485 Graduate Visa — Tax & DASP
ALITAX · Bilal Jivraj — Registered Tax Agent 25287564. Original guidance from 10+ years of DASP and tax casework.
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) lets recent graduates live, study and work in Australia temporarily. Because you can be here for two to four years or more, your tax situation is often different from a short-stay worker — and there are two pots of money to think about when you eventually leave: your tax refund and your superannuation.
Your residency for tax purposes
Many 485 holders live in Australia long enough, and with enough continuity, to be treated as an Australian resident for tax purposes. That usually means you are taxed at resident rates and receive the tax-free threshold. Residency is decided on your individual circumstances — how long you stay, where you live, your ties to Australia — not simply on your visa label. Getting this right affects your refund significantly.
Claiming your super (DASP) after you leave
While you work, your employer pays superannuation for you. Once you have permanently left Australia and your 485 visa has ceased or been cancelled, you can claim that super back through a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). You cannot claim it while the visa is still active and you are still in the country.
What to do before you go
- Lodge your final tax return for your last year of work.
- Keep a certified copy of your passport ready for your super fund.
- Keep an Australian bank account open if you can — it is the fastest way to be paid.