Key Takeaways
- A partner visa change of employment usually has to be reported to the Department of Home Affairs, because section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 requires you to correct any answer in your application that has become incorrect because your circumstances changed.
- The notice is given in writing, usually with Form 1022 or through ImmiAccount, and it should be given as soon as practicable rather than saved for the next request from the Department.
- A new job, a job loss, a redundancy or a move into self-employment does not by itself decide a partner visa, but it can change how the financial aspects of the relationship look, so the evidence should be updated to explain the new arrangement.
- There is no minimum income that the sponsor or the applicant must earn for a partner visa, so losing income is not a ground of refusal in itself, although it can affect what the evidence shows about how the couple share money.
- Employment details also matter for Form 80 and for character and security checks, especially past military service, police, government or intelligence work, so any update must match what was declared earlier.
Do you need to tell the Department about a partner visa change of employment?
Yes. In most cases a partner visa change of employment must be reported to the Department of Home Affairs, because your application form asked about your work and that answer is no longer correct once your job changes. Section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 says that if circumstances change so that an answer on your application form becomes incorrect, you must inform an officer in writing of the new circumstances and the correct answer as soon as practicable. A partner visa change of employment is one of the most common changes that triggers this duty.
The duty applies to the applicant, and it applies whether the change is good news or bad news. A new job with higher pay, a redundancy, a move from employee to contractor, a period of unemployment, a transfer to another city or the start of a small business can all amount to a partner visa change of employment. What matters is whether something you told the Department is now out of date.
This guide explains what the law requires, how to report the change, how a partner visa change of employment can affect the financial evidence for your relationship, what it means for your work rights on a bridging visa or temporary partner visa, and why employment history also matters for character and security checks. It covers both partners. It applies to onshore applicants for the Subclass 820 onshore partner visa and to offshore applicants for the Subclass 309 offshore partner visa. If you are still working out which visa fits your situation, start with the complete guide to partner visas in Australia. The same reporting duty applies to a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa application and to same-sex couples applying through the LGBTI partner visa pathway, because the rule comes from the Migration Act rather than from any one subclass.
For the requirements of the onshore visa itself, the Subclass 820 partner visa guide and the explainer on requirements, documents and how to apply for the 820 visa set out the full criteria. This article deals only with what happens when work changes after lodgement. Because processing can run for a long period, as the article on how long the onshore partner visa takes explains, most couples should expect at least one change of this kind before a decision is made.
Why a partner visa change of employment matters more than people expect
A partner visa change of employment matters because a partner visa application is often open for a long time, and the Department assesses the relationship and the applicant on the information it holds. Over that period, many couples change jobs, lose jobs, move for work or start working for themselves. Each change can make an answer in the application incorrect, and each change can alter the picture of how the couple support each other.
Most couples are not worried about the job itself. They are worried about whether the Department will think less of the relationship. That concern is understandable, but the law does not require a couple to keep the same employment for the life of the application. What the law requires is that the Department is told the truth, and that the evidence continues to show a genuine and continuing relationship. Handled properly, a partner visa change of employment is usually a routine update.
Who has to report a partner visa change of employment
The applicant has the legal duty under section 104, because the section applies to a non-citizen who has made an application. The sponsor is usually an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and is not the person making the visa application. In practice, though, a change in the sponsor's work often affects the same parts of the case, such as where the couple live and how they share expenses. Many couples therefore report a sponsor's partner visa change of employment at the same time, so that the Department's file is consistent.
If someone acts for you under a Form 956 appointment, the notice can be prepared and sent by your representative. The duty is still yours, so it is important that your representative knows about the change as soon as it happens.
What section 104 requires for a partner visa change of employment
Section 104 requires a written notice, given as soon as practicable, of the new circumstances and of the correct answer. It does not require a particular form, but the Department provides one for this purpose. The obligation sits in Subdivision C of Division 3 of Part 2 of the Migration Act, together with section 101, which requires a visa application to be completed so that all questions are answered and no incorrect answers are given.
The timing rules in section 104 depend on where the applicant is when the visa is granted. If the applicant is in Australia when the visa is granted, the duty applies to changes in circumstances before the visa is granted. If the applicant is outside Australia when the visa is granted, the duty applies to changes after the application and before the applicant is immigration cleared. Subsection 104(4) says the duty applies despite the grant of any visa. In plain terms, a partner visa change of employment that happens while the application is being processed should be reported during processing, and a failure to report it does not disappear because the visa is later granted.
Section 104 and section 105 are different duties
Section 104 deals with answers that were correct when given but have become incorrect because circumstances changed. Section 105 deals with answers that were wrong when they were given. A partner visa change of employment is normally a section 104 matter. If you discover that the employment details in your original application or Form 80 were wrong from the start, for example because a job was left out or the dates were wrong, that is a section 105 matter, and the Department has a separate form, Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answer(s), for that situation.
The difference matters. A change of job is a normal part of life. An original answer that was wrong may raise questions about accuracy. Both should be corrected promptly, but the explanation you give will be different, and the response should be prepared with care, particularly if the error is significant.
What "as soon as practicable" means
The phrase "as soon as practicable" is not defined as a number of days. It means you should report the partner visa change of employment once the change has happened and you have the details, without unreasonable delay. You do not need to wait for a payslip from the new job or a final separation certificate from the old one before you give notice. You can give notice of the change and then provide documents when they are available.
Do not wait until the Department asks for updated information. By then, the Department may already have found the change through other sources. Section 106 of the Migration Act makes clear that your obligation to give correct information is not affected by the fact that the Department may have that information from somewhere else.
How to report a partner visa change of employment: Form 1022 and ImmiAccount
A partner visa change of employment is usually reported with Form 1022 Notification of changes in circumstances, or through the update options in ImmiAccount for the relevant application. The Department's Form 1023 itself directs people who need to report a change in circumstances, rather than an answer that was wrong from the start, to use Form 1022. For a full explanation of the form, see the guide on Form 1022 change of circumstances.
For many applicants, the practical path is to log in to ImmiAccount, open the partner visa application, and use the update function to attach a completed Form 1022 together with supporting documents. The notice should identify the application, state what has changed, state the date of the change and give the correct current details.
What to include in a partner visa change of employment notice
A good partner visa change of employment notice is short, factual and complete. It should state the name of the previous employer and the date the employment ended, the name and address of the new employer, the start date, the job title and whether the role is full time, part time, casual or contract. If the change is a period of unemployment, it should state when it began and how you are supporting yourself. If the change is a move into self-employment, it should state the business name, the type of business and the start date.
Attach documents that support the change. These may include a letter of offer or employment contract, a separation certificate or redundancy letter, a first payslip, an ABN record for self-employment, or a letter confirming a transfer. Do not attach large amounts of unrelated material. The aim is to make the update clear and easy to match against your file.
Explain the effect on the relationship, if there is one
A partner visa change of employment notice is not the place for a long relationship history. However, if the change affects where you live, how you share money or how much time you spend together, a short explanation is useful. For example, if one partner has accepted a job in another city for a fixed period, the notice can say that the couple remain together, that the separation is temporary and for work, and when they expect to live together again. That explanation can then be supported by fresh evidence when the Department next reviews the relationship.
Change of address is a separate update
A partner visa change of employment often comes with a change of address. An address change is a separate obligation. Section 52 of the Migration Act requires applicants to keep the Department informed of their contact details, and the Department provides Form 929 Change of address and/or passport details for that purpose. Updating your address matters because the Department sends letters, including any section 56 request for more information or section 57 natural justice letter, to the address it holds.
Updating Form 80 employment history after a partner visa change of employment
If you have completed Form 80, or the Department later asks you to complete it, your employment history must be complete and must match your current position. Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment asks for details of all employment and unemployment, with no gaps in the timeline. The form says employment includes paid employment, self-employment or family business, work experience or internships, and unpaid or volunteer work. Unemployment includes all gaps between jobs.
After a partner visa change of employment, the Form 80 you provided at lodgement may no longer show your current job. The Department does not always ask for a new Form 80. If it does, the new form must record the change accurately, and the dates must line up with what you gave in your Form 1022 notice. Our guide on how to complete Form 80 without errors explains the form in more detail.
Gaps in the timeline must be explained
Form 80 requires an explanation for any gap in the employment timeline. If a partner visa change of employment involved a period without work, that period should be recorded as unemployment, with an explanation of how you spent your time and how you supported yourself. A gap left without explanation is likely to prompt further questions from the Department.
Consistency across documents
The Department reads your application as a whole. Your application form, Form 80, Form 1022 notice, relationship statement, tax records and payslips should tell the same story about your work. A partner visa change of employment that appears in a payslip but not in the Department's records invites questions. The partner visa document checklist is a useful place to check what you have already provided and what may need to be refreshed.
A sponsor's partner visa change of employment
The sponsor does not complete Form 80 in the same way as the applicant, but the sponsorship form asks about the sponsor's circumstances. If the sponsor changes jobs, moves for work or stops working, it is good practice to tell the Department, particularly where the sponsor's work affects the household or the financial arrangements. A sponsor's partner visa change of employment is not a ground for refusal, but an unexplained change can make the evidence look inconsistent. If there is any question about the sponsor's eligibility, the separate rules on partner visa sponsorship limitations should be checked as well.
How a partner visa change of employment affects the financial aspects of the relationship
A partner visa change of employment does not decide whether the relationship is genuine, but it can change how the financial aspects of the relationship look, so the evidence should be updated to show the new arrangement. For partner visas, the Minister must consider all the circumstances of the relationship, including four assessed aspects: the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the commitment. These are set out in regulation 1.15A(3) of the Migration Regulations 1994 for married couples and regulation 1.09A(3) for de facto couples.
The financial aspects include any joint ownership of real estate or other major assets, any joint liabilities, the extent of any pooling of financial resources, especially in relation to major financial commitments, whether one person owes any legal obligation in respect of the other, and the basis of any sharing of day-to-day household expenses. A change of job can affect almost every one of these factors. Income may rise or fall. One partner may start paying more of the rent. A loan application may be delayed. A new joint account may be opened when a pay arrangement changes.
The Department looks at the arrangement, not the salary
The Department does not assess whether a couple earn enough money. It assesses whether the way they manage money is consistent with a committed relationship. Department policy notes that some couples keep separate accounts, and that in both joint and personal accounts there should be evidence of income or spending on shared costs such as utilities, rent and mortgage. After a partner visa change of employment, the question is simply whether the evidence still shows how the couple share their financial life.
That means a partner visa change of employment can sometimes strengthen the evidence. A new job may lead the couple to restructure their finances, open a joint account, add each other to a lease or make a joint purchase. Each of these steps creates fresh evidence of the financial aspects of the relationship, provided it reflects what the couple actually do.
Job loss and redundancy
A job loss or redundancy is not a reason to refuse a partner visa. What it changes is the pattern of payments. If the applicant was paying half the rent and now pays nothing, the evidence will show the sponsor carrying more of the cost. That is consistent with a supportive relationship, and it should be explained rather than hidden.
After a redundancy, keep the redundancy letter, the final pay details and any record of the new arrangement for household bills. If the couple decide that one partner will cover the rent while the other looks for work, a short written explanation of that decision, supported by bank records, shows the Department how the couple responded together. That is often more persuasive than a long list of documents. Remember to report this partner visa change of employment as well, because your application will usually record you as employed.
When one partner supports the other
Many couples go through periods where one partner fully supports the other, for example during study, illness, pregnancy, caring responsibilities, a career change or a slow job search. Financial dependence is not, of itself, a negative factor. The regulations ask whether one person owes any legal obligation in respect of the other and how day-to-day household expenses are shared. A partner who is supported by the other may point to transfers into their account, shared cards, the sponsor paying bills in both names, or joint budgeting.
Tribunal decisions reflect this. In Gaspar (Migration) [2024] AATA 4055, a Subclass 820 matter, the reported issue was that the applicant was wholly reliant on the sponsor's income to meet her day-to-day needs and that the parties saw their relationship as a long-term commitment. In Singh (Migration) [2018] AATA 5925, a Subclass 309 matter, the reported issue included that the sponsor financially supported the visa applicant while the couple lived in separate countries. Both decisions were remitted to the Department for reconsideration. They are a reminder that financial support from one partner to the other is something to explain clearly with evidence, not something to hide.
A new job with higher income
A partner visa change of employment that brings more income rarely causes difficulty, but it can still make older evidence look out of date. If the couple's contributions to rent, savings or a mortgage change, the bank records will show a new pattern. That is not a problem, but the Department may ask why the pattern changed. A short note in your Form 1022 notice or in the next evidence update avoids confusion.
Starting self-employment
A move from employment to self-employment is a partner visa change of employment that needs particular care, because business income and personal income can become mixed. Couples should keep business and personal finances distinguishable, keep records of how business income is used for shared costs, and keep the ABN and tax records that show when the business started. Self-employment raises its own evidence questions, so it should be treated as a separate topic when the evidence is updated.
When a job change puts strain on the relationship
A partner visa change of employment can bring stress into a household. Long hours, financial pressure or a move away can strain any relationship. Ordinary disagreements do not mean the relationship has ended. However, if the relationship does break down during processing, the application is affected in a different way, and the options are explained in the guide on what happens to a Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down. If financial control, threats or violence are part of what is happening at home, the family violence provisions may be relevant, and the firm's family violence partner visa service explains how those provisions work.
Keeping the financial evidence current
After any partner visa change of employment, it is sensible to refresh the financial evidence rather than rely only on documents from lodgement. Recent statements for joint accounts, evidence of shared bills, updated lease or mortgage documents and records of transfers between the couple all help. The guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship and the Subclass 820 evidence checklist explain how to organise this material across all four assessed aspects.
Moving interstate or living apart for work during a partner visa application
A move for work does not end the relationship for migration purposes, provided the couple do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. For married couples, section 5F of the Migration Act requires the couple to live together or not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. For de facto couples, the same requirement appears in paragraph 5CB(2)(c). Department policy on married relationships says plainly that physical separation for work or other reasons does not necessarily mean that the parties have legally separated.
Where a partner visa change of employment leads to a period of living apart, the Department will consider the reasons for the temporary separation and whether those reasons are consistent with a mutual commitment. The couple should keep evidence of the reason for the move, such as the employment contract or transfer letter, and evidence of continued contact, visits, shared finances and plans to live together again. A de facto partner visa can be affected in the same way as a marriage, and the same evidence approach applies.
Keep this short and honest in your notice to the Department. State that the separation is temporary and for work, how long it is expected to last and how the couple maintain the relationship during it. If the move is to another city, update the address details as well. If the move becomes long term, take advice, because the evidence needed will be greater.
Work rights on the bridging visa and the temporary partner visa
A partner visa change of employment does not usually affect your right to work, but your right to work depends on which visa is in effect when you change jobs. Many onshore applicants lodge a Subclass 820 application while holding another visa, such as a student, visitor or work visa. They are granted a Bridging A visa, but that bridging visa does not come into effect until the visa they held at lodgement ceases. Until then, the conditions of the old visa still apply.
Once a Bridging A visa associated with a Subclass 820 or Subclass 801 application is in effect, Department policy states that it carries no conditions, so there is normally no work limitation. The guide to working while a Subclass 820 visa is pending explains this in detail, and the overview of bridging visas in Australia explains how the different bridging visas work. Holders of a granted Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 visa can generally work in Australia while the permanent stage is processed. Check your own grant notice and VEVO record before acting.
When the old visa still governs a partner visa change of employment
If your old visa is still in effect, its conditions decide what work you may do. A student visa may limit work hours during study periods. A visitor visa usually prohibits work, which is why the guide on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa stresses checking conditions before starting any job. An employer-sponsored visa usually ties you to the sponsoring employer and the nominated occupation. Changing jobs while one of these visas is in effect can breach a condition, even though a partner visa application has been lodged.
This is an easy trap to fall into. A person lodges a partner visa, assumes they now have full work rights, and changes jobs before the old visa has ended. The Bridging A visa is granted, but it is not yet in effect, so it gives no protection. A partner visa change of employment during this window should be checked against the conditions of the old visa first.
Employer-sponsored visa holders who lose their job
If the applicant holds an employer-sponsored temporary visa and the employment ends before the Bridging A visa comes into effect, the position needs urgent attention. Employer-sponsored visas generally carry a condition requiring the holder to work for the sponsoring employer, and they set a limited period in which the holder must find a new sponsor, be granted another visa or leave Australia. If the substantive visa is cancelled, a Bridging A visa that was granted while that substantive visa was held can also cease. For employer-side issues, see what employers need to know before nominating a worker and the firm's corporate migration service.
If you receive a notice of intention to consider cancellation, take advice immediately. The firm's visa cancellations service deals with these notices. Response periods are short and strictly applied. If a substantive visa is cancelled and no other visa is held, the person may become unlawful, and any later partner visa application may then have to address the Schedule 3 criteria and, where possible, a Schedule 3 waiver.
Travel for work
Some jobs involve overseas travel. A Bridging A visa that is in effect ceases when you leave Australia, so an onshore applicant who travels for work usually needs a Bridging B visa before departure. Plan travel before accepting a role that requires it, and include the travel in your notice to the Department if it forms part of your new job.
Does the sponsor need a minimum income for a partner visa?
No. There is no minimum income that the sponsor or the applicant must earn for a partner visa, so a partner visa change of employment that reduces income is not, by itself, a reason for refusal. The sponsor gives an undertaking to provide adequate accommodation and financial assistance to the applicant if it is needed, but the partner visa criteria do not set an income figure that must be met.
This surprises many couples. They fear that a redundancy or a lower-paid job will cause the application to fail. It will not do so on its own. What the Department assesses is the relationship, the sponsor's eligibility and the applicant's health, character and other public interest criteria. Income is relevant only as part of the evidence of how the couple manage their finances together.
That said, a sponsor's partner visa change of employment can still matter in practice. If the sponsor moves for work, the household evidence changes. If the sponsor stops working, the financial evidence changes. These are evidence questions, not eligibility questions, and they should be answered with clear documents and a short explanation. The rules on who can sponsor at all are separate, and are covered in the guide on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa.
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Employment evidence at the permanent stage of a partner visa
At the permanent stage, the Department reassesses whether the relationship is continuing, and current employment evidence is part of showing how the couple live now. Partner visas are usually granted in two stages. Onshore applicants apply for the temporary Subclass 820 and permanent Subclass 801 visas together. Offshore applicants apply for the provisional Subclass 309 and permanent Subclass 100 visas together. The differences are explained in the guide on Subclass 820 versus Subclass 801.
When the second stage is assessed, the Department usually asks for updated evidence of the relationship across the four assessed aspects. If there has been a partner visa change of employment since the first stage, the second-stage evidence should reflect it. Old payslips from a job you left years ago do not help. Recent payslips, tax records, bank statements showing shared spending and records of any joint purchases made since the first stage are far more useful.
Using employment records as relationship evidence
Employment records can do more than show income. Many employers keep an emergency contact, a next of kin nomination and superannuation details. If a new job has records that name your partner as next of kin, or you have nominated your partner as a superannuation beneficiary, those documents can support the nature of the commitment. Tax returns that declare a spouse or de facto partner can support the social aspects of the relationship, because they show that the relationship has been declared to a government body. After a partner visa change of employment, take the opportunity to update these records accurately.
A partner visa change of employment between the two stages
It is common for one or both partners to change jobs between the first and second stage. That is normal. The Department will want to see that the relationship continued through the change. A short timeline, attached to the updated evidence, showing each partner visa change of employment, any change of address and the steps the couple took together, makes the Department's task easier.
Character and security: military service, government and security work in Form 80
Employment history is also used to assess character and security, so a partner visa change of employment into, or a history of, military, police, government or intelligence work must be declared fully and consistently. Every partner visa applicant must meet the public interest criteria in Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations 1994, including the character requirement and the requirement in public interest criterion 4002 that the applicant is not assessed by the competent Australian authorities to be directly or indirectly a risk to security.
Form 80 asks specific questions on this subject. Part L asks whether you have undertaken any military service, and states that military service includes compulsory service, conscription, military training, voluntary service and professional service. Part M asks whether you are, or have been, employed as an intelligence officer or an agent of an intelligence or security agency. The character questions in Part K ask whether you have served in a military force, police force, state sponsored or private militia or intelligence agency, including secret police, and whether you have undergone military or paramilitary training or been trained in weapons or explosives.
Compulsory military service must still be declared
Many applicants come from countries with compulsory national service. They sometimes leave it out because they do not think of it as a job. Form 80 includes compulsory service and conscription in its definition of military service, so it must be declared. Leaving it out can create an incorrect answer, and if it is discovered later, it can raise questions that are harder to resolve than the service itself would have been.
Government work and a new public sector job
If a partner visa change of employment involves a move into a government department, the police, the armed forces or a security role, either in Australia or overseas, record it accurately. A new role of this kind may lead the Department to ask further questions. That is not a sign that anything is wrong. It is a sign that the employment details are being checked against the character and security criteria. Accurate dates, unit or agency names, ranks and duties make that process faster.
Consistency with earlier answers
If your earlier Form 80 or application form omitted military or government service, correct it with Form 1023, not Form 1022, because the earlier answer was wrong when it was given. Take advice before doing so if the omission is significant. The Department treats accuracy seriously, and a careful correction is usually far better than leaving the error for the Department to find.
What happens if you do not report a partner visa change of employment?
Failing to report a partner visa change of employment can create problems that are much larger than the change itself. While the application is pending, the Department may find the change through tax, employer or other records and ask why it was not reported. It may then question the accuracy of other information in the application. Public interest criterion 4020 allows refusal where a person has given false or misleading information or a bogus document in relation to the application, and an unreported change can sometimes become part of that assessment.
After grant, section 109 of the Migration Act allows the Minister to consider cancelling a visa where the holder did not comply with sections 101 to 105, which include the duty to report changes under section 104. Cancellation is not automatic. The visa holder is given an opportunity to respond before a decision is made. However, it is a serious risk, and it is avoidable.
If the Department has already raised the issue
If a letter about your employment has just arrived and the deadline is close, the guide on urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to gather before you seek help. If the Department has sent a request for information or a natural justice letter that mentions your employment, respond within the time given and explain the change clearly. Provide the documents that show the change and its timing. If the application is refused, the refusal letter will explain review rights. Partner visa refusals are usually reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal, and the deadline to apply is short and strictly applied. The guides on partner visa refused appeal options and what to expect at an ART review explain the next steps. The firm's visa refusals service, the guide on when to use a visa appeal lawyer and the firm's judicial review service cover the later stages where they are needed, and the firm's partner visa refusals service acts in these matters.
Partner visa change of employment: three hypothetical scenarios
The following scenarios are hypothetical. They are not client stories. They show how a partner visa change of employment can play out in different situations.
Scenario one: redundancy during a Subclass 820 application
An applicant on a Bridging A visa that is in effect is made redundant. The sponsor takes over the rent and most household bills. The applicant reports the partner visa change of employment with Form 1022 within a short time, attaching the redundancy letter and a statement that the couple have agreed the sponsor will cover the household costs while the applicant looks for work. Later bank statements show transfers from the sponsor to the applicant and the sponsor paying the bills. When the applicant finds a new job, a second notice is sent with the letter of offer. The file is consistent and the Department has a clear picture.
Scenario two: a new job in another state
A sponsor accepts a fixed-term contract in another state, and the couple decide that the applicant will stay in their current home until the lease ends. They report the partner visa change of employment and the temporary separation, attaching the contract and a short explanation of their plan to live together again. They keep records of visits, daily calls, shared expenses and the joint lease. The separation is temporary and for work, and the evidence shows the relationship continuing.
Scenario three: an employer-sponsored visa holder changes jobs too early
An applicant holding an employer-sponsored visa lodges a Subclass 820 application, receives a Bridging A visa that is not yet in effect, and leaves the sponsoring employer to take a new job. The employer-sponsored visa is still in effect, so its conditions still apply. The applicant now faces a possible breach of a visa condition and possible cancellation of the employer-sponsored visa, which could also affect the Bridging A visa. Advice before the partner visa change of employment would have shown that the safer course was to check the visa conditions first and plan the timing of the move.
Common mistakes after a partner visa change of employment
The first mistake is not reporting the change at all, on the assumption that the Department only cares about the relationship. The application form asked about employment, so the answer must be kept correct.
The second mistake is changing jobs before the Bridging A visa is in effect while the old visa still has work conditions. Always check which visa is in effect before a partner visa change of employment.
The third mistake is leaving gaps in Form 80. Unemployment between jobs must be shown and explained.
The fourth mistake is hiding a period of financial dependence. Support from one partner to the other is consistent with a committed relationship and should be shown clearly.
The fifth mistake is failing to declare compulsory military service or past government work. These are part of employment history for Form 80 purposes.
The sixth mistake is relying on old financial evidence at the permanent stage. After a partner visa change of employment, the evidence should show how the couple live now. The single partner visa relationship statement may also need a short update, and supporting Form 888 statements from people who know the couple can describe how they managed the change together. The guide to Form 888 example answers shows what a useful statement covers. Many of these errors also appear in the list of reasons partner visas get refused and the common reasons Subclass 820 visas are refused.
How My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa change of employment
My Migration Lawyers handles complex partner visa matters where employment, finances and lawful status change during processing, and acts in many matters involving a partner visa change of employment, including redundancy, temporary separation for work and employer-sponsored visa holders who need to move jobs. The firm is capable of managing these cases from the first notice to the final decision. No firm can promise a particular outcome, but the risks in a partner visa change of employment can usually be identified and managed before they cause harm.
The work starts with the facts. Principal Lawyer Weiwei Zhang and the team review your application form, Form 80 and earlier evidence to see exactly what the Department was told about your work and your partner's work. We identify which answers are now incorrect and whether any earlier answer was wrong from the start.
Next, we check your visa position. We confirm which visa is in effect today, what conditions apply, and whether the job change, travel or move could breach a condition or affect your bridging visa. Where the applicant holds an employer-sponsored visa, we advise on timing before the job changes.
We then prepare the notice to the Department. That includes the Form 1022 notice or the correct ImmiAccount update, a Form 1023 correction where one is needed, any Form 929 address update, and supporting documents such as contracts, separation letters and payslips. Where the Department has asked for a new Form 80, we prepare it so that the employment timeline has no unexplained gaps and matches the other records.
Finally, we re-map the financial evidence. After a partner visa change of employment, we review how the couple now share income, rent, bills and savings, and present the client's own account and evidence in the form the law requires across all four assessed aspects. At the permanent stage, we prepare the updated evidence so that it reflects the current arrangement. If a request for information or natural justice letter arrives, we prepare the response within the time allowed.
You can learn more about My Migration Lawyers, our partner visa lawyers service, and when to use an immigration lawyer for a partner visa. Our guide on what happens at an immigration lawyer consultation explains how the first meeting works, and more partner visa topics are collected on the My Migration Lawyers blog. If you lodged your own application and now need help, see hiring an immigration lawyer after lodgement. Consultations are held by video, so the firm acts for clients across Australia, including through its pages for partner visa lawyers in Sydney, partner visa lawyers in Melbourne, partner visa lawyers in Brisbane, partner visa lawyers in Perth, partner visa lawyers in Adelaide, partner visa lawyers on the Gold Coast, partner visa lawyers in Canberra, partner visa lawyers in Hobart and partner visa lawyers in Parramatta.
Book a consultation about a partner visa change of employment
If you or your partner have changed jobs, lost a job, started a business or moved for work while a partner visa is being processed, a consultation will give you a clear view of what to report, when to report it and how to update your evidence. Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers. You can also call 1300 040 300.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to tell immigration if I change jobs while my partner visa is being processed?
Yes. If your partner visa application recorded your employment, a new job makes that answer incorrect, and section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 requires you to tell the Department in writing as soon as practicable. Most applicants use Form 1022 or the update options in ImmiAccount. A partner visa change of employment is a routine update when it is reported promptly, and the notice should give the new employer, start date and role, with a supporting document such as a letter of offer.
Will losing my job cause my partner visa to be refused?
No. Losing a job is not a ground of refusal for a partner visa, because the partner visa criteria do not include a minimum income. What a job loss changes is the evidence of how the couple share money. If one partner now carries more of the household costs, that should be shown clearly in bank records and briefly explained. You must still report the partner visa change of employment to the Department, because your application will usually show you as employed.
Which form do I use to report a partner visa change of employment?
Form 1022 Notification of changes in circumstances is the usual form for reporting a partner visa change of employment. It can be uploaded through ImmiAccount to the relevant application with supporting documents. Form 1023 is different: it is used when an answer was wrong at the time it was given, for example where a past job was left out of Form 80. If the job change also means you have moved, update your address separately, usually with Form 929.
Does my sponsor need to report a change of job too?
The legal duty in section 104 falls on the visa applicant, not the sponsor. In practice, a sponsor's change of job often affects the same evidence, such as where the couple live and how they share expenses. Many couples therefore report a sponsor's partner visa change of employment at the same time as any change for the applicant, so the Department's file stays consistent. If the sponsor's move changes the household, a short explanation should accompany the notice.
How soon after a job change do I need to notify the Department?
Section 104 says you must give notice as soon as practicable. The law does not set a fixed number of days. In practice, you should report a partner visa change of employment once the change has happened and you know the details, without waiting for the Department to ask. You do not need every document first. You can give notice of the change and provide payslips or other records when they become available.
Can I work full time while my Subclass 820 application is being processed?
Usually yes, once your Bridging A visa is in effect. Department policy states that a Bridging A visa linked to a Subclass 820 or Subclass 801 application carries no conditions. However, the Bridging A visa does not come into effect until the visa you held at lodgement ceases. Until then, the work conditions of that earlier visa still apply. Check your grant notice and VEVO record before starting a new job or increasing your hours.
I hold an employer-sponsored visa and lodged a partner visa. Can I change employers?
Not safely without checking first. If your employer-sponsored visa is still in effect, its conditions still apply, even though a partner visa has been lodged. Leaving the sponsoring employer may breach a condition and could lead to cancellation of that visa, which may also affect the Bridging A visa granted with your partner visa application. Take advice on timing before any partner visa change of employment while an employer-sponsored visa is in effect.
Does my new job need to be added to Form 80?
If the Department asks you for a new or updated Form 80, yes. Form 80 asks for all employment and unemployment with no gaps in the timeline, including self-employment, internships and volunteer work. A partner visa change of employment should appear with accurate dates, and any period without work between jobs must be shown and explained. The details should match the dates you gave in your Form 1022 notice and your payslips or tax records.
Is it a problem if my partner supports me financially?
No. Financial support from one partner to the other is consistent with a committed relationship. The financial aspects of the relationship include whether one person owes any legal obligation in respect of the other and how day-to-day expenses are shared. If a partner visa change of employment means one partner now supports the other, show it with bank transfers, bills paid for both partners and a short explanation. Do not try to hide it.
What if my partner and I live in different cities because of work?
A temporary separation for work does not end a relationship for migration purposes. The law requires that a couple live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. Department policy states that physical separation for work does not necessarily mean the parties have separated. Keep the employment contract, evidence of visits and contact, shared finances and your plans to live together again, and report the change of address and employment.
Do I need to declare compulsory military service as employment?
Yes. Form 80 defines military service to include compulsory service, conscription, military training, voluntary service and professional service. It must be declared in the military service section, and it may also need to appear in your employment timeline. Leaving it out creates an incorrect answer. If it was left out of an earlier Form 80, it should be corrected with Form 1023, and advice should be taken first if the omission is significant.
Can a job in government or the police affect my partner visa?
It can lead to further questions, but it is not a bar in itself. Every partner visa applicant must meet the character and security criteria in Schedule 4, and Form 80 asks about service in military, police, militia and intelligence roles. If a partner visa change of employment takes you into one of these roles, or you held one before, declare it accurately with dates, agency names and duties. Accurate answers allow the checks to proceed.
What happens if I never told the Department about a job change?
Report it now. An unreported partner visa change of employment can lead the Department to question the accuracy of other information in your application. Public interest criterion 4020 allows refusal where false or misleading information has been given, and section 109 allows the Minister to consider cancelling a granted visa for non-compliance with the duty to report changes. Cancellation is not automatic, and the person is given a chance to respond first.
Does starting my own business count as a change of employment?
Yes. Form 80 treats self-employment and family business as employment, so moving from a job into your own business is a partner visa change of employment that should be reported. Give the business name, type of business and start date, and attach a record such as the ABN details. Keep business and personal finances distinguishable, because business income and shared household spending can otherwise become hard to show clearly in the relationship evidence.
Will the Department ask for employment evidence at the permanent stage?
The Department usually asks for updated relationship evidence at the permanent stage, and current employment and financial records often form part of it. If there has been a partner visa change of employment since the first stage, recent payslips, tax records and bank statements showing shared spending will be more useful than documents from lodgement. Employment records naming your partner as next of kin or superannuation beneficiary can also support the nature of the commitment.
Does my income or my sponsor's income have to reach a set amount?
No. There is no minimum income for a partner visa. The sponsor gives an undertaking to provide adequate accommodation and financial assistance if it is needed, but the criteria do not set an income figure. A lower income after a partner visa change of employment is therefore not a ground for refusal in itself. Income matters only as part of the evidence of how the couple manage their finances together.
Weiwei Zhang is the Principal Lawyer and Managing Director of My Migration Lawyers. My Migration Lawyers is one of Australia's leading immigration law firms, dedicated exclusively to Australian immigration law. The firm represents individuals, families and businesses across all areas of migration law, with particular expertise in complex immigration matters, Partner Visas, Protection Visas, corporate migration, visa refusals, Administrative Review Tribunal reviews, judicial reviews and visa cancellations.
