Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber — Subclass 485 Pathway
Temporary Graduate visa · 18 months to 5 years (depending on stream and qualification)
At a glance
- Visa
- Subclass 485 — Temporary Graduate visa
- Points test
- Not points-tested
- Sponsor
- No sponsor required
- Eligibility list
- No specific list
- Base fee
- from $2,235 (check immi.gov.au for current fee)
- Processing time
- ~4-12 months (median)
Skills assessment for this occupation
Assessing Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber for migration purposes is handled by: TRA.
No occupation-list eligibility — any qualification recognised by the AQF is in scope, with skills assessment only required for the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.
Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber × Subclass 485 — pathway overview
Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber (ANZSCO 334112) is a relevant occupation for graduates applying for the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa under the Post-Higher Education Work stream. This temporary visa provides work rights for recent graduates of eligible Australian qualifications in fields related to airconditioning and mechanical services plumbing and does not require an employer or state sponsor. The Post-Higher Education Work stream applies to graduates holding bachelor, honours, masters, or doctoral qualifications from a CRICOS-registered Australian institution in a construction or technical discipline. These work rights allow graduates to accumulate Australian experience that can later support a TRA skills assessment and application for a permanent visa pathway. Requirements include being under 35 years at application, having held a valid student visa in the prior six months, demonstrating competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent), and satisfying health and character requirements. The visa duration ranges from two to four years. No skills assessment is required under this stream. Application fees start from approximately $1,895 and processing typically takes two to four months. For advice tailored to your individual circumstances, always consult a registered MARA migration agent.
Content last generated: 2026-06-26
Key requirements
High-level criteria for Subclass 485. Verify every requirement on immi.gov.au before applying.
- Under 35 years of age at application (with exemptions for select fields)
- Recent graduate of an eligible Australian qualification (CRICOS-registered)
- Held a valid student visa in the last six months
- Competent English (IELTS 6 or equivalent)
- Positive skills assessment (Post-Vocational Education Work stream only)
- Health, character, and Australian Health Insurance
Other visa pathways for Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
- 186Details →Employer Nomination Scheme visa
Permanent employer-sponsored visa for workers nominated by an approved sponsor.
- 189Details →Skilled Independent visa
Permanent points-tested visa for workers not sponsored by an employer, family member, or state.
- 190Details →Skilled Nominated visa
Permanent visa for workers nominated by a state or territory government.
- 482Details →Skills in Demand visa
Employer-sponsored temporary visa (formerly TSS) for occupations on the relevant list.
- 491Details →Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Five-year provisional visa for workers willing to live and work in regional Australia.
- 494Details →Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Five-year employer-sponsored provisional visa in regional Australia, with a path to PR.
State nominations for Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
States currently nominating this occupation — see the dedicated pages for state-specific criteria.