If students wish to stay in Australia after graduating, they have a number of options. You must apply for a work visa, such as a 476 visa, in order to obtain permanent residency; a student visa will not grant this. If you are a graduate of engineering, you can apply for a type of work visa called a skilled recognized graduate visa.
All the information you require about the 476 visa Australia and if you qualify to apply for one may be found here.
This particular work visa is appropriate for you if you recently graduated with a degree in engineering. You can live, work, and study in Australia for a limited amount of time with a 476 visa Australia, but you must be graduating from an accredited university in order to obtain one.
To apply for a 476 visa Australia, you will need to gather the following paperwork:
Together with other identity documents, you must submit a copy of the information pages from your passport. If you have one, your ID card and any supporting documentation for your name change (if any) may be included.
Proof of Identity: Start by collecting your valid passport, with an expiry date extending past your intended stay in Australia. Include any national identity cards you possess and documents proving any name changes.
Educational Qualifications: Next, compile copies of your academic transcripts and a Letter of Completion from your institution, clearly stating your graduation date.
English Language Proficiency: Demonstrate your English skills by providing test results from an approved English language test that meets the required score.
Character Documents: For good measure, obtain police certificates from every country you've resided in for at least twelve months over the past ten years (since you turned sixteen).
Additional Considerations: Depending on your situation, you might also need a nomination from a qualified employer, documents for your partner (if applying together), and documents for any dependent children under 18 (including their consent to travel to Australia).
With this visa, fresh engineering graduates can spend up to 18 months living, working, or studying in Australia. You must be under 31 years old and have achieved a degree or higher qualification from a designated institution within the last two years.
Unfortunately, applications for the Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognized Graduate visa are no longer being accepted. The Australian Government capped and closed this visa program on July 1, 2024.
If you're interested in immigrating to Australia as a skilled engineer, you'll need to explore alternative visa options. However, if you still desire one, get in touch with our immigration specialists, and they will help you identify your best alternative.
You need to have graduated from an establishment recognized by the Washington Accord in order to be eligible for a visa 476. The Washington Accord is a global accord amongst multiple reputable organizations globally tasked with granting accreditation to technology colleges and engineering schools. Your application for a visa will also be accepted by the Department of Home Affairs if you are a graduate of any of the following universities. Here is a list of universities that are recognized for the 476 Visa:
Argentina
Bangladesh
Brazil
Chile
China
Finland
Germany
India
Iran
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Slovakia
Sweden
Tanzania
United Kingdom
United States
The Australian 476 Visa, or Skilled—Recognised Graduate Visa, is designed for engineering graduates from certain universities to live, work, or study in Australia for up to 18 months.
You must submit proof for your Australia visa 476 that you passed one of the internationally recognized English language proficiency exams with a high score, as required by the Department of Home Affairs:
| English Language Test | Minimum Overall Score | Minimum Score in Each Band |
| IELTS | 6 | 5 in each band (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) |
| TOEFL iBT | 64 | 4 in Listening & Reading, 14 in Speaking & Writing |
| PTE Academic | 50 | Minimum score of 36 in each band (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) |
| OET | B | Minimum of B in each part of the test (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) |
| C1 Advanced Test | 169 | At least 154 in every element |
The necessary documents must be scanned and submitted electronically through ImmiAccount in order to complete the application. You need to pay for the visa in order for your application to be considered finalized; otherwise, it won't be handled.
You may apply for this visa from outside of Australia as well as from within it, but you have to be out of the country when it is approved. If you apply for your 476 visa while in Australia, you are not eligible for a bridging visa. Here are the steps for applying for a Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa 467:
Eligibility Check: Ensure you meet the visa requirements. This included being under 31, graduating from a Washington Accord accredited program within the last two years, and demonstrating English language proficiency.
Gather Documents: Compile all necessary documents, including passport, transcripts, proof of English proficiency, and police certificates.
Apply Online: Submit your application electronically through ImmiAccount, the Australian Government's online immigration portal.
Pay Visa Fee: Pay the visa application charge.
Health Checks & Character Requirements: Undergo health checks and provide police certificates from relevant countries.
Decision & Grant: The Department of Home Affairs will assess your application and notify you of the outcome. If successful, they'll grant your visa.
While the Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa (Subclass 476) program, understanding its past costs might be helpful for future programs or visa options. The core application fee for the 476 visa itself was A$410. This covers the processing of your individual application. However, the total cost of immigrating through this visa could be higher depending on your circumstances.
If you were planning to bring family members (partner and/or children under 18) with you to Australia, you would have needed to pay separate application fees for each of them. This would significantly increase the overall visa cost. Remember, this information pertains to the past 476 program, and future visa options might have different fee structures.
The processing of your 476 visa Australia will take at least a year to complete. Processing some applications could take longer than 17 months. Your visa will take longer to process if there is something missing from your application, particularly if you are slow to respond to Department of Home Affairs inquiries.
The Subclass 476 visa offered a temporary stay of 18 months in Australia, calculated from the date of visa issuance. Unfortunately, extensions were not available for this visa, meaning you wouldn't be able to remain in the country beyond that timeframe.
The Subclass 476 visa functioned as a springboard for a longer stay in Australia, but it wasn't extendable. This means you couldn't simply apply for more time under the same visa. However, if you desired to remain in Australia after the 18-month period, you could explore other options like sponsored visas or permanent residency pathways.
Yes, you could bring eligible family members with you on a Subclass 476 Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa. Here's a breakdown of who could be included:
Spouse or de-facto partner: You could include your spouse or partner in your application. They would receive their own visa grant allowing them to live, work, and study in Australia.
Dependent Children: Unmarried children under 18 years old could also be included in your application. They would be granted a visa allowing them to live and study in Australia. However, permission from the other parent or guardian might have been required in some cases.
Yes, with a Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa (Subclass 476), you would have been able to travel freely. This included:
Travel Within Australia: You could move around freely within Australia during the validity period of your visa (18 months).
Travel Overseas: You were also permitted to travel outside of Australia and re-enter as long as your visa remained valid.
The 476 visa functioned as a multi-entry visa, allowing you the flexibility to travel for work, leisure, or personal reasons as long as your visa was active.
The Subclass 476 visa Australia wasn't designed as a direct path to permanent residency (PR) in Australia. However, your time under the 476 visa can be a valuable stepping stone. The work experience you gain during those 18 months might qualify you for sponsored skilled migration visas, which often involve employer sponsorship and can lead to PR.
Alternatively, some Australian states offer state-nominated visa programs targeting specific professions in demand. Websites like SkillSelect and those for state migration programs can be helpful starting points for exploring PR options. Remember, the best pathway depends on your individual skills and experience, so consider consulting a registered migration agent for personalized advice on your Australian PR journey.
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