Marco finished his last shift at a Geelong fabrication workshop on a Tuesday. His subclass 482 visa still had two years left on it. He assumed the visa died with the job, so he waited a month before calling anyone. That month came out of a budget he did not know he had.
Short answer: Your 482 visa survives the end of your employment. Condition 8607 allows a gap of up to 180 days in one period. It also caps all such gaps at 365 days across the visa.
Two numbers govern the gap
Condition 8607 sets the limits, and it sets two of them. Most people only ever hear about the first.
| What it measures | Limit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| One period without work in line with your conditions | 180 days | Runs from the day your employment ends |
| All such periods across your visa | 365 days | A second job loss draws on what you already spent |
| Periods counted | From 1 July 2024 | Earlier gaps do not count against you |
Therefore the 180 days is not a fresh allowance each time. Every gap draws down the same 365-day budget. In addition, your visa expiry date still governs. If the visa ends on day 90, the 180 days gives you nothing further.
Your first week, in order
Do the administrative work while the details are fresh. Tick these off as you go.
Four exits, and what each one needs
This path suits most people. Your new employer must already be an approved sponsor, or must become one. They then lodge a nomination for your position and pay the $330 nomination charge. That nomination must also clear the salary tests. For nominations lodged in 2026 to 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423. Our guide to the three salary tests sets out how they interact.
You may only work in the occupation nominated in your most recent 482 grant. So a genuine change of occupation needs a fresh 482 application, not just a fresh nomination. That means a new visa application charge, a new skills position and new health and character evidence. The 482 visa page sets out what the new application must show.
Some people are closer to another visa than they realise. If you have already worked two years with your sponsor, the subclass 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream may be live. Our article on the three dates that decide a 482 to 186 application explains the timing. Partner, skilled and graduate options may also fit, so assess them early rather than at day 150.
Leaving is a legitimate option, and occasionally the sensible one. Meanwhile your former sponsor remains responsible for reasonable and necessary travel costs for you and your sponsored family. Make the request in writing and keep a copy. Departing before your visa expires also keeps your record clean for a later application.
The rules that do not bend
Four mistakes cause most of the trouble we see after a job ends.
Starting work before the nomination is approved
A new sponsoring employer must have the nomination approved before you start work for them. Starting first and lodging afterwards puts your visa at risk. So agree a start date that follows the decision, not the offer.
Treating the 180 days as time in hand
Nominations take time to prepare and time to decide. As a result, your practical window is much shorter than 180 days. Start the search in week one.
Letting a licence lapse
Some occupations require a licence or registration. Condition 8607 requires you to hold it and comply with it. A lapsed trade licence creates a second problem on top of the first.
Going quiet
Keep your address and contact details current with Home Affairs. Also keep the records that prove when your employment ended. Those dates decide every deadline that follows.
A new employer wants me to start next Monday. Can I?
Not if they are sponsoring you. The nomination must be approved first. Condition 8607 does allow work for other businesses in two narrow situations. The first is where the Minister has specified your occupation in a legislative instrument. The second is where you are serving out a notice period with your sponsor. Because the distinction is technical, confirm your position before you accept the work.
What your former sponsor still owes
Your obligations are not the only ones running. Your former sponsor must notify Home Affairs within 28 days of your employment ending. Their sponsorship obligations then continue until you find a new sponsor, receive another visa, or leave Australia.
Return travel is the obligation people forget. The sponsor must pay reasonable and necessary travel costs so you and your sponsored family can leave. However, that duty is triggered by a written request, so send one.
A realistic 180 days
- Week 1Record the end date, check your visa expiry, and get advice on which exit fits.
- Weeks 2 to 4Approach employers who already hold sponsorship approval, because they move fastest.
- Day 30 to 60Confirm the occupation and salary work, then have the nomination prepared.
- Day 60 to 120Nomination lodged and decided. Only start work once it is approved.
- Day 120 to 180Fall-back window. Decide between another visa and a planned departure.
We cost each of these paths before the work starts, so you can compare them on price as well as time. Our fees and process page sets out how we quote each stage.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 180-day period extend my visa expiry date?
No. Condition 8607 allows a gap of up to 180 days, but it does not add a single day to your visa. If your visa expires during that gap, the expiry date governs. You must then hold another visa or leave Australia.
My employment ended before 1 July 2024. Does that time count?
No. The 180-day and 365-day periods count from 1 July 2024. Gaps under the earlier condition do not draw on your budget. Any period since that date does count, including a short gap between two sponsors.
Can I work for another employer while I look for a sponsor?
Home Affairs accepts that during this window you may stop working, or work outside your usual conditions. However, a new sponsoring employer still needs an approved nomination before you start with them. Condition 8607 separately allows work for other businesses in two cases. Those are a ministerial instrument covering your occupation, or a notice period with your sponsor.
Does a new sponsor in another state mean a new visa application?
Usually not. A move interstate with the same occupation needs a new nomination from the new employer, not a new visa. A change of occupation is different, because you must work only in the occupation nominated in your most recent grant. That change requires a fresh 482 application.
What should I ask my former sponsor for in writing?
Ask for confirmation of your last day and a separation letter. Also ask for reasonable and necessary travel costs if you decide to leave. Keep the request and any reply. Those documents support your position if the Department later asks about the gap.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
General information about Australian migration law as at 3 September 2026. Not legal advice. Visa conditions, charges and policy settings change, and the right option turns on the facts of your case, so obtain advice before you act.