Australia has streamlined the study requirements for all eligible degrees on the Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV). This includes changes to Leaving Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma holders.
A temporary graduate visa allows international students to study, study and work abroad after completing their studies. Temporary graduate visas are categorized into four types: graduate work stream, post-study work stream, second post-study work stream, and exchange stream.
The graduate work stream will be renamed the post-vocational education work stream and the post-study work stream will be renamed the higher education work stream.
The Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV) program has three streams.
Post-vocational education (PVE) stream
Post-Higher Educational Work (Phew) Stream
Second height educational work stream.
The qualifications you use to apply for a temporary graduate visa (subclass 485) will determine which of these streams is suitable for you.
If you hold an associate’s degree, diploma, or trade qualification, you should apply for the Post-Education Education Work (PVEW) stream after TGV.
If you have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, you should apply for the Post-TGV Education (PHEW) stream.
If you hold a Leaving Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma, please see the information below regarding changes to the TGV (Phew) stream study requirements.
graduate certificate
A graduate certificate no longer satisfies the study requirements for a temporary graduate visa. You can investigate postgraduate certificates that cannot be used as eligible qualifications for TGV applications.
You must complete an eligible TGV qualification (excluding the Leaving Certificate) within 6 months of submitting your application.
You can complete a Graduate Certificate while holding your TGV.
graduate diploma
Graduates can be used as TGV (Phew Stream) eligible qualifications.
Your graduate will follow an Australian-acclaimed Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate (PhD) degree and relate to the field of study for that qualification. and
You studied a graduate program in the same or following academic year in which you earned your bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral (PhD) degree.
These requirements mean that postgraduate diploma level study can help you build professional skills in your field of study and improve your career prospects.
graduates in another field of study
You may study for a postgraduate diploma that is not related to a previous bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, but this study will not qualify for the TGV.
You must have completed an eligible TGV qualification within 6 months of submitting your application.
You can complete your graduate degree while holding your TGV.
Graduates who submit a TGV application by 14 December 2024 will be assessed according to the regulations in force at the time of application, using the graduate’s diploma as the qualifying study.
In addition to the TGV, former students are eligible for a range of visas, including other temporary residence visas and the New Skills in Demand visa, which replaced the Temporary Skills Shortage visa on 7 December 2024.
