As an international student in Victoria, gaining quality and relevant work experience is invaluable. In Australia’s competitive workforce, having practical experience in the form of internships, placements or part-time jobs can help you stand out as it is highly sought-after by employers.

When your course ends and graduation is coming, you might be looking for ways to build on this experience, apply your skills and launch an international career in your field of expertise.

Post-study work rights

From 1 July 2024, the settings and eligibility requirements for the Temporary Graduate Visa have changed. Please refer to the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website for the most up-to-date information.

Once you graduate from your course, your student visa will expire. If you want to stay longer to find work related to your qualifications, you will have to apply for a new visa. The type of visa will depend on your circumstances, and you must meet certain eligibility criteria. Below are some of the common pathways:

Temporary Graduate visa

The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa is the most common working visa for international graduates. Depending on your circumstances and eligibility, you can apply to stay and work in Australia from between 18 months and up to 3 years.

If you hold an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification, closely related to a nominated occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), you may be eligible to apply for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.

If you have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, you may be eligible to apply for the Post-Higher Education Work stream.

If you are in a regional area, you may be eligible to apply for the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream which would extend your stay in Australia once your first visa is finished. Excluding Melbourne, everywhere in Victoria is classified as regional.

Different stay periods apply to Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders, who may be able to stay for up to 5 years.

Different circumstances also apply to Indian nationals as agreed in the Australian Indian – Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA). Stay periods for Indian nationals are:

• Bachelor degree (including honours) – up to 2 years
• Bachelor degree (with first class honours in STEM, including ICT) – up to 3 years
• Masters (coursework, extended and research) – up to 3 years
• Doctoral degrees (PhD) – up to 4 years.

Victoria's Skilled Visa Nomination Program

Victoria offers nomination for the following two state nominated skilled visas:

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190): A permanent visa for living and work anywhere in Victoria.

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 491):  A 5-year visa for living and working in regional Victoria, with a pathway to permanent residency after 3 years. In 2024-25, a quarter of Victoria’s nomination places for this visa are reserved for graduates of Victorian educational institutions.

State or territory government nomination is mandatory for both visas.

Key features of Victoria's Skilled Visa Nomination Program:

• Provides unrestricted work rights in accordance with visa conditions
• Does not require a job offer or employer sponsorship
• Adds extra points to your Australian visa application score (5 points for subclass 190, 15 points for subclass 491)
• Offers a pathway to permanent residency
• Victorian visa nomination is free of charge

For more information or to submit an expression of interest see Skilled migration visas - Live in Melbourne.

Australian work visa options

Information about the range of independent, employer sponsored, and other temporary and permanent visa options is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Advice on visas

For the full list of available visas, head to the Department of Home Affairs website. You can also seek advice from a Registered Migration Agent; to find an agent see the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA).

Graduate jobs in Melbourne and Victoria

When you finish your course, you may want to look for a graduate job or graduate program for international students in Melbourne. It is important to know the difference between these opportunity types so you can ensure you find the right one for you.

A graduate job is an entry-level or junior role at an organisation. These are paid positions available to people with relevant qualifications to launch their careers in their desired fields.

A graduate program is a paid employment experience over a set period of time, typically 1-2 years. A graduate program often gives you the chance to fast-track your career and receive support from mentors, which is why they can be quite competitive.

Employers can begin recruiting for graduate opportunities up to a year in advance, so try to apply early to give yourself the best chance of success.

Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair

Finding a job

There are many job opportunities for international students in Melbourne.

Visit Prosple, formerly GradAustralia, to find graduate opportunities. Here, you can view a range of options and filter by field, role and location.

You can also search for vacancies on job platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, Jora and SEEK.

For more information, head to our guide on How to find work.

Help and support

If you would like some advice or guidance when it comes to launching your career in Australia, the best place to start is your education provider.

Many institutions have dedicated careers  teams - including career counsellors - who can help you learn employability skills, refine your resume and connect you with relevant employers based on your qualification.

Additionally, education providers often feature clubs and societies on campus that deliver programs through which you can build your professional network and gain practical work experience.

Remember, the team at the Study Melbourne Hub are always on hand to help. We offer regular events to build your employability skills and perfect your resume, and our team can also refer you to a free legal advice service if you have concerns related to your employment conditions.