RPM Immigration Lawyers

There is actually no requirement that a sponsor for a partner visa application be employed.

Sponsors who are unemployed, retired, or receiving social security benefits can all potentially be approved as a partner visa sponsor – providing they meet the other usual criteria.

However, within the online sponsorship application, the sponsor must declare that they will ensure adequate accommodation is available for the visa applicant upon their arrival in Australia.

And, the sponsor agrees in the application to provide accommodation for up to two years from the applicant’s arrival in Australia, or for a period of two years following the granting of the partner’s visa if the partner is applying while in Australia.

The Immigration Department looks primarily at whether or not the relationship is genuine and relativey long-standing.  The sponsor’s financial situation is less important.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to book a consultation for more information about anything mentioned here.

Regards.

Ross McDougall.

Immigration Lawyer & Solicitor.

www.rpmlawyers.com.au

contactus@rpmlawyers.com.au

This information is correct on October 24th, 2025.  But keep in mind that immigration law changes from time to time.

In their partner visa sponsorship application, the Australian Sponsor agrees to provide this support to their partner:

The sponsor agrees:

To provide information and advice to help the person(s) being sponsored settle in Australia.

To ensure that adequate accommodation is available to them on arrival in Australia or, if necessary, to provide accommodation for up to 2 years from arrival in Australia, or the 2 years following grant of partner’s visa if partner is applying in Australia.

To provide support as required enabling them to attend appropriate English language courses.
 

So, apart from ensuring that adequate accommodation is available for their partner for up to two years after the grant of the partner visa, there is no specific requirement that a sponsor financially support their partner.

As there is no specific requirement for financial support of the partner, sponsors on low incomes and/or with modest savings can potentially sponsor their partner to Australia – providing they (or their partner) have the funds for the Government’s expensive visa application charge.

Of course sponsored partners may, and aften do, have their own income and/or savings and not need to be financially supported by their sponsoring partner after their arrival in Australia.

Additionally, partners holding temporary partner visas have full work rights in Australia.

Notwithstanding the above, the Immigration department does consider whether or not partners have ‘combined’ their finances – as part of the processing of their permanent visa application.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to book a consultation for more information about anything mentioned here.

Regards.

Ross McDougall.

Immigration Lawyer & Solicitor.

www.rpmlawyers.com.au

contactus@rpmlawyers.com.au

This information is correct on April 9th, 2025.  But keep in mind that immigration law changes from time to time.

The Issue

Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents can potentially sponsor their partner (spouse or de facto) in a partner visa application.

The question often arises – how soon after I am granted my Australian permanent residency visa can I sponsor my partner?

It is understandable that there is some confusion around this – permanent residents cannot immediately sponsor relatives for all the different visa types.

For example, an Australian permant resident that wishes to sponor a parent (mother or father) for most types of parent visas, must wait until they have held their Australian permanent resident visa and been ‘settled’ (lawfully resident) in Australia for two or more years, before they can sponsor their parent.

The same two or more year ‘settled’ requirement applies to permanent resident sponsors of ‘Aged Dependent’, ‘Carer’ and ‘Remaining Relative’ visas.

The Good News

However, the good news is that the two or more year ‘settled’ requirement does not apply to Australian permanent resident sponsors of partner visas.

So, Australian permanent residents can potentially sponsor their partner for a partner visa immediately after they are granted their Australian permanent residency visa.

Further Information

Feel free to contact me if you would like to book a consultation for more information about anything mentioned here.

Regards.

Ross McDougall.

Immigration Lawyer & Solicitor.

www.rpmlawyers.com.au

Tel: 08 8528 9187

This information is correct at January 19th, 2023.  But, keep in mind that immigration law changes from time to time.