Around 700,000 international students study in Australia each year. Most of them work. Some breach their visa without realising it, not because they ignored the rules, but because the rules are genuinely tricky to apply in practice.
The 48-hour fortnightly limit is the headline figure. What catches students off guard is everything around it: what counts as a fortnight, what counts as work, when the limit lifts entirely, and what the exceptions are for certain degree types.
The Core Rule: 48 Hours Per Fortnight
International students on a Subclass 500 visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. This is the governing rule under visa condition 8105, issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
A fortnight is a fixed 14-day period that begins on a Monday. It is not a rolling window. The calendar is divided into set fortnightly blocks, and your hours are counted within each of those blocks, not across whatever two-week stretch feels convenient.
| Quick answer: 48 hours every fortnight during term time. Unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. |
What About the Old 40-Hour Rule?
Prior to changes introduced in mid-2023, international students were capped at 40 hours per fortnight. The limit was raised to 48 hours in response to labour shortages. If you have seen the 40-hour figure mentioned online, that information is outdated.
Can You Work More Than One Job?
Yes. The 48-hour cap applies to your total working hours across all employers. If you hold two casual jobs, the combined hours from both must stay within 48 per fortnight while your course is in session.
When Is Your Course ‘In Session’?
The phrase ‘in session’ does real work in the visa rules. Your 48-hour limit applies specifically during in-session periods. Getting this definition right matters.
Your course is in session during:
- All school semesters, including periods when exams are being held
- Any additional course taken during a term break, if that course counts toward your main qualification
Your course is not in session during:
- Scheduled course breaks and semester holidays
- Periods of deferral or suspension approved under Standard 9 of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students
- After you have completed your course as listed on your Confirmation of Enrolment, provided you still hold a valid visa
- Periods following cancellation of your enrolment due to education provider default, until you commence a new course
Working During Holiday Breaks
When your course is not in session, the 48-hour cap disappears. A student studying commercial cookery who picks up 75 hours of work during semester holidays has not breached their visa because the restriction simply does not apply outside term time.
This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the student visa. Many students unnecessarily limit their hours over Christmas and summer breaks when they are free to work as much as they want.
Who Can Work More Than 48 Hours During Term?
Three specific situations allow students to exceed the fortnightly cap while their course is in session.
PhD and Masters by Research Students
Students on a Subclass 500 visa studying a doctorate or a master’s degree by research can work unlimited hours once their degree has commenced. The exemption applies from day one of the degree and there is no waiting period.
This exemption also extends to the family members of PhD and masters by research students. Both the student and their dependants are exempt from the cap.
Masters by Coursework – An Important Distinction
A master’s degree by coursework does not carry the same exemption. Students on this type of degree remain capped at 48 hours per fortnight during term time. Their family members, however, can work unlimited hours.
Mandatory Work Placements Registered on CRICOS
If your course includes a mandatory work experience component and that component is formally registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), those placement hours do not count toward your 48-hour limit.
A pharmacy student completing a mandatory four-week on-the-job placement, for example, has unlimited work rights for the duration of that placement. The course structure, as documented in the CRICOS registration, is what determines eligibility.
Any work or placement beyond the mandatory, registered component counts toward your cap. If the placement period exceeds what is specified in the CRICOS registration, the excess hours are included in your fortnightly total.
What Counts as ‘Work’ Under Visa Rules?
Both paid and unpaid work count toward your fortnightly limit. This is a common point of confusion, particularly for students in hospitality, healthcare, or education settings where unpaid trial shifts or work experience placements are common.
You are considered to have worked if any of the following apply:
- You attended a workplace during a rostered or scheduled period excluding time spent on an unpaid meal break
- You were clocked on to an electronic system that records work activity
- You received remuneration for time worked, as shown on a payslip unless you can provide documentary evidence that you were not actually working during that period
Real-World Examples
- A restaurant worker on a four-hour roster: the full four hours count. The 30-minute unpaid meal break does not.
- A taxi driver who signs into the dispatch system and waits for passengers: those hours count from sign-in to sign-out.
- A student doing unpaid work experience for a retailer as part of a CV-building programme: those hours count toward the 48-hour total.
How to Calculate Your Fortnightly Hours
The fixed Monday-start fortnight is what creates most unintentional breaches. Students often look at individual weeks and assume they are within limits without realising that overlapping fortnights can push them over.
Here is an official example from the Department of Home Affairs:
| Period | Hours Worked | Fortnight Total | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 15 hrs | Weeks 1–2: 45 hrs | ✓ Compliant |
| Week 2 | 30 hrs | Weeks 2–3: 60 hrs | ✗ Breach |
| Week 3 | 30 hrs | Weeks 3–4: 40 hrs | ✓ Compliant |
| Week 4 | 10 hrs | — | — |
The weeks 2–3 overlap breaches the cap even though no individual week exceeds 30 hours. This happens because the fortnightly windows are fixed they do not shift to give you the most favourable calculation.
| Practical tip: Know the Monday your current fortnight started. Count hours from that Monday, not from whenever your last pay period began. |
Work Rights for Family Members
Family members of a primary Subclass 500 student visa holder are governed by visa condition 8104, which operates slightly differently from condition 8105.
Family members cannot work at all before the student’s course starts unless either the student or the family member held a prior visa that permitted work in Australia.
Once the course begins:
- Family members can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session
- Family members of PhD and masters by research students can work unlimited hours
- Family members of masters by coursework students can also work unlimited hours — even though the student themselves remains capped at 48 hours per fortnight
Employers hiring a family member should ask for evidence of the relationship such as a visa grant letter, marriage certificate, or birth certificate and proof that the primary student has commenced their course, such as a Confirmation of Enrolment.
What Happens If You Breach Your Work Hours?
Exceeding the hours permitted under condition 8105 is a visa condition violation. The consequences are serious.
- The Department of Home Affairs can cancel your visa
- A cancelled student visa means you lose the right to remain in Australia
- You may face re-entry bans or complications with future visa applications
- Your employer can also face penalties for knowingly allowing a visa holder to work beyond their permitted hours
One point worth knowing: if you have received a payslip for a given period, that payslip is treated as evidence that you worked during that time. Contesting it requires documentary proof to the contrary.
How to Protect Yourself
- Track your hours weekly in a spreadsheet or phone app — do not rely on your employer to do this for you
- Know when your fortnightly window opens (always a Monday)
- Keep personal copies of your roster, timesheets, and payslips
- Check your visa conditions regularly using VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online)
Your Rights as a Worker in Australia
Working on a student visa does not reduce your rights as an employee. International students have identical workplace protections to any other worker in Australia, regardless of their migration status.
Under the National Employment Standards and the Fair Work Act, you are entitled to:
- Payment at or above the national minimum wage
- Coverage under the relevant industry award or enterprise agreement
- A payslip for every pay period
- Protection from workplace bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination
- Leave entitlements, notice periods, and other standard employment conditions
- Payment of income tax — which also means you can access a Tax File Number and lodge a tax return
Employers cannot use your visa status as leverage. If a manager suggests that raising a pay dispute might affect your visa, that itself is a potential violation of Australian workplace law.
Where to Get Help
| Organisation | What They Help With | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Work Ombudsman | Underpayment, entitlements, workplace disputes | 13 13 94 |
| Translating & Interpreting Service (TIS) | Free phone interpreting in 160+ languages | 13 14 50 |
| VEVO | Check your current visa conditions and work rights | border.gov.au/vevo |
| Your University | International student support, CoE queries | Contact your institution |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours can I work on a student visa in Australia in 2026?
48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. During scheduled course breaks, you can work unlimited hours. PhD and masters by research students are exempt from the cap entirely.
Can I work full-time on a student visa?
Not during term time, unless you are studying a doctorate or masters by research degree, or completing a mandatory CRICOS-registered work placement. During semester breaks, full-time hours are permitted.
Can I do more than 20 hours on a student visa?
Yes. The old 20-hour weekly limit no longer applies. The current rule is 48 hours per fortnight, roughly equivalent to 24 hours per week during term time.
What are the new rules for international students in Australia in 2026?
The 48-hour fortnightly cap introduced in 2023 remains in place. There have been no further changes to the working hours rules for Subclass 500 visa holders as of early 2026. Always verify your current conditions via VEVO.
Can I work casual hours on a student visa?
Yes. Casual work counts toward your fortnightly total the same way permanent or part-time work does. The type of employment arrangement does not change how your hours are counted.
What happens if I go over my working hours on a student visa?
Exceeding your permitted hours breaches visa condition 8105. The Department of Home Affairs can cancel your visa. The consequences can include deportation and complications with future Australian visa applications.
Does unpaid work experience count toward my 48-hour limit?
Yes, unless the placement is a mandatory component of your course and is registered on CRICOS. Voluntary or CV-building work experience counts toward your total regardless of whether it is paid or unpaid.
What is visa condition 8105?
Condition 8105 is the work limitation applied to Subclass 500 student visas. It prohibits working before your course starts and caps hours at 48 per fortnight during term time, with specific exemptions for research degree holders and mandatory course placements.
How do I check my visa work conditions?
Log in to VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) at border.gov.au/vevo using your passport and visa details. Your current conditions, including work rights, are displayed there.
Final Words
The rules for student visa working hours are precise, and the consequences of getting them wrong are severe. Here is the short version:
- 48 hours per fortnight during term time; the fortnight starts on a Monday and runs for 14 fixed days
- Unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks
- PhD and masters by research students, plus their family members, are exempt from the cap
- Both paid and unpaid work count unless it is a mandatory, CRICOS-registered placement
- Your workplace rights are identical to those of any Australian worker
- Check your conditions on VEVO and contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 if something at work does not feel right
