Condition 8101 No-Work on a Bridging Visa, and Asking to Lift It
Condition 8101 is one of the most commonly misunderstood visa conditions: “the holder must not work in Australia.” If your bridging visa carries condition 8101, doing any paid work is a breach of your visa.
What Condition 8101 Is
Condition 8101 is a legal condition attached to a visa (and to a bridging visa) that prevents the visa holder from working in Australia. It is not merely an hour limit — it is a total prohibition on paid work.
When a Bridging Visa Carries Condition 8101
A bridging visa carries condition 8101 when:
- Your previous visa (the one the bridging visa is based on) did not allow work
- DHA does not find a sound reason to grant work rights
- The visa application is considered to raise integrity concerns
For example: a person on a visitor visa (no work rights) lodges a new visa application → the BVA is granted with condition 8101 inherited from the visitor visa.
How to Check Your Conditions
Check your bridging visa through VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. VEVO lists every condition that applies.
Asking to Lift Condition 8101
You can ask DHA to lift condition 8101 — that is, to remove the no-work condition and replace it with work rights. DHA will consider this if you can demonstrate:
Financial hardship: This is the most common ground. You generally need to provide:
- Recent bank statements (three months)
- Evidence of living costs (rent, bills)
- Evidence that your income is insufficient to live on (or that you have no income)
- A letter explaining your circumstances
Other grounds: Some situations may receive special consideration from DHA — for example, a medical situation, or essential family support.
Documents to Apply to Lift Condition 8101
- Application (form 1005 — Request to lift a condition on a bridging visa)
- Bank statements for the last three months
- A letter explaining your financial situation
- Any other financial evidence (bills, a rental agreement)
- The processing fee (check the current fee on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au)
Breaching Condition 8101 — Consequences
Working while subject to condition 8101 is a serious breach:
- It can be grounds for DHA to refuse the visa under consideration, or to refuse a visa
- It can affect future visa applications
- In some cases it can lead to PIC 4020 if there is deliberate concealment
If you urgently need to work, prioritise asking to lift condition 8101 before you start work.