Yes, work experience gained while holding a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa does count toward the three-year work experience requirement for the Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional) visa, provided it meets specific quality standards.

The Subclass 494 visa requires you to demonstrate at least three years of relevant, full-time skilled work experience in your nominated occupation. The Department of Home Affairs does not distinguish between the type of visa you held while gaining that experience, provided the work itself meets the program’s strict criteria.

1. Qualifying Your 485 Work Experience

To ensure your time on a 485 visa counts toward the 494’s three-year requirement, your employment must satisfy the following benchmarks:

• Skill Level Alignment: The work must be performed at the skill level required for your specific occupation (generally ANZSCO skill level 1 or 2 for professional engineering roles).
• Full-Time Standard: The requirement is for three years of full-time employment. While the Department may consider equivalent part-time work, casual employment does not count.
• Relevance: The experience must be “highly relevant” to your nominated occupation. You cannot count unrelated work experience (e.g., hospitality or retail work performed while on your 485 visa) toward an engineering nomination.
• Recency: Generally, the experience should be gained within the five years immediately preceding your application. The three years do not need to be continuous, meaning you can aggregate multiple periods of employment.

2. Why Your 485 Visa is the Ideal “Experience Accelerator”

For many graduates, the 485 visa is the primary bridge to meeting the 494 eligibility criteria. Because the 494 is an employer-sponsored visa, you need to find an employer willing to sponsor you, which requires proving your professional competency.

• Bridging the Gap: If you graduated with limited experience, your 485 visa provides the legal work rights to build the three years of “relevant skilled work” that the 494 assessment requires.
• Skills Assessment: Before you can be granted a 494 visa, you generally need a positive skills assessment. The work experience you gain on your 485 visa can be used to satisfy the employment component of your skills assessment, which is often a mandatory prerequisite for the 494 visa application itself.

3. Critical Compliance Warnings

While your 485 work experience counts, ensure you avoid these common pitfalls that could lead to a visa refusal:

• Maintain Documentation: The burden of proof is on you. Maintain detailed employment contracts, pay slips, tax records (such as Payment Summaries or Income Statements), and detailed position descriptions that explicitly show you were performing duties at the required skill level.
• Regional Location: While your work experience gained anywhere in Australia (including major cities) while on a 485 visa can count toward the 3-year total, the 494 visa itself requires you to be nominated for a position located in a designated regional area.
• Avoid “Cash-in-Hand”: Any work that cannot be evidenced through formal payroll records, superannuation contributions, and tax documentation will likely be disregarded by the Department as “unofficial,” regardless of how long you performed the duties.