Student & Graduate Visas: From First Enrolment to Permanent Residence.
Study is the front door to a longer Australian future. We help students and graduates at UWA, Curtin, Murdoch and ECU get the right visa now and keep the door open to the 485 and permanent residence later. We'll be straight about what study actually leads to.
Which student or graduate visa fits you?
It usually comes down to where you are on the journey: enrolling to study, just graduated, or planning the years after. Not sure? Tell us where you are and we'll point you to the right one.
| Visa | Suited if you… | Stage | Work rights | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 Student | Are enrolling in a CRICOS-registered course | Studying | Capped hours | Temporary |
| 590 Guardian | Are supporting a young student under 18 | Studying | Not permitted | Temporary |
| 407 Training | Need structured workplace training under a plan | Training | Training only | Temporary |
| 485 Graduate | Have just finished an eligible course | Graduated | Full | Temporary, opens PR |
| Study to PR | Want study to lead somewhere lasting | Planning | Varies | Permanent goal |
Every student and graduate visa, covered.
Student Visa
The visa that gets you here to study. Note it now needs a Genuine Student declaration and proof you can support yourself financially.
About the 500 → Subclass 590Student Guardian
For a parent or guardian coming to care for a young student in Perth. Lets you live with them and support their welfare while they study.
About the 590 → Subclass 407Training Visa
For structured workplace training to build your skills in a specific occupation. A focused, time-limited stay with an approved sponsor and a real training plan.
About the 407 → Our Specialty Subclass 485Temporary Graduate
After you graduate, the 485 lets you stay and work full time. It's the bridge to a PR plan - and Perth grads get an extra advantage on points.
About the 485 → GuideStudent to PR Pathways
There's no single button marked permanent residence, but there is a well-worn road. We map yours from exactly where you stand today.
Map my pathway → ChecklistStudent Visa Document Checklist
Everything you need to gather before you lodge a 500, in plain order with a note on what actually counts as evidence for each item.
See the checklist → HelpStudent Visa Refused?
Most 500 refusals come down to the Genuine Student requirement or financial evidence - and both are fixable. The deadline is strict, so act fast.
After a refusal →Which study or graduate path are you on?
This is a hub page, so the right starting point depends on where you stand today. Work down the questions below until one fits, then follow the link. If two seem to fit, talk to us - the order you lodge things in can matter.
If you are starting a CRICOS-registered course, you are looking at the Subclass 500 Student visa. You will need a Genuine Student declaration and evidence you can support yourself. Work hours are capped (now on a per-fortnight basis) and the cap can change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it. Bringing a child under 18 to study? A parent or guardian may need the Subclass 590 Student Guardian visa instead.
Once you complete a qualifying qualification, the Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa lets you stay and work full time while you build the experience that counts toward permanent residence. A government application charge applies - it has risen in recent years and starts at around AUD 4,600 for the main applicant from 1 March 2026, with dependants extra. We confirm the current figure with you before you apply.
If the goal is to stay for good, there is no single button marked permanent residence, but there is a well-worn road. Our Student to PR pathways guide maps study to the 485 to a skilled or sponsored outcome, including where Perth's regional standing can strengthen your points.
Before you lodge a 500, work through the student visa document checklist so the evidence is right the first time. If a 500 has already been refused, most refusals come down to the Genuine Student requirement or financial evidence, and both are often fixable - but the deadline is strict, so act fast.
We do not publish a fixed fee schedule, and government charges move. The Subclass 500 application charge has risen across recent years, so we confirm the current figure with you before you apply rather than quote a stale number here. For the 485, the base charge starts at around AUD 4,600 for the main applicant from 1 March 2026, with dependants extra and conditions that can change. Whatever the stage, we quote our own work in writing first - and we will be straight if a course or pathway does not actually lead where you hope.
We know the WA student journey from first enrolment to the 485 and beyond.
We work with students at Perth's universities and colleges every week. We know which courses and pathways actually lead somewhere in Western Australia - and we'll tell you straight when one doesn't. That local knowledge is the difference between a visa that just gets you here and a plan that gets you a future here.
Student and graduate visa questions.
Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)
Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.
Not sure where you fit?
Tell us where you are in your study journey and we'll map out what comes next - honestly.