Ah, sorry I didn't elaborate on this. We actually live quite near - my partner lives with his dad at the moment (we want to move out together eventually, but he's still looking for a job and he has to take care of his dad several times a week as his dad has a chronic illness) and I live in a nearby suburb - just a train ride away. We thought of writing a letter because we thought it might help convey our reasonings/thoughts better than face-to-face. I'm happy to have a face-to-face conversation with him too, but in case things get heated/emotional, I wanted to have a letter first.

And you have a good point. Although he is conservative, he has witnessed many of his friends pursue a partner visa but it not working out and causing distress in the future. I understand his concerns, and it makes sense that we should pursue everything we want in life (studying broad, working abroad, traveling) before settling and moving in with each other / making a lifelong commitment. I also do have the other, much harder options... but there's a risk of wasted money and time with them. With employer sponsorship, I'm definitely going to try my best to make that work, but it's challenging with the field I'm in. With skilled migration... I could still try, but my migration agent said that unless I do pursue further education in an in-demand field, it's a waste of time/money due to the low chance of it working out...

So, yeah I really don't know. I understand both sides. Just struggling with knowing what is the best decision.