work Visa in Australia?

As an international student, you can apply for the same, no later than 6 months after completing your course. In other words, you must apply for this visa within 6 months of completing your course. To be eligible, you must meet the Australia Study requirements, which require a minimum of 16 months of stay and study in Australia and completion of a minimum of 92 weeks of study of a course registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). (This is easily available on the university website so it would be wise to check before you start!)

It is important to note that 92 weeks is how CRICOS sees it and not how long you take to complete a course. For instance, if you took 92 weeks to complete a course that CRICOS thinks should take 74 weeks, then it would only count as 74 weeks. Hence, extending your study is not the way to go about it! Also, it would be wise to keep in mind that they require a certain level of competence in the skill set. Apart from that, things like the recognition of the institution are also something you should check before you apply for a course with a plan of continuing to stay and work in Australia post your studies.

Apart from the above, you have to have completed 18 years of age be less than 50, have an eligible visa, and have health insurance in Australia. Apart from that, they would also require you to have a competent level of English as well as health and character certificates. It would do well to have these documents ready before you apply for the visa. The Department of Immigration & Border Protection would provide you with the details of the eligibility, actual cost, and documents required. You can also register on the website and apply for the same.

Also Read: How to Get PR in Australia for Indian Students?

How much time can an applicant stay after completing studies in Australia?

As per the Department of Immigration and Border Protection of Australia, international applicants holding a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) are allowed to stay in Australia for up to 18 months after they complete their studies. Thus, allowing them to either travel to Australia or gain work experience or also to improve their English language skills through ELICOS. 

Also, those students who completed their studies in the metropolitan cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, can get two years of post-study work visas, and in regional areas, they can get three to four years of post-study work visas.

Got more queries? Feel free to write to us in the comments below.