Subclass 485 visa: what the evidence shows about processing and charges

What the official guidance establishes about the subclass 485 visa

The official guidance provided for this article does not include a dedicated page on the subclass 485 visa, its requirements, or its application charge. This is a significant limitation, and it means that any specific claim about subclass 485 eligibility, points, English language requirements, or fees cannot be made here on the basis of the evidence available. the official guidance does, however, contain information that is relevant to subclass 485 applicants in three areas: the subsequent temporary application charge, skilled visa processing priorities, and general processing times. This article addresses each of these in turn, and then sets out what you need to check on the official pages.

The subsequent temporary application charge and the subclass 485 visa

The subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) is a charge that applies to certain temporary visas, payable by each person in an application and based on their individual visa history. It is payable in addition to any other visa charges that apply at the time of lodgement. The charge is not paid for bridging, criminal justice, enforcement, or permanent visa applications.

The official page on the subsequent temporary application charge lists the temporary visas to which the charge can apply. The visas listed in Table 1 (the temporary visas being applied for) are:

Visa subclass	Title
408	Temporary Activity
407	Training
482	Skills in Demand (SID)
500	Student
590	Student Guardian
600	Visitor

The subclass 485 visa does not appear in this table. This means that, on the face of the official official guidance, the subsequent temporary application charge is not shown as applying to a subclass 485 application. However, the official guidance does not state this explicitly as a blanket rule, and the visa pricing table is the authoritative reference. You should verify the position on the Visa Pricing Table before relying on it, because the charge is calculated per applicant and depends on the visa history of each person in the application.

Even if the charge were to apply, the official page sets out a four-step calculation. The charge is nil if you are outside Australia when applying, if the visa you currently hold was applied for outside Australia, or if certain other conditions apply. The charge is also nil for a first substantive temporary visa application made in Australia. For a subclass 485 applicant who has previously held a substantive temporary visa applied for in Australia, the charge could potentially be relevant, but the official guidance does not list subclass 485 in either table, so the position is not clear from the evidence available.

Skilled visa processing priorities

The subclass 485 visa is a temporary skilled visa, and the official page on skilled visa processing priorities sets out how certain skilled nomination and visa applications are prioritised. The priorities are outlined in Ministerial Direction 119, which came into effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced Ministerial Direction 105. Ministerial Direction 119 applies to all on-hand applications, including for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) program, which was not previously included under Ministerial Direction 105.

The visas covered by Ministerial Direction 119 include:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187)
• Skilled Independent (subclass 189)
• Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)
• Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (subclass 191)
• Skills in Demand (subclass 482)
• Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489)
• Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491)
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494)
• Skilled Regional (subclass 887)
• Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (subclass 888)

The subclass 485 visa is not listed in this direction. The official guidance does not state whether subclass 485 applications are subject to Ministerial Direction 119 or to any other prioritisation direction. This is a gap in the evidence, and you should check the official subclass 485 page and the skilled visa processing priorities page for the current position.

Processing times for skilled visas

The official processing times page provides median processing times for key visa categories as at July 2026. For the temporary visa program, the median processing time for Skilled (Temporary) visas was 98 days. The page notes that this figure is affected by several factors, including Ministerial Directions related to skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. Applications are not always processed in the order they are received, and some applications may be decided more quickly than others.

The page also notes that processing times vary for many reasons, including whether all necessary supporting documents have been provided, whether the application was lodged online or on paper, how quickly responses to requests for further information are provided, and how long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character, and national security requirements. For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program is also a factor.

The median figure of 98 days for Skilled (Temporary) visas is a category-wide figure and does not necessarily reflect the processing time for a subclass 485 application specifically. The page states that processing times vary between different visas within these categories, and that in some cases it may take longer for those visas to be finalised. You should use the visa processing times guide tool to see processing times for recently decided applications, which is a guide only and not specific to your application.

What you must verify on the official pages

Because the official guidance does not cover the subclass 485 visa directly, there are several things you must check on the official Department of Home Affairs pages before lodging an application. The following are the key items to verify, with the official pages to check:

• Eligibility requirements. Check the subclass 485 visa page on the Department of Home Affairs website for the specific criteria, including age, qualification, and English language requirements. The official guidance does not state any of these.
• Application charge. Check the Visa Pricing Table for the current base application charge for the subclass 485 visa. The official guidance does not state this figure.
• Subsequent temporary application charge. Verify whether the subclass 485 visa is subject to this charge by checking the Visa Pricing Table and the subsequent temporary application charge page. The official guidance does not list subclass 485 in the relevant tables.
• Processing priorities. Check the skilled visa processing priorities page and the subclass 485 page to see whether Ministerial Direction 119 or any other direction applies to your application.
• Processing times. Use the visa processing times guide tool to see the median processing time for recently decided subclass 485 applications. The category-wide figure of 98 days for Skilled (Temporary) visas is not specific to your application.

What to do next

The evidence available does not allow a definitive statement about the subclass 485 visa’s requirements, charges, or processing priorities. The responsible course of action is to consult the official Department of Home Affairs pages directly. Start with the subclass 485 visa page, then check the Visa Pricing Table for charges, and use the visa processing times guide tool for an indication of processing times. If you are applying in Australia and have previously held a substantive temporary visa applied for in Australia, check whether the subsequent temporary application charge applies to your circumstances by reviewing the four-step calculation on the official page. Lodging a complete application with all supporting documents is the single most effective way to avoid delays, as the official processing times page makes clear.