What to do if your bridging visa does not have work rights
Bridging visas are usually automatically issued when an application for a substantive visa is made. It is very important to read through the bridging visa grant letter. Your Bridging Visa does not necessarily mean that the associated work conditions are granted. At the end of your grant notice letter, you will find information detailing your work rights (if any).
- If you check your grant letter and there are no work rights, you are able to do it online via your immi account or you can ask VisaEnvoy to do it on your behalf.
- Alternatively you could do this by lodging a paper based application by filling out a Form 1005 and apply under “Change of bridging visa conditions”.
You can apply for a bridging visa with change of conditions if you hold a bridging visa A, B, C or E.
If you are seeking unlimited permission to work, you should demonstrate a need to work:
- either because of financial hardship or,
- because you have been sponsored or nominated for employment in an ‘approved appointment’ as part of a substantive visa application.”
Meaning that it is possible to apply for permission to work on all bridging visas, except for the bridging visa D. You can only apply for permission to work on the grounds of financial hardship, unless you are on an employer sponsored visa.
In the online or paper application it is important to attach any evidence that you can show that will support that you are in financial hardship. These could be bank statements, invoices and receipts of necessary living expenses, and if applicable, loans and mortgages. Recent costs of moving to Australia, if applicable can also be used.
If you are married or in a de facto relationship then you would need to show the above as a family meaning overall as a family you need to show you are struggling financially.
We at VisaEnvoy always show this by way of a matrix to Include expenses and income details for our clients.
If you are on an employer sponsored visa (482 TSS visa, 457, 186 or 187), you will be able to apply for permission to work for your sponsor if you are in an ‘approved appointment’. This means that you apply for work rights if your 3 step applications has the first 2 stages – Standard Business Sponsor and Nomination – already approved and you are only waiting for your visa grant.
There is no application fee for this application.
If you are the holder of a Bridging visa E and are seeking to change the condition(s) of the visa, you must demonstrate that you will abide by the conditions sought; and if applicable, you will provide reasons:
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for changing arrangements to depart; or
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to make a visa application; or
- for changing the period in which a valid travel document must be obtained and presented to the department to make a visa application.
