The complete guide to work-hour limits for Australian students (subclass 500)
A clear summary, based on official information, of the work-hour limits for holders of the Australian Student visa (subclass 500).
A clear summary, based on official information, of the work-hour limits for holders of the Australian Student visa (subclass 500).
Holders of the Australian Student visa (subclass 500) can take on work such as part-time jobs, as long as they meet the conditions. However, while the course is in session there is a cap on working hours. Since 1 July 2023, the cap has been 48 hours per fortnight. By contrast, during official course breaks set by your education provider, you can work without an hour limit. This work restriction is managed through condition 8105, which is attached to most visas, and you should check the exact wording in your own visa grant letter.
The key point is whether it is currently 'course in session' or an 'official break'. While your course is in session, the 48-hours-per-fortnight cap applies, and during an officially scheduled course break set by your education provider, there is no cap. In either case, however, work is only possible after the course has commenced. A 'break' is not something an individual decides arbitrarily but follows the education provider's academic calendar.
The unit for calculating the cap is not the 'week' but the fortnight (two weeks). Under the Home Affairs definition, a fortnight is a 14-day period that begins on a Monday. As long as your total working hours within these 14 days do not exceed 48, you are fine. You do not have to divide it into exactly 24 hours each week; you can distribute it freely across the two weeks, and as long as the total is 48 hours or less you have kept to the rules.
A common misconception is thinking that only '24 hours evenly each week' is allowed. In reality, the standard is a total of 48 hours per fortnight, so you can concentrate your work — for example, 10 hours one week and 38 hours the next. Also remember that a fortnight is a fixed 14-day window starting on a Monday. If you tally your work records by cutting them off at each Monday, you can accurately manage whether you have gone over.
Check the exact hour limit and condition numbers that apply to you against your visa grant letter and the condition 8105 wording on VEVO. Details may differ depending on your course or visa type.
Before you start working, there are a few things you must check. The most important is that work is only possible after the course has commenced. Before the start date, you cannot work even if you have already received your visa. You also need a TFN for tax purposes and to check your own visa conditions.
Whether you can work and the detailed conditions may differ for each individual visa. Always check your own conditions via VEVO and your grant letter, and if you are unsure, ask your education provider's international student support office or a registered migration agent.
Even with the same student visa, the hours you can work vary depending on 'when and what activity' it is. Here are four representative cases.
You can work within 48 hours per Monday-starting fortnight (14 days).
During breaks set by your education provider, you can work without an hour limit.
Before your course start date, you cannot work. It becomes possible from commencement onwards.
Master's (research) and doctoral programs may not have an hour limit applied after commencement, and a compulsory placement registered as part of the course may not count towards the 48-hour cap (check your conditions).
This is a practical checklist for working safely without breaching the rules.
These are mistakes that actually happen often and points to watch out for.
The official guidance page covering the eligibility, conditions, and work rules of the Student visa (subclass 500).
Use VEVO to check your visa's work rights and conditions (such as work hours) online.
Rights guidance for visa holders and migrant workers — information on minimum wage and working-condition protections.
Check the minimum wage by occupation and age — a pay standard that applies regardless of the work-hour limit.
The Australian Government's official study portal — guidance on working while you study (Work while you study).
Since 1 July 2023, while your course is in session you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight. This is an increase from the previous limit (40 hours). During your education provider's officially scheduled breaks and holidays, you can work without an hour limit. Check the exact limit against the condition 8105 wording on your own visa.
Under the Home Affairs definition, a fortnight is a 14-day (two-week) period that begins on a Monday. As long as your total working hours within these two weeks do not exceed 48, you are fine. You do not have to split it evenly at 24 hours each week; for example, 10 hours one week and 38 hours the next is fine, provided the total is 48 hours or less.
No. During officially scheduled course breaks set by your education provider, the work-hour cap does not apply. However, the definition of 'a period when your course is not in session' follows your course schedule, so you should confirm it is an official break set by your education provider rather than a personal holiday you decide on your own.
No. Work is only permitted after your course has commenced. Even if you received your visa in advance and have already arrived in Australia, you cannot work before your course start date. Confirm the start date through your CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) and your education provider's academic calendar.
Working beyond the hours permitted while your course is in session amounts to a breach of your visa conditions, such as condition 8105, and risks visa cancellation. Employers also have a responsibility to check work rights and hour conditions via VEVO. If you are concerned about compliance, consult a registered migration agent.
Separately from the work-hour limit, once you work, Fair Work's minimum wage and the National Employment Standards (NES) apply equally regardless of visa type. Even if you worked beyond your permitted hours, you still have the right to be paid for the work you have already done. Unpaid wages and unfair treatment can be reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
In the past there were temporary measures that relaxed the hour limit for certain industries (for example, aged care), but such exceptions have been ended or changed. Whether any exception currently applies to you must be verified through the official Department of Home Affairs guidance. Do not rely on outdated information.