TWO YEAR STUDY REQUIREMENT FOR SKILLED MIGRATION

Key Advantages of Studying in Australia

• Skilled Migration Points: Earning an Australian qualification that satisfies the official study criteria yields valuable migration points.

• Regional Study Incentives: Studying and living in a designated regional Australian center provides extra credit toward your overall points score.

• Professional Year Opportunities: Holding a post-study visa allows eligible graduates in fields like accounting, IT, and engineering to complete a Professional Year program for additional migration credit.

• Global Recognition: Australian degrees and vocational credentials are widely recognized by relevant assessing bodies for mandatory skills assessments.

The Australian Study Requirement (ASR)

To successfully satisfy the 2-year Australian study mandate, applicants must meet the following structural benchmarks:

• Eligible Qualifications: Must complete a degree (Bachelor, Master, or PhD), diploma, or trade qualification.

• CRICOS Registration: All courses must be officially registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

• Two Academic Years: Equivalent to a minimum of 92 weeks of registered study according to the CRICOS course duration.

• 16-Month Calendar Duration: The physical duration of study in Australia from course commencement to completion must span at least 16 calendar months.

• Language of Instruction: All course instruction must be conducted entirely in English.

• Visa Compliance: Studies must be undertaken while holding a visa that authorizes study (typically a student visa) with full compliance attached.

Recognized Prior Learning (RPL) & Course Combinations

• RPL Limitations: Credits granted for prior learning undertaken overseas or through non-CRICOS programs cannot be counted directly toward fulfilling the 2-year Australian study requirement unless formally accepted by the provider as part of an active credit transfer on an Australian academic transcript.

• Closely Related Fields: For skilled migration and skills assessments, secondary qualifications or extra studies should align logically with your nominated occupation (e.g., combining plumbing certificates or engineering degrees), rather than presenting conflicting skill levels or unrelated disciplines.

• Prerequisites & Bridging Courses: General English language courses (ELICOS) or non-award foundation programs completed prior to commencing a primary diploma or degree cannot be used to satisfy the core ASR timeframe.

Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) Considerations

International graduates seeking to transition onto a Subclass 485 visa must carefully navigate regulatory timing, age caps, and English proficiency standards:

• Application Window: Applications must be lodged within strict statutory timeframes following course completion (determined by the date of final result notification rather than the official graduation ceremony).

• Stream Alignment: Graduates must apply for the correct stream matching their qualification level—such as the Post-Higher Education Work stream for degree holders or the Post-Vocational Education Work stream for trade and diploma graduates.