New rules will affect which family members can be included in a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) application. The changes also introduce requirements regarding where the primary applicant and their family members must be when applying.
What are the new 485 Graduate visa changes?
From 13 November 2026, primary applicants can only include family members who meet the following eligibility criteria:
Family members were included in a previous Student visa or Temporary Graduate visa.
The Primary applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
The applicant has an eligible newborn child.
Important → Eligible family members must be included in the original Temporary Graduate visa application. They will no longer be able to apply separately at a later date as subsequent entrants.
Important → The eligibility requirements for primary applicants applying for a Temporary Graduate visa have not changed.
Who is affected by the new rules?
The new changes affect applicants who intend to include family members in their visa application.
The new requirements apply to:
Applicants applying for their first Graduate visa who want to include family members.
Applicants applying for their second Graduate visa who want to include family members.
Applicants who meet specific eligibility criteria allowing them to include existing or new family members.
Applicants who want to include a newborn child in their Graduate visa application.
Who can you include in your 485 Graduate visa application?
Under the new rules, you can only include family members if:
They were included in your previous Student visa or your first Graduate visa.
You meet one of the specific eligibility criteria established by the Department of Home Affairs.
You have a newborn child who meets the relevant requirements.
Important → Your family members cannot apply separately at a later date as subsequent entrants, even if they would otherwise meet the eligibility requirements.
If you are applying for your first 485 Graduate visa
If you are applying for your first Temporary Graduate visa, you can include family members who were included in your previous Student visa.
Family members must meet at least one of the following requirements:
They currently hold a Student visa as your dependant.
They held a Student visa as your dependant on 2 October 2026.
They held a Student visa as your dependant within the last six months.
You must also meet the following requirements:
You can only include the same family members who were included in your previous visa.
You must be in Australia when you apply. Your family members can be in or outside Australia.
You and your family members must submit your applications at the same time. You cannot add them later.
If you are applying for your second 485 Graduate visa
If you are applying for your second Temporary Graduate visa, you can include family members who were included in your first Temporary Graduate visa.
Family members must meet at least one of the following requirements:
They currently hold a Graduate visa as your dependant.
They held a Graduate visa as your dependant within the last six months.
The same additional requirements apply:
You can only include the same family members who were included in your previous visa.
You must be in Australia when you apply. Your family members can be in or outside Australia.
You and your family members must apply at the same time. You cannot add them later.
Can you include new family members in your 485 Graduate visa application?
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs allows certain applicants to include existing or new family members, even if those family members were not included in their previous Student visa or Temporary Graduate visa.
To qualify, the primary applicant must meet at least one of the following criteria:
You are a Pacific or ASEAN national.
You completed a PhD degree while holding a Student visa.
You completed a course fully funded by a foreign government while holding a Student visa.
If you meet any of these criteria:
You can include any family members in your application. They do not need to have been your dependants on a previous Student visa or Temporary Graduate visa.
Your family members can be in or outside Australia when you apply. However, you must be in Australia.
You and your family members must submit your applications at the same time. You cannot add them later.
What if you have a newborn child?
If your child was born outside Australia
If your child was born outside Australia after you were granted your most recent Student visa or Temporary Graduate visa, you can include them in your first or second Temporary Graduate visa application.
Under the new rules:
Your child can be in or outside Australia when you apply. You must be in Australia.
You and your child must submit your applications at the same time.
You cannot add your newborn child to your Temporary Graduate visa after it has been granted.
If your child was born in Australia
If you hold a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and your child is born in Australia, your child will automatically hold a Temporary Graduate visa as your dependant.
You do not need to submit a separate visa application for your child. However, you must notify the Department of Home Affairs about the birth.
What happens if your family members do not meet the new requirements?
From 13 November 2026, family members who do not meet the relevant eligibility requirements cannot be included in your Temporary Graduate visa application.
It is important to understand that ImmiAccount may still allow you to add family members to your application, even if they do not meet the new requirements.
However, being able to include someone in your online application does not mean they are eligible for the visa.
If a family member does not meet the eligibility requirements, their visa application will be considered invalid.
An invalid application is not the same as a visa refusal. However, it can have significant consequences for your family member's immigration status.
For example, if their existing visa has already expired, they may not be eligible to apply for another visa.
It is also important to note that a decision determining an application to be invalid cannot be reviewed through the merits review process.
What should you organise before applying?
If you intend to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and include family members, it is important to check the new requirements before submitting your application.
Consider the following:
Check who you can include → Confirm whether your family members were included in your previous Student visa or Temporary Graduate visa, or whether you meet one of the alternative eligibility criteria.
Check your previous visa history → If you are applying for your first or second Temporary Graduate visa, review the visa status of your family members and whether they meet the relevant six-month requirements.
Confirm your location → You must be physically in Australia when submitting your Temporary Graduate visa application. Your eligible family members can be in or outside Australia.
Prepare supporting documents → Make sure you have the documents required to support your application, including evidence of your relationship with the family members you intend to include.
Apply at the same time → All eligible family members must be included in the application when you submit it. You cannot add them later or apply for them separately as subsequent entrants.
What about Temporary Graduate visa applications submitted before 13 November 2026?
The new family member requirements will not affect applicants who submitted their Temporary Graduate visa application before 13 November 2026.
These applications will continue to be assessed under the rules that were in place on the date the application was submitted.
This means that applicants who lodged their applications before the commencement date will not be subject to the new family member eligibility requirements.
Source: This article is based on information published by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs in its changes to the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) application rules.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is based on information available at the time of publication and is subject to change without notice. Australian migration policies and requirements may change over time. Applicants should verify the latest information with the Australian Department of Home Affairs before making any decisions or arrangements.