Your Right to Work on a Student Visa

International students holding a Subclass 500 (Student Visa) have the right to work in Australia. Understanding the limits of that right — and when restrictions apply — is essential for avoiding a visa breach.

The 48-Hour Fortnight Rule

As of 2023, international students are permitted to work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session.

A fortnight is any 14-day period — it does not have to align with a pay period or calendar fortnight.

During scheduled course breaks (semester breaks and official holidays), there is no limit on working hours.

What Changed — The 2023 Update

Prior to 1 July 2023, international students could only work 40 hours per fortnight. The government increased this to 48 hours in response to Australia's labour shortage and cost-of-living pressures on international students.

Note: This 48-hour limit was temporarily unlimited during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023) for students in certain sectors. That unlimited condition has ended.

Who Is Exempt From the 48-Hour Limit?

Certain student visa holders are exempt from the 48-hour cap entirely:

  • Students working in the aged care sector (approved course and work combination)
  • Students on registered Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) arrangements
  • Students engaged in work that forms a registered component of their course (such as clinical placements, internships, or work-integrated learning)

Calculating Your Hours

Hours are counted as actual hours worked across all jobs — if you have two part-time jobs, the combined hours count toward your 48-hour limit.

For example:

  • Job A: 24 hours per fortnight
  • Job B: 18 hours per fortnight
  • Total: 42 hours — within the limit
  • Job A: 30 hours per fortnight
  • Job B: 22 hours per fortnight
  • Total: 52 hours — over the limit, a visa breach

What Happens If You Work Too Many Hours?

Working more than 48 hours in a fortnight while your course is in session is a visa condition breach. This can result in:

  • Cancellation of your student visa
  • Becoming unlawful in Australia
  • Being barred from applying for further visas
The Department of Home Affairs cross-references ATO tax data and employer records. Breaches are not theoretical — they do occur and have serious consequences.

Rights That Cannot Be Taken Away From You

Regardless of your employment arrangement:

  • You are entitled to the national minimum wage ($24.10/hour from July 2025)
  • You are entitled to the full protections of Australian employment law
  • Your employer cannot pay you less because of your visa status
  • You can report wage theft to the Fair Work Ombudsman without immigration consequences

Specific Situations

Can I work before my course starts? You cannot work in the first week after arriving in Australia (before your course starts). You may work once the course commences. Can my family members work? Your spouse or de facto partner on a student visa (Subclass 500) can generally work unlimited hours if you are studying a master's or doctoral degree. For lower-level qualifications, the same 48-hour limit may apply. What about unpaid internships? Unpaid work (genuine volunteering or unpaid internships that form part of your course) generally does not count toward the 48-hour limit — but the arrangement must be genuinely unpaid and properly structured.

Finding Work as an International Student

Useful resources:

  • Jobs Victoria (for students in Victoria)
  • SEEK and Indeed for casual and part-time roles
  • Your university's careers centre
  • ATO myTax for filing your Australian tax return at the end of the financial year
For questions about your specific visa conditions, speak to your institution's international student services team or a MARA-registered migration agent.

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