Changing employers on a subclass 482 visa? What to watch before you resign

Resigning can feel simple. Resigning on a subclass 482 visa can feel like stepping off a ledge with your phone in one hand and your visa grant letter in the other. That’s because your work rights are closely tied to an employer and a nominated role. If the timing, paperwork, or job match goes sideways, the visa risk is real.

You can change employers on a subclass 482 visa, but you should line up the next move before you resign. Check your visa conditions (especially condition 8607), confirm how long you can be between sponsors, and make sure the new role genuinely matches your nominated occupation. Since 1 July 2024, the rules allow up to 180 consecutive days (and 365 days total across the visa period) where you can stop working “in accordance” with the usual sponsor/occupation limits, giving you more breathing room to sort out a new sponsor or another visa option. 

Why changing jobs on a 482 feels different

A subclass 482 visa is employer-sponsored. In plain terms, your visa is built around:

• a sponsoring business, and
• a nominated occupation (the role the business sponsored you for).

That link matters when you resign, because your “clock” starts ticking the day your employment ends. Even if you have strong savings and a great CV, the visa system still expects a compliant plan.

The rule change that gives you more breathing room (and what it really means)

The big thing many people miss: the grace period expanded.

From 1 July 2024, the regulations were amended so that a primary visa holder can stop working “in accordance with” the usual rules for a period, but:

• any single break must not exceed 180 consecutive days, and
• the total across the visa period must not exceed 365 days.

The explanatory statement is even clearer about the intent: this change was designed to increase labour mobility and reduce the pressure to stay with one employer to keep lawful status. It notes that, during the permitted period, a visa holder may work outside the nominated sponsor, even in roles outside the most recent nominated occupation.

Two details that can save you from a nasty surprise:

• The amendments commence 1 July 2024.
• If you ceased employment before that commencement, that earlier cessation period is disregarded for the post-commencement part of the visa period.

Practical takeaway: You have more time than people used to have, but the limit is still a limit. Treat it like a hard boundary, not a suggestion. 

Before you resign: the checklist that prevents most “oh no” moments

Confirm what visa you actually hold (don’t guess)

Pull up your visa grant notice and note:

• visa expiry date
• your nominated occupation
• any condition numbers listed (commonly 8607 for primary 482 holders)
• any notes about work restrictions

If your role has shifted over time, compare your current day-to-day duties to the nominated occupation. A title change alone is not the key issue—your duties are.

Read your employment contract like a visa holder, not just an employee

Visa issues often start with employment exit issues:

• notice period (and if you can serve it while job hunting)
• payout of annual leave/long service leave
• restraint clauses and confidentiality obligations
• how “termination” vs “resignation” is recorded

Why it matters: your “last day” affects your counting. Keep evidence of your final employment date.

Get the new offer in writing and check the sponsor angle early

A new job offer is great. A new job offer from an employer who can sponsor (or is willing to become a sponsor) is the point.

Before you resign, ask the new employer:

• Are you already an approved sponsor, or will you apply?
• Who is handling the nomination process internally (HR/legal) or via a migration professional?
• What is your target start date, and what is the fallback plan if nomination steps take longer?

This is where many Australian immigration agents in Melbourne see avoidable mistakes: people resign based on verbal reassurance, then learn the business isn’t ready to sponsor or can’t meet the nomination requirements.

Stress-test the “occupation match”

This is the quiet killer.

Ask yourself:

• Do the duties closely match the nominated occupation description?
• Is the role being hired at the skill level expected for that occupation?
• Is the role a genuine position, not a “created title” to fit a code?

If the new role is a different occupation, you may need a new visa pathway, not just a new nomination strategy.

Check licensing/registration risks

For regulated occupations, losing registration, changing scope of practice, or working outside licensing limits can create both employment risk and visa risk. Keep your licensing current and document renewals.

Budget for the in-between period

Even with the expanded time allowance, job changes can bring:

• unpaid gaps
• delayed onboarding
• admin lag while paperwork moves

Your aim is to stay in control of your timeline, not panicked by it. 

A realistic “how it usually works” timeline

Every case is different, but this is the common sequence people aim for:

1. You secure a written offer
2. The new employer confirms sponsorship readiness (approved sponsor or preparing an application)
3. Nomination planning happens (role description, occupation alignment, business documents)
4. You manage your exit date so the “between employers” period is clear and countable
5. You start work in a way that stays inside the rules and time limits
6. You move back into a stable sponsored arrangement once the new sponsor settings are in place

The 1 July 2024 changes are important here because they explicitly allow a period where you can work outside the usual sponsor/occupation requirements, up to the 180/365 limits.
That flexibility can help people avoid financial stress while they line up the next sponsored role. 

The five mistakes that cause the most damage

Mistake 1: Resigning first, planning second

The biggest risk isn’t changing employers—it’s changing employers with no runway.

If you resign without:

• a written offer, or
• a sponsor-ready employer, or
• a realistic timeline,

you can burn your allowable days faster than you think.

Mistake 2: Losing track of your days

You now have up to 180 consecutive days in one stretch and 365 total across the visa period.
That still requires tracking.

Keep a simple log:

• last day with old employer
• any new start dates
• any periods unemployed
• any periods working outside sponsorship arrangements

Mistake 3: Assuming “similar” roles are always fine

A role can look similar and still be a different occupation on paper. Duties, seniority, and scope matter.

If the occupation doesn’t match, you can end up with:

• nomination trouble
• visa compliance questions
• permanent pathway delays

Mistake 4: Thinking the rule change means “anything goes”

The reform gives more freedom, but it’s not endless. The instrument is specific about the time limits.
Treat the flexibility as a short-term bridge, not a long-term plan.

Mistake 5: No paperwork trail

If a future visa application, employer audit, or compliance check happens, you want clean documents:

• contracts and payslips
• resignation letter and acceptance
• final payslip / separation certificate
• offer letter for the new role
• licensing records (if relevant)

Special situations people forget to plan for

Redundancy or sudden termination

If you’re made redundant, the same idea applies: confirm your end date and start counting from there. Don’t wait for “someone to call you back”.

Corporate groups and “associated entities”

Some sponsored arrangements allow work for associated entities, but this can be technical. Don’t assume a transfer inside a corporate group is automatically fine—get it checked.

PR planning

If your longer-term goal is permanent residency via an employer-sponsored pathway, job changes can affect your eligibility timing because many PR options depend on time in a role with a sponsoring employer. Even if changing employers is the right move for your career, plan it so you don’t accidentally reset progress. 

If you already resigned: do this now

1. Confirm your last paid work date (not just your resignation email date)
2. Count your days and set calendar reminders for key points (30/60/90/120/150)
3. Push for written offers, not “we’re keen” messages
4. Prioritise sponsor-ready employers and roles that clearly match your occupation
5. Get professional advice early if your new role looks like a different occupation, your time window is getting tight, or your PR plan is sensitive to timing

Bottom line

Changing employers on a subclass 482 visa is possible—and since the 1 July 2024 amendments, it’s less likely to trap you with one employer. The safest move is still the same: don’t resign until you can see the next step clearly, on paper, with a role that matches your nominated occupation and a timeline that respects the 180/365-day limits.