1. Overview
Know these facts cold before the first client conversation - they are also what the exam below tests. No (temporary). Pathway via the Graduate (485) visa, then skilled or employer-sponsored routes to PR.
Visa typeTemporary
LodgementOnshore or offshore
StayDuration of your course (up to ~5 years)
Work rightsUp to 48 hours per fortnight while studying; unlimited during scheduled breaks
Study rightsYes - your enrolled course
Government charge~$2,000
Processing time~1-3 months (median ~29 days)
2. Process flow
The handling sequence for a 500 file, from first consultation to decision. Each step assumes the one before it is genuinely finished - not "mostly done".
- Qualify the client and the course
Confirm the course is CRICOS-registered, full-time, and consistent with the client's study and career history. Course-hopping and step-downs are Genuine Student red flags.
- Secure enrolment and the CoE
The client accepts the offer, pays the deposit and receives a Confirmation of Enrolment. Diary the CoE start date - the visa must be decided before it lapses or be re-issued.
- Build the Genuine Student case
Draft-review the GS statement: why this course, why Australia, why now, and what it leads to at home or beyond. Vague or template statements are the leading refusal driver.
- Evidence funds, English and OSHC
Collect financial capacity evidence (or the eligible-passport exemption), a valid English test where the provider requires one, and an OSHC policy covering the full stay.
- Lodge and manage
Lodge in ImmiAccount with everything decision-ready, complete biometrics and health promptly, and respond to any natural-justice request within the deadline.
- Grant briefing
On grant, brief the client on the 48-hours-per-fortnight work condition, enrolment obligations and the consequences of course changes.
5. Cost checklist
Quote the full stack, in writing, before the client signs. Surprise costs are the fastest way to lose a client's trust (and earn a complaint).
| Item | Indicative amount |
|---|
| Base visa application charge (2025-26, indicative) | ~$2,000 |
| English test (IELTS/PTE/TOEFL) | ~$400-460 |
| OSHC (single, per year) | ~$500-700 |
| Health examinations (per person) | ~$300-500 |
| Additional applicant charges (family members) | Varies by age |
| Course fees (the real budget driver) | Provider-dependent |
| Your professional fee | Per your agency's schedule - quote in writing before Form 956 |
| Rule of thumb | Government charges usually change every 1 July - re-quote any file that lodges after 30 June |
7. Case studies - eligible cases
Illustrative composites showing what a grantable 500 file looks like in practice.
Grant: Omar from Iran
- Background
- Omar, a Master of IT applicant from Iran. International students enrolled full-time in a registered (CRICOS) Australian course.
- Why it qualified
- (1) A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) in a CRICOS-registered course. (2) Meet the Genuine Student (GS) requirement. (3) English proficiency as required by your provider.
- What made the file strong
- The agent tested the weakest criterion first and fixed it before lodging, not after a natural-justice letter.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~1-3 months (median ~29 days)).
Grant: Priya from Sri Lanka
- Background
- Priya, an undergraduate nursing applicant from Sri Lanka. International students enrolled full-time in a registered (CRICOS) Australian course.
- Why it qualified
- (1) A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) in a CRICOS-registered course. (2) Meet the Genuine Student (GS) requirement. (3) English proficiency as required by your provider.
- What made the file strong
- Dates, names and figures matched across every document - no internal inconsistencies to trigger checks.
- Outcome
- Granted within the indicative processing window (~1-3 months (median ~29 days)).
8. Case studies - refusal cases
The same visa, handled badly. Every one of these failure modes is screenable at the first consultation.
Refusal: Rahul from India
- Background
- Rahul, a VET commercial-cookery student from India, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 500.
- What went wrong
- A Genuine Student statement that reads as 'not genuine' - vague study/career rationale
- Outcome
- The case officer decided on the papers without a further request - the file had to stand on its own, and it could not.
- Lesson for the agent
- Apply the decision-ready test: if you cannot evidence the claim today, the application is not ready to lodge.
Refusal: Isabella from Colombia
- Background
- Isabella, a public-health postgraduate applicant from Colombia, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 500.
- What went wrong
- Insufficient or poorly-evidenced financial capacity
- Outcome
- The refusal went to review: another year, more cost, and no certainty the outcome changes.
- Lesson for the agent
- Front-load the file - address the weakness squarely in a submission instead of hoping the case officer will not notice.
9. Self-exam
10 questions drawn from this manual. Pass mark 80%. Answers are graded on the server and your result is recorded against your agent profile - retakes are unlimited and your best score is kept. Log in to the agent portal first so your result is saved to My trainings.