Subclass 300 Work Rights and Travel Rights: Can You Work and Leave Australia?

Yes. The Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa gives the holder broad work, study and travel rights while the visa remains valid. Home Affairs currently states that a Subclass 300 holder can live, work and study in Australia for the visa period and travel to and from Australia as many times as they want while the visa is in effect.

This makes the Prospective Marriage Visa very different from a Visitor Visa, which does not permit work.

Can you work full-time on a Subclass 300 visa?

Home Affairs does not publish an employer-specific work limitation for the ordinary Subclass 300 holder. The visa page states that the holder can work in Australia. Always check the actual grant notice and VEVO for the conditions attached to the individual visa.

Can you study on the fiancé visa?

Yes. Home Affairs also states that Subclass 300 holders can study in Australia. Before enrolling in a long or expensive course, remember that the visa itself is temporary and normally lasts 9 to 15 months from grant.

Can you leave Australia and return?

Yes. The Subclass 300 is granted with multiple travel. You can depart and return while the visa remains valid. This can be important where the wedding is overseas or the couple needs to travel for family reasons.

How long is the Prospective Marriage Visa valid?

Home Affairs currently states that the visa period is 9 to 15 months from the date of grant. The exact expiry date appears on the individual grant notice and in VEVO.

Do you have to marry in Australia?

No. Home Affairs expressly states that a Subclass 300 holder can marry in any country, provided the marriage is valid under Australian law and occurs before the Prospective Marriage Visa expires.

What happens after you marry?

If the couple wants to settle in Australia, the usual next step is to lodge the onshore Subclass 820/801 Partner Visa before the Subclass 300 expires. Eligible 300 holders qualify for a lower Partner Visa application charge than most ordinary 820/801 applicants.

Case example

A Subclass 300 holder arrived in Australia and was offered a full-time job before the wedding. The couple assumed the fiancé visa had the same no-work condition as a Visitor Visa. VEVO confirmed the current Subclass 300 rights, allowing the applicant to work while planning the wedding and preparing the later 820/801 Partner Visa application.

The main traps to avoid

• Do not let the Subclass 300 expire before making the next visa arrangements.
• Do not assume the visa lasts exactly nine months; check the actual grant period.
• Do not rely on old online advice about where the wedding must take place.
• Do not get another visa without checking whether it will replace the Subclass 300 and affect the lower 820/801 charge.

Home Affairs confirms the current rights on the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa page. For the full pathway, see our Subclass 300 hub.

General information only. Always check the visa conditions shown in your own grant notice and VEVO.