According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, changes to the rules governing the inclusion of family members in Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) applications will take effect from 13 November 2026.
These changes primarily concern the eligibility requirements for accompanying family members, the location of applicants at the time of lodgement, and the timing of applications by family members.
The assessment criteria for primary applicants seeking a subclass 485 visa remain unchanged. The new requirements mainly affect spouses, de facto partners and children included in an application as dependent family members.
The following outlines the key changes based on the Department of Home Affairs’ guidance.
1. Eligibility requirements for including family members in a subclass 485 visa application
Under the new rules, an applicant may include a family member in their application only if one of the following circumstances applies.
Case 1: The family member was included in a previous visa application
For a first subclass 485 visa application, the family member must meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Currently hold a Student visa as a dependent family member of the primary applicant.
- Have held a Student visa as a dependent family member on 2 October 2026.
- Have held a Student visa as a dependent family member within the six months immediately before the application is lodged.
For a second subclass 485 visa application under the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream, the family member must:
- Currently hold a subclass 485 visa as a dependent family member of the primary applicant; or
- Have held a subclass 485 visa as a dependent family member within the six months immediately before the application is lodged.
In both cases, the primary applicant may only include family members who were included in a previous visa application.
Case 2: The primary applicant falls within an exempt category
The primary applicant may include existing or new family members in their application if they fall within one of the following categories:
- They are a citizen of an ASEAN or Pacific country.
- They completed a doctoral degree (PhD) while holding a Student visa.
- They completed a course fully funded by a foreign government while holding a Student visa.
In these circumstances, family members are not required to have previously been included as dependants in a Student visa or subclass 485 visa application.
2. Requirements regarding the location and timing of applications
Under the new rules:
- The primary applicant must be in Australia and must not be in immigration clearance when the application is lodged.
- Family members may be either in or outside Australia when applying, but must not be in immigration clearance.
- The primary applicant and all eligible family members must lodge their applications at the same time.
Importantly, family members cannot lodge separate applications as subsequent entrants after the primary applicant’s subclass 485 visa has been granted.
The simultaneous lodgement requirement applies to all applicants, including those who fall within an exempt category.
3. Rules for newborn children
The Department of Home Affairs has provided separate guidance for children born after the primary applicant was granted their most recent visa.
Children born outside Australia
If a child is born after the primary applicant was granted their most recent Student visa or subclass 485 visa, the primary applicant may include the child in their first or second subclass 485 visa application.
In this situation:
- The child may be either in or outside Australia when the application is lodged.
- The primary applicant must be in Australia when lodging the application.
- The primary applicant and the child must lodge their applications at the same time.
- The child cannot be added to the subclass 485 application after the primary applicant’s visa has been granted.
Children born in Australia
- If a parent holds a subclass 485 visa and their child is born in Australia, the child will automatically hold a subclass 485 visa as a dependent family member under the relevant provisions.
- The parent does not need to lodge a separate visa application for the child but must notify the Department of Home Affairs of the birth.
4. Important considerations when lodging an application through ImmiAccount
The Department of Home Affairs notes that the ImmiAccount system may still allow applicants to add family members to an application, even if those family members do not meet the eligibility requirements under the new rules.
However, being able to add a family member’s details in the online system does not mean that the family member is eligible to lodge a valid visa application.
If the new requirements are not met, the family member’s visa application may be determined to be invalid. A decision that an application is invalid is not subject to merits review.
5. Commencement date
- The changes officially take effect from 13 November 2026.
- Subclass 485 visa applications lodged before 13 November 2026 will be assessed under the rules in force at the time the applications were lodged.
The information in this article is based on official legislation and guidance available at the time of writing. It is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute migration advice for any individual case. Readers should check the latest information published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs or consult a registered Migration Agent at Next Gem before making any decisions.
>> If you are preparing to apply for a subclass 485 visa or wish to include your spouse, partner or children in your application as dependent family members, contact Next Gem at team@nextgem.com.au to book a consultation with our Migration Agent. You will receive an assessment of your eligibility and guidance on preparing your application based on your individual circumstances.
Registered Migration Agent: Yen Ngo
MARN: 2619560
Publication date: 13 November 2026
