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Skilled Migration

Subclass 476 visa: closed - your options now.

The Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa closed to new applications on 1 July 2024. If you were looking at the 476 as a recent engineering graduate, there are live pathways that may suit you instead. Here is what the 476 was, and where to go now.

Closed to new applicationsWas for engineering graduatesLive alternatives below
The 476 Is Closed

What the Subclass 476 was, and what changed.

The Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa closed to new applications on 1 July 2024. It is no longer possible to lodge a new 476 application. This page is here so that if you were researching the 476, you can quickly find the live pathways that may fit instead.

The Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa was a temporary visa for recent engineering graduates. To qualify, applicants generally needed to have completed an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution within the previous two years and to be under 31. It allowed up to around 18 months of work in Australia, and it was not points-tested. Since 1 July 2024 it has been a repealed visa, so the rest of this page focuses on what to do now rather than how to apply for the 476.

Your Live Alternatives

Where recent graduates go now.

485 Temporary Graduate visa

If you studied in Australia, the 485 graduate visa is usually the closest fit: post-study work rights, and the foundation most skilled PR pathways build on.

Skilled 189 / 190 / 491

If you have the points, the skilled migration visas (independent 189, WA-nominated 190, regional 491) lead to permanent residence. Engineering is a common occupation across these programs.

Employer-sponsored is also an option. If a regional employer wants to sponsor you, the Subclass 494 skilled employer sponsored regional visa runs for five years with a pathway to permanent residence. Which route fits depends on your study, your points and whether you have an employer, so it is worth a proper assessment rather than a guess.

Common Questions

Subclass 476 questions.

No. The 476 closed to new applications on 1 July 2024, so a new application can no longer be lodged. If you were planning to apply, the practical step is to look at the live alternatives above, and we can tell you which one realistically fits your situation.
The closure is to new applications. If you already hold a 476, you generally continue to hold it under its existing conditions until it ends, but you should confirm your own grant details. The more useful question is usually what comes next, and we can map your move toward a skilled or employer-sponsored pathway before your current visa runs down.
For a recent graduate it is usually the 485 Temporary Graduate visa if you studied in Australia, which gives post-study work rights. If you have enough points, the skilled program (189, 190 or 491) is the direct route to permanent residence. Engineering graduates often qualify across these, so we look at your specific qualification and history.
The 485 generally requires Australian study, so if your degree is from overseas it may not be open to you. The points-tested skilled visas (189, 190, 491) do not require Australian study, but they do require a positive skills assessment for your occupation and enough points. An employer-sponsored route like the 494 is also possible if a regional employer will nominate you. We can assess which is realistic.
We cannot say it will. Visa programs change with policy, but it is not something to plan around. The sensible approach is to build your plan on the visas that are open now, and we keep an eye on program changes so your strategy stays current.
It can. Perth is currently treated as a regional area for several skilled programs, which can add points on the 491 and supports regional options like the 494. Regional settings can change, so we confirm the current position when we map your pathway.
Sources

Department of Home Affairs - Subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa (repealed visas listing; closed to new applications 1 July 2024); Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth). Current as at June 2026 and verified live at publish. Confirm at homeaffairs.gov.au.

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.

The 476 is closed - let's find the one that is open.

Tell us your study, your occupation and your points, and we will map the live pathway that actually fits you.

Subclass 476 (Closed) Find your live graduate pathway
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