Thanks for the reply. Is there a good chance they'll give me a visitors visa coming off straight from my working holiday visa? And do I need to leave and seen her the country to activate the visitors visa?You can apply to extend as a visitor. I did that when my IEC was expiring and I got approved for a further 6 months.
That should be enough for you to apply for a common-law sponsorship with OWP - when they process OWP, it gives you implied status so you will be able to stay until they make a decision on that.
And the plan was that if go back to the UK to work whilst they process my application. It will be too difficult to not work for a year.