子類 476 技術認可畢業生簽證

The 476 visa allows recent engineering degree graduates to work and live in Australia temporarily within two years of completing their course.

The 476 visa is designed specifically for recent engineering graduates, and can be applied for if you studied offshore, as long as the institution is eligible.

The 485 visa is for graduates from Australian institutions only, and an applicant must select an eligible occupation and have a skills assessment to be eligible to apply. The conditions of the visas are similar, but the eligibility requirements vary quite a lot. 

There is no direct PR pathway after a 476 visa, however it is possible to apply for a further work visa once the 476 visa expires. As such, any of the existing PR pathways for work visas are an option for 476 visa holders.

For example, an engineering graduate with six months of work experience offshore could apply for the 476 and work for an Australian company for 18 months. This would mean that they would have the required work experience (two years) for a subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa, which would then provide a PR pathway after a further two years with the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa. This is one of many options that an engineering student could consider to gain PR in Australia.

The number of 476 visas was capped in December 2023, which means that they are no longer accepting any further applications. 

There may be further positions allocated to this visa subclass in the 2024-2025 financial year, and at this stage the visa has not closed yet, so it is unclear if the visa will continue to be supported or is likely to be closed entirely to new applicants. Based on the ongoing shortages of engineers in Australia, it is more likely that a limited number of positions will be allocated for this visa in the next financial year.