“Beware the Ides of March” is often associated with Julius Caesar, whose death was foretold by a seer on his way to a senate meeting. While the modern-day 15th of March isn’t quite as dramatic, it still holds considerable significance for students whose visas expire.

There are generally three routes’ people will take once their student visas expire:

• Apply for a new student visa by enrolling in further study
• Return to their home country
• Move to a 485 visa and start the next stage of living/working in Australia

For many, applying for a 485 visa is part of the process of ‘hopefully’ living & working in Australia, and transitioning to permanent residency. Many will visit migration agents for assistance, then continue as they were previously – be it working in current jobs or looking for new opportunities.

IT, Accounting and Engineering graduates will consider a Professional Year Program (PY) to help transition from study to working in Australia. Data tells us many will take their time applying for a PY as they explore other avenues to achieve their goal of working in Australia as a permanent resident.

If this sounds like you, STOP!

The clock is ticking, and you DO NOT have time to waste – these decisions, or lack thereof, could adversely affect your future. Namely this is due to 485 visas not being renewable (other than due to COVID reasons).

The 485 Visa Low Down
So, what does this all mean!? The minute you activate a visa, you’re effectively on a countdown clock – and if living & working in Australia is the end-goal – it triggers other considerations. (FYI – We can’t give out migration advice in this article – so strongly suggest speaking to your migration lawyer on what this may mean for your situation).

With the limited time frame on 485 visas, we suggest enrolling in your Professional Year Program sooner rather than later. Once you complete the 10-month course, you still need to give yourself time to find a job in your field and then gain one-year of work experience, both crucial in terms of being able to progress professionally, but also with next stages of your migration journey.

Why the right PY provider matters!
Choosing a Professional Year Program provider is an important decision. When making your choice we suggest focusing on the following four key areas:

• Provider’s track record of delivering job outcomes for graduates
• Their success in placing students into internships with Australian companies – probe how this would/could work through extenuating circumstances like lockdowns
• Delays to graduation and why this happens – time is of the essence for you and you want to be 100% sure your time & investment is valued/returned by the provider.
• Course Content – ensure the learnings taught in the program are reflective of the Australian workplace and will help you start your career in Australia.

Why Choose PE?
Performance Education (PE) has been Australia’s #1 Professional Year Provider for over a decade, with a dedicated focus on ensuring students are placed in the right internships for them. On time. Every time. Operating across four states – New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland, PE prides itself on preparing students for the professional workplace in Australia and is backed up by real-life statistics and experiences with 1 in 3 students gaining a paid role directly from their internship.

Internships
Our dedicated team continually grow our pool of 9,000+ Australian Host Companies to ensure there are plenty of options and opportunities to match your skillset, experience and needs with an internship. Importantly, we delivered these placements even through the lockdowns the past two years.

Support
Appreciating time is crucial, students who enrol with PE will always complete their program on time – as long as they complete the requisite assessments and meet all the course requirements. Furthermore, our Delivery Team works closely with each student to educate on the skills needed to start their professional career in Australia.

Flexibility
We know students need flexibility thus 20% of our ‘in-class’ curriculum is now delivered via online learning providing the opportunity for some self-paced study as you juggle the challenges of transitioning from university to professional life. 

Need help!?
These are just some of the reasons which make Performance Education Australia’s #1 PY Provider! If you’re considering taking that important first step towards a professional career, get in touch with our team today now let us help you: 

• New South Wales/South Australia: daniele.zanetti@performance.edu.au
• Victoria: nidhi.chopra@performance.edu.au
• Queensland: Adam.Piszczuk@performance.edu.au