Post Study Work Visa In Australia – Can Your Family Members Join You?

Post Study Work Visa is for international students who have completed 2 years of academic course in Australia and who intend to stay-on in Australia for better employment prospects after completing their studies. You can later apply for skilled migration visas and permanent residency in Australia, as and when you comply with the eligibility terms of these visa categories.

If you are wondering whether you can bring your family members to join you in Australia on your PSWV (which falls under Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa), let us tell you that, you can include your family members in your visa application to join you in Australia.

Read further, the process of applying visa for your family members and what documents are to be furnished, while applying for family members on your Temp. Graduate Subclass 485 Visa.

Firstly, who can join you on Subclass 485 Visa?

• Your spouse, de facto partner, same sex partner (whichever is applicable) and
• Dependent children

What is necessary here, is you mention all your family members in your visa application, whether they intend to travel to Australia. If mentioned so, it will be easier for your family member/ members to join you in Australia without much wait.

How and when can you include your family members?

You can opt either of the two pathways to apply for your family members to join you in Australia while you are on Subclass 485 visa:

1. Combined Application: You can include the name/ names of your family members in your 485-visa application, while applying for your visa. The advantage of combined visa is that is works out economical and faster! Your family members must be in Australia when the visa is being issued.
2. Subsequent Entrants Visa: You can also apply for your partner and dependent children to join you after you have been granted 485 visa. They can either be in Australia or overseas when the visa is being issued. Your family members are called ‘subsequent entrants’ in this case and additional application fees have to be paid while applying for family members.

You can add dependents to your application only if a child is born during the process of your application. Otherwise, you cannot add dependents on your application.

Required Documents of Family Members:

Your family members included in your application to join you in Australia must provide these documents to process their visa applications.

• Identity Documents: Certified copies of passport, birth certificate, national identity card or a Hoko book.
• Proof of Relationship Documents: The family members included in the application must produce proof of their relationship with you. It can be either a marriage certificate or a birth certificate.
• A copy of your main passport page
• Proof from the Australian education institution of your studies
• Documents as Proof of Financial Capacity: The immigration department must be shown the evidence of your sound financial status to ensure that you and your family members can cover your expenses. These documents can be provided as proof:

Annual income of AUD 70,000, minimum

Funds availability that covers travel and living expenses, school expenses for a school aged dependent for 12 months.

• Enrolment proof of admission of school aged dependent
• Proof of adequate Health Insurance Cover for all the family members

Apart from the above documents, your family members must provide any other documents, if asked by the immigration authorities.  Meeting health and character requirements is a must for all the family members. Character requirements apply to family members over 16 years of age. And the family members (over 18 years of age) joining you in Australia, must sign the Australian Values Statement.

We, at DMS Migration thoroughly understand your concern and wish to have your family by alongside you in Australia. Have a chat with us if you have any further queries on this post or about your unique situation regarding visa application.

Amitava Deb

• Amitava is a gold medallist from India’s premier technical institute, IIT Kharagpur.
• He has worked with some of the world’s top companies such as Sony Australia Pty. Ltd., Siemens AG Germany, Clarity International Ltd., Reliance Communications and Optus Sydney.
• Amitava is a Chartered Professional Engineer accredited by Engineers Australia. He is a full member of this esteemed association.
• He is a member of the Australian Computer Society, Tele Management Forum and Worldwide Institute of Software Architects.
• Amitava is a well-recognised name in the ICT Professional Community in Australia.