International students see temporary graduate visa as a pathway to PR, report finds

Described as one of the most "attractive and progressive" of its kind in the world, Australia's temporary graduate visas, known as 485 visas, provide full work rights to international students and allow them to remain in Australia for 2 to 4 years following their studies.

Source: SBS

A new report has found the 485 visa doesn’t play its part in helping the graduates to secure a job in the labour market. Instead, international graduates say 485 visas are widely perceived as a pathway to PR among the cohort.

Despite the evidently minor job leverage that 485 visas provide, the number of 485 visas holders has exploded over the past 3 years, topping 50,000 in 2018.

SBS Mandarin spoke with the report author, A/Prof. Ly Tran from Deakin Univer­sity, about the barriers to find work for international students and the widespread lack of understanding about the visa category among employers. She argues that there's a gap between the visa policies and its implementation.