Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has announced it will retain the minimum age requirement of 50 for post-study work visas for research students. This decision follows the publication of changes to the Temporary Graduate Visa Program, set to take effect on July 1, 2024.
Key Changes and Decisions
Initially, the Department planned to lower the age limit to 35 for all Temporary Graduate 485 visa streams, except for Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders. However, after reviewing feedback on the potential impact on postgraduate research students, the Department decided to maintain the higher age limit for research students in the Post-Higher Education Work Stream, formerly known as the Post-Study Work Stream.
Who Is Eligible?
Under the new guidelines:
- Master’s (research) and doctoral degree (PhD) graduates under 50 will remain eligible.
- Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders under 50 will also be eligible.
This decision aims to balance the government’s goal of attracting international talent while addressing concerns about the age requirement for research students.
Rationale Behind the Decision
The initial migration strategy, published in December, suggested that lowering the age limit would support “early career professionals.” However, critics argued that the proposed cut-off would exclude most doctoral graduates. The Group of Eight highlighted that in 2022, 40% of international PhD students in Australia were aged 30 or older, which would make many ineligible for a visa by the time they completed their PhD under the proposed age limit.
Age Limits for Other Graduates
The 35-year-old age limit will still apply to graduates of:
- Taught master’s programs
- Bachelor’s programs
- Associate degree programs
- Vocational programs
These changes will take effect from July 1, 2024.
Confirmed Post-Study Work Rights
The government has confirmed the following post-study work rights:
- 2 years for Bachelor Degree (no change)
- 2 years for Master’s by coursework (reduced from 3 years)
- 3 years for Master’s by research (no change)
- 3 years for PhD (reduced from 4 years)
Eligibility for a second temporary graduate visa remains unchanged, but the two-year extension introduced in 2022 will end.
Renaming of Streams
Other changes include renaming various streams:
- The post-study and second post-study work streams will become the post-higher and second post-higher education work streams, respectively.
- The graduate work stream will be renamed the post-vocational education work stream.
These changes aim to simplify and clarify the visa process for international students and graduates in Australia.
