Australia is changing the family-member rules for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) from 13 November 2026.
The biggest change affects applicants who planned to bring a spouse, partner or dependent family member to Australia after the primary Subclass 485 visa had already been granted.
Under the new rules, a person applying as a secondary Subclass 485 applicant must generally make their application at the same time as, and combined with, the primary applicant’s 485 application. The reform also limits secondary applicants to specified family circumstances.
This means the existing post-grant 485 subsequent entrant pathway will no longer operate in the same way for new applications once the new rules commence.
For current 485 holders who have an eligible family member who has not yet lodged a subsequent entrant application, the commencement date is particularly important.
The New Rule for 485 Subsequent Entrants
Until the new rules commence, Home Affairs guidance still allows eligible family members to apply to join a primary Subclass 485 holder as a subsequent entrant after the visa has been granted. They can apply from inside or outside Australia.
The new regulations change that structure.
Under the new rules, a secondary applicant must:
- fall within one of the specific categories permitted by the regulations
- apply at the same time as the primary Subclass 485 applicant
- have their application combined with the primary applicant’s application.
For most applicants, the practical consequence is clear:
a family member will no longer be able to wait until the main 485 visa has been granted and then lodge a new standalone subsequent entrant application under the previous arrangements.
Existing Applications Lodged Before the New Rules
The regulations include a transitional rule. Applications made before the new framework commences continue under the earlier requirements.
The amendments apply to visa applications made on or after the commencement of the new regulations. Because the instrument commences on 13 November 2026, a valid application lodged before the new rules commence is not subject to these amendments.
This distinction matters for applicants who already hold a 485 visa and have an eligible partner or other family member who was planning to lodge as a subsequent entrant.
Current 485 holders should check their position urgently
If you already hold a Subclass 485 visa and an eligible family member has not yet lodged a subsequent entrant application, you should urgently check whether a valid application can still be made before the new rules commence.
This should not be treated as a blanket instruction to lodge. Eligibility, documents, relationship evidence, health insurance, visa status and the validity of the application still need to be checked. The important point is that the new framework changes how new applications are treated.
Family Members Must Apply With the Primary 485 Applicant
The reform moves Subclass 485 family applications away from the previous model where an eligible family member could join the primary visa holder later.
Under the new rules, an eligible secondary applicant may still be in or outside Australia when making the application, but the application must be made at the same time as the primary applicant’s 485 application and must be combined with it.
This makes family planning important before the primary 485 application is lodged.
Applicants should no longer assume they can:
- Lodge the primary 485 application alone.
- Receive the 485 visa.
- Include a spouse or eligible family member at a later stage through a separate Subclass 485 application.
For new applications caught by the reform, that previous sequence is effectively removed.
Who Can Still Apply as a Secondary Applicant?
The reform does not completely remove family members from Subclass 485 applications. Instead, it restricts secondary applicants to particular categories.
A secondary applicant can apply where at least one of the circumstances specified in the regulations applies.
Primary applicant from a specified country group
A family member may qualify where the primary applicant holds a passport from a Pacific-regional country or from one of the countries specified in Schedule 1 subitem 1222(5A).
The specified countries currently include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Migration Regulations separately define Pacific-regional countries to include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Doctoral graduates
A secondary applicant may qualify where the primary applicant’s most recent Student visa was granted in connection with a doctoral degree that has been completed.
The rule is limited to applicants whose relevant qualification is a completed doctoral degree. It should not be assumed that every postgraduate or research qualification falls within this category.
Foreign-government-funded study
The family-member provision can also apply where the primary applicant’s most recent Student visa was granted for one or more courses and each course was fully funded by a foreign government.
Certain children born after an earlier visa grant
The rules include a category for a child of the primary applicant who was born after the primary applicant’s most recent Student visa or Subclass 485 visa was granted.
This provision needs to be read together with the new combined-application requirement. It does not recreate the old general post-grant subsequent entrant pathway.
Existing or recent Student visa dependants
A secondary applicant may also qualify where they currently hold, or within the relevant period held, a Student visa as a secondary applicant connected to the same primary applicant. This provides continuity for some families already connected through the Student visa system.
Existing or recent 485 dependants
A similar provision applies to certain applicants who currently hold, or recently held, a Subclass 485 visa as a secondary applicant where the same primary applicant held the corresponding 485 as the primary visa holder.
These categories are technical. Applicants should check the exact facts of their previous visas before assuming that they qualify.
The New Rules Do Not Mean “No Family on a 485”
It would be inaccurate to describe the reform as a complete ban on family members for Temporary Graduate visas. Family members can still be included where the new secondary-applicant requirements are satisfied.
The major change is how and when they apply. Under the new framework, secondary applicants are restricted to specified categories, and family eligibility needs to be considered before the primary 485 application is lodged. That distinction is important for anyone planning their post-study visa strategy with a partner or children.
Family Members Applying From Inside Australia
The new regulations also introduce visa-status requirements for secondary applicants who are in Australia when they apply.
An onshore secondary applicant must generally hold a substantive visa, Bridging Visa A, or Bridging Visa B granted on the basis of a valid visa application.
There is also a narrow provision for certain people affected by an ART decision relating to the cancellation of a Student visa, subject to a 28-day period specified in the regulations.
The secondary applicant can otherwise make the combined 485 application from inside or outside Australia, provided they are not in immigration clearance.
What the Reform Means for Different Applicants
| Situation | Position after the reform |
|---|---|
| Current 485 holder with family member who has already lodged before commencement | Earlier rules continue to apply to that application |
| Current 485 holder wanting to lodge a new standalone subsequent entrant after commencement | The previous general subsequent entrant route is no longer available in the same way |
| New primary 485 applicant wanting to include family | Eligible secondary applicants must generally apply at the same time and in a combined application |
| Family member outside Australia | Can potentially be included if the new secondary-applicant requirements are met |
| Family member in Australia | Must also satisfy the new onshore visa-status requirement |
| Family not within one of the specified secondary-applicant categories | Cannot simply be added to the new 485 application under the old general rules |
This is why applicants should check both the family category and the timing of the application.
Why This Change Matters for Current 485 Holders
The most immediate impact is on people who already hold a Temporary Graduate visa but have not yet brought an eligible family member onto their 485.
Under the current Home Affairs information available before commencement, family members can still join an existing 485 holder as subsequent entrants after grant.
If your plans involve a spouse, partner or dependent family member applying separately after your 485 has already been granted, the new rules may materially change that strategy.
Applicants in this situation should not rely on older online guidance or assumptions based on previous 485 rules.
Home Affairs Website Information May Take Time to Update
As at 12 November 2026, Home Affairs’ public Temporary Graduate visa pages still state that family members may apply later as subsequent entrants after the primary visa has been granted.
That reflects the rules operating before the new instrument commences. The new regulations have now been formally registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and will take effect under the commencement provisions in the instrument.
Applicants dealing with the transition should therefore check the commencement date of the legislation and the date their application is made, rather than relying only on older website wording.
What Current and Future 485 Applicants Should Do
Already hold a 485 and need to add family
If an eligible family member has not yet lodged a subsequent entrant application, check your position urgently before the new rules commence.
A valid application must still satisfy all relevant requirements. The commencement date does not make an otherwise invalid application valid.
Planning to Lodge a New 485 Under the New Rules
Consider your family arrangements before lodging the primary application. If a partner or child may need to be included, check whether they fall within one of the permitted secondary-applicant categories and whether their application must be combined with yours.
Family member is currently in Australia
Check their present visa status before the combined application is lodged. A substantive visa or qualifying BVA/BVB will generally be required unless the narrow ART-related provision applies.
Family member is overseas
Being offshore does not itself prevent an eligible family member from being a secondary applicant. The key issues are whether they meet one of the permitted categories and whether the application is lodged together with the primary 485 application.
Key Takeaways for Subclass 485 Applicants
- The previous general post-grant subsequent entrant arrangement changes under the new framework.
- Family eligibility now depends on the specified secondary-applicant categories and the new application structure.
- Existing and future applicants should check which rules apply based on their circumstances and when their application is made.
Applicants should check their family circumstances and visa history carefully before relying on previous Subclass 485 subsequent entrant arrangements.
