Work rights
Australia lets student visa holders work 48 hours a fortnight during term, with no limit in breaks, at one of the highest minimum wages in the world. For most students outside Sydney, that covers rent and food. Here is how the rules and the money work.
Checked against Department of Home Affairs and Study Australia sources · Last reviewed 21 September 2026
Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. Masters by research and PhD students have no limit. Work cannot start until the course begins. At the 2026 national minimum wage of roughly AUD 25 an hour, and 24 hours a week, a student earns around AUD 1,150 a fortnight before tax; casual loading takes hospitality and retail higher.
| Situation | Hours allowed |
|---|---|
| Course in session (most students) | 48 hours per fortnight, counted as two-week blocks from the visa grant date |
| Scheduled course breaks | Unlimited |
| Masters by research and PhD | Unlimited once the course has started |
| Before the course starts | None |
| Partner of a bachelor or coursework masters student | 48 hours per fortnight |
| Partner of a masters by research or PhD student | Unlimited |
| Work placement that is part of the course | Not counted towards the cap |
The cap is a visa condition (8105). Exceeding it is a breach that can lead to cancellation, and employers report hours to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll, so it is checkable. A proposal to lift the cap to 60 hours has been discussed but had not taken effect at the time of writing.
The national minimum wage was around AUD 24.95 an hour from July 2025 and is reviewed each July. Casual employees, which most students are, receive a 25 percent loading on top, and weekend and public-holiday penalty rates on top of that. Realistic 2026 figures: hospitality and retail AUD 28 to 35 an hour casual; aged care and disability support AUD 32 to 40; tutoring and student-ambassador roles AUD 35 to 50; warehouse and delivery AUD 27 to 32. At 24 hours a week that is roughly AUD 1,300 to 1,700 a fortnight before tax, against a shared-room rent of AUD 500 to 700 a fortnight. The cost of living guide has the full budget by city.
Apply for a Tax File Number online after arrival; without one you are taxed at the top rate. International students are usually treated as Australian residents for tax purposes after six months, which brings the tax-free threshold. Employers must pay 12 percent superannuation on top of wages; you can claim it back when you leave Australia permanently through a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment. Open a bank account before you look for work; most employers pay by transfer only. Never accept cash-in-hand work below the award rate; it is illegal for the employer and unrecorded for your visa.
For accounting, ICT and engineering graduates, the Professional Year is a 44-week program combining coursework with a 12-week internship. It is worth 5 points on the PR points test and is often the difference between an ICT graduate at 70 and one at 75. Unpaid internships arranged outside a course are legal only in narrow circumstances; those that are part of a CRICOS course do not count towards the 48-hour cap. The full sequence is in the study to PR pathway.
Common questions
48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. Masters by research and PhD students have no limit.
The same as for everyone: around AUD 24.95 an hour from July 2025, reviewed each July. Casual staff receive a 25 percent loading, taking most student jobs to AUD 28 to 35 an hour.
Yes. Partners of bachelor and masters by coursework students can work 48 hours a fortnight; partners of masters by research and PhD students have no limit.
No. Work rights begin on the day your course commences.
Only if it is skilled work in your nominated or a closely related occupation and meets the assessing authority's rules. Most hospitality and retail work does not; care work and field-related casual work can.
Study in Australia guide
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