Working in Australia
Student visa work hours in Australia and how to explain them to employers
How the 48-hours-a-fortnight limit applies during semester and breaks, which work counts, and how to describe your availability in an application.
You have found a casual role with a good roster, and the manager wants to know how many shifts you can take. If you hold a Student visa, the answer depends on your visa conditions and your study calendar, not only on what the employer needs.
This guide explains how the work limit is described by Australian universities and the Department of Home Affairs, which work counts, and how to explain your availability in a resume or application without overpromising.
The rule in one table
Most primary Student visa (subclass 500) holders have visa condition 8105. UNSW's visa guidance says work restrictions were reintroduced from 1 July 2023 and that you "cannot work more than 48 hours a fortnight when your course of study or training is in session". The Department of Home Affairs Student visa page is the authority for your own conditions.
| Situation | What university guidance says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Before your course starts | You must not begin work, unless you already held another visa that permitted work when you applied | UNSW; University of Adelaide |
| Teaching and examination periods | Capped at 48 hours a fortnight, including examination periods even if you have no exams | University of Adelaide |
| Scheduled course breaks | Unlimited hours, provided you are not enrolled in any course during that break | University of Adelaide |
| Master's by research or doctorate | The 48-hour limit does not apply | University of Adelaide |
| After you complete the course on your Confirmation of Enrolment | The cap no longer applies while you hold a valid visa | University of Adelaide |
| Sponsored students | Check your work limit with your sponsor | UNSW |
The University of Adelaide's working-while-studying page also applies the limit to non-standard teaching periods, such as summer or winter terms, when you are enrolled in courses that count toward your main program.
What counts toward the 48 hours
The limit is about work, not only paid shifts at one employer. Add up every job you hold in the same fortnight.
| Activity | Counts toward the limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paid shifts at every employer | Yes | Condition 8105 applies to all work |
| Compulsory work-integrated learning that is a mandatory part of your program | No | UNSW; University of Adelaide |
| Elective or optional work-integrated learning | Yes | UNSW; University of Adelaide |
| Genuine volunteering for a non-profit, in a designated volunteer role an Australian resident would not do for wages, with no payment in cash or kind (board and lodging is acceptable) | No, if it meets every part of that description | UNSW |
If an arrangement does not clearly fit one of these rows, ask your university's international student advisers before you accept it.
A worked roster check
This is a fictional example. Mei is a Master of Professional Accounting student with two casual jobs during semester.
| Fortnight | Café shifts | Tutoring | Total | Within 48 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | 30 hours | 12 hours | 42 hours | Yes |
| Weeks 3–4 | 34 hours | 12 hours | 46 hours | Yes |
| Weeks 5–6 | 38 hours | 14 hours | 52 hours | No |
In weeks 5–6, the café offered extra shifts to cover leave. Each employer saw a reasonable roster, but the combined total went over the limit. Mei keeps one simple record of every confirmed shift across both jobs and checks the two-week total before accepting extra hours.
When the semester ends and Mei is not enrolled in a summer course, the university guidance allows unlimited hours during that scheduled break. When the next teaching period starts, the cap applies again.
Rosters do not always line up neatly with calendar fortnights. If yours varies, check how Home Affairs defines the fortnight for your condition, and plan with a margin rather than working to exactly 48 hours.
How to state your availability in an application
Employers need to know whether you can legally do the work and when you are available. One accurate line under your contact details is enough. The resume guide How to write a resume in Australia covers where it goes.
| Your situation | Example line (fictional) |
|---|---|
| Student visa, semester | Student visa (subclass 500): up to 48 hours per fortnight during semester, full-time during scheduled breaks |
| Student visa, research degree | Student visa (subclass 500), doctoral candidate: work limit does not apply to my course |
| Course finished, visa still valid | Course completed November 2026; Student visa valid until March 2027 |
Then make your availability concrete. "Available Tuesday and Thursday evenings plus weekends during semester; full-time from 22 November to 23 February" helps a roster manager more than "flexible".
Do not describe your work rights more broadly than your visa allows. An employer may check your conditions through VEVO. UNSW notes that breaching visa conditions can lead Home Affairs to consider cancelling the visa, usually after notifying you and giving you a chance to respond.
Choosing roles that fit the limit
Before applying, compare the expected hours in the ad with your teaching calendar.
- Casual and part-time roles often list a minimum number of shifts. Ask whether rosters can stay within your limit in teaching weeks.
- Full-time contracts can work during a long scheduled break if the end date falls before your next teaching period. State the dates you can commit to.
- Graduate roles that start after your course ends may raise a different visa question. Our graduate resume guide explains how to present the visa you will hold.
Keep a note of which roles assumed more hours than you can work. If one employer keeps advertising roles that fit, that is a better lead than applying everywhere.
Questions about student visa work hours
Can I work full-time during the semester break
University guidance says you can work unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks, provided you are not enrolled in any course during that time. Check your own conditions in VEVO before agreeing to full-time hours.
Do hours at two different jobs count separately
No. The limit covers all the work you do in the fortnight, so add the hours from every employer together.
Does a compulsory placement count toward the 48 hours
UNSW and the University of Adelaide both say work that is a mandatory part of your registered course does not count. Elective or optional placements do count.
Should I put my visa on my resume
If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, one line stating your visa type and work conditions helps the employer. Our Australian job application glossary explains the terms employers use for work rights.