Can My Sponsor Withdraw After My Visa Is Granted?
It is a common and stressful question for visa holders: what happens if the person or entity that sponsored my visa decides to “withdraw” their support after my visa has already been granted? The answer is not a simple yes or no, as it depends heavily on the type of visa you hold and the specific reasons behind the sponsor’s action.
Understand the Link Between Your Visa and Your Sponsor
Once your Australian visa is granted, your status is primarily governed by the conditions attached to that visa and your ongoing obligations. The sponsor’s role and their ability to “withdraw” support differ between employer-sponsored visas and partner visas.
Employer-Sponsored Visas
For employer-sponsored visas such as Skills in Demand (SID) visa (Subclass 482), Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (Subclass 186), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (SESR) (Subclass 494), your ability to remain in Australia is tied to your employment with your sponsoring employers.
Once your SC482 visa is granted, the employer’s “sponsorship” effectively means their nomination for your position was approved. They cannot simply “withdraw” this nomination in the same way they might withdraw an application.
The event is usually the cessation of your employment with that specific employer. This can happen if the employer:
Loses their Standard Business Sponsor (SBS) approval due to adverse information.
Your employer has a legal obligation to notify the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) within a specific timeframe if your employment ends.
If your employment ceases, your visa doesn’t automatically get cancelled. You are typically given a grace period of 180 days (for SC482 visa holders), with a total maximum of 365 days across the visa’s lifetime to:
Find a new eligible employer willing to sponsor you and have a new nomination approved.
Apply for a different visa subclass for which you are eligible. Speak with an immigration lawyer for professional guidance.
Make arrangements to depart Australia.
If you fail to find a new sponsor or secure another valid visa within this grace period, your current visa will likely be cancelled.
If you hold a permanent SC186 visa, the impact of employment cessation is generally less severe unless the visa grant itself was based on false information. However, sponsors do have some ongoing obligations.
Related read: Visa Applicants’ Responsibility - Why Keeping The Immigration Department Updated is Important for Your Visa Status
Partner Visas (Subclass 820/801 or 309/100)
For the sponsor to “withdraw” their sponsorship for a Partner visa can be critical. This means that the genuine and continuing relationship that was the basis of your visa has ended.
Temporary Partner visa (Subclass 820/309)
If your relationship breaks down before you are granted the Permanent Partner Visa (SC801/100), your temporary visa is at high risk of cancellation. It is the sponsor's and the applicant’s responsibility to inform DoHA of the relationship breakdown.
If the relationship broke down due to family violence committed by your sponsoring partner, you may still be eligible for the permanent visa under specific family violence provisions. This is a complex area requiring strong evidence and professional assistance from an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law.
Once you have been granted the permanent Partner Visa (SC801/100), your status is generally secure and unaffected by a subsequent relationship breakdown, unless there is adverse information that may lead to a visa cancellation.
Other Family Visas
For other family visas, such as Parent or Child visas, the sponsorship component primarily focuses on establishing the relationship and the sponsor’s financial capacity at the time of application. While there are ongoing Assurance of Support (AoS) obligations, the sponsor’s withdrawal of emotional support, for instance, typically doesn’t result in visa cancellation once the visa is granted.
Related: Family Violence Provisions to Extend to More Family Visas
What Happens When Your Sponsorship Links Breaks?
If the relationship to your sponsor breaks such as employment ceases or a relationship ends:
Sponsors have obligations to notify DoHA of the change of circumstances.
You are likely in breach of a visa condition.
DoHA will likely issue you with a Natural Justice (S57) letter to give you an opportunity to comment on the situation within a limited timeframe.
If you missed the deadline to respond; your response is not satisfactory or if the grounds for cancellation are strong, your visa can be cancelled. Missing this deadline often means losing your review rights.
Cancellation can lead to loss of lawful status, detention, deportation and re-entry bans (e.g. PIC 4013/4014) or trigger the Section 48 Bar.
Read our clients’ testimonials on Agape Henry Crux and Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, Jason Ling.
Related:
Overstayed Your Visa? Steps to Fix Your Status and Avoid Deportation
Visa Refusal Consequences: Understand the Reason & Next Steps
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help You?
While having a visa grant may feel secure, in any circumstances that your relationship with your sponsor breaks down, your visa may be at risk. Consider scheduling a consultation with an immigration lawyer for professional advice and guidance. At Agape Henry Crux, our team of immigration lawyers work closely with our Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law to handle highly complex matters. You can book a Migration Planning Session with our team by calling 02 8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com to arrange a time.
Our founder and principal lawyer, Jason Ling, has been recognised in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia™. Agape Henry Crux is named as Best Immigration Law Firm 2025 - Sydney by APAC Insider Awards.
We speak fluent English and Mandarin. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.
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