Key takeaways
- A student visa allows 48 hours of work a fortnight while the course is in session, unlimited hours in official breaks, and no work before the course starts (condition 8105).
- Research master and PhD students may work more than 48 hours a fortnight once the course has started.
- The national minimum wage is AUD 26.44 an hour (AUD 1,004.90 for a 38-hour week) from 1 July 2026, plus a 25% casual loading.
- Get a TFN before your first day; the first AUD 18,200 a year is tax-free for students studying more than six months, and tax returns are due by 31 October.
- 48 hours a fortnight earns about AUD 1,269 before tax, far below the visa’s annual living-cost requirement of AUD 29,710.
- Saudi scholarship students: the visa allows work, but ask your SACM adviser and keep the answer in writing before taking any job.
In this article
A student visa holder in Australia can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, with no limit during official breaks. The national minimum wage is AUD 26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026, and you need a Tax File Number (TFN) before your first day. For a Saudi scholarship student the visa allows work, but the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) decides the scholarship side; ask first.
How many hours can an international student work in Australia?
The Student visa (subclass 500) rule is clear: since 1 July 2023, visa holders cannot work more than 48 hours a fortnight while their course is in session, there is no work restriction when the course is not in session, and you cannot work before your course starts, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs. The rule sits on your visa as condition 8105; check it in VEVO.
| Your situation | Limit |
|---|---|
| Bachelor or coursework master student, course in session | 48 hours a fortnight, per the Department of Home Affairs |
| Same student during an official course break | Unlimited, per Study Australia |
| Research master or PhD student after the course has started | May work more than 48 hours a fortnight, per the Department of Home Affairs |
| Before the course starts | No work, per the Department of Home Affairs |
What counts as a fortnight?
A fortnight is a rolling 14-day period starting on any Monday, not your employer’s roster week; if you work 30 hours in one week, only 18 remain for the next. Keep your own record of hours rather than relying on payslips alone, because breaching the condition can lead to visa cancellation. A dependant (spouse) has a separate work condition from the student’s, so check it in VEVO before they start work.
What is the minimum wage, and what are your rights at work?
The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is AUD 1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, or AUD 26.44 an hour, and casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of it, according to the Fair Work Commission; that is a 6% increase applying from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman. Many student jobs (hospitality, retail, care) pay more under industry awards, so ask which award covers your job.
Your rights are the same as any other worker’s: overseas workers, including international students, have the same rights under Australian workplace law, according to the Department of Home Affairs. You must receive a payslip within one working day of being paid, and your employer must make superannuation contributions if you are eligible, according to Study Australia. The place to go with any dispute is the Fair Work Ombudsman, an independent government agency that helps international students free of charge.
A worked example
At AUD 26.44 an hour, 48 hours a fortnight gives about AUD 1,269 before tax, or roughly AUD 2,750 a month. Compare that with the living-cost amount the visa requires at application, AUD 29,710 a year, according to the Department of Home Affairs; work helps with personal expenses but does not cover tuition and living costs together, so do not build your budget on it.
Income tax and the Tax File Number
- Tax File Number (TFN): apply on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website through the pathway for foreign passport holders, and give it to your employer before you start so that no more tax than necessary is withheld, according to Study Australia.
- Tax residency: if you study for longer than six months and work, you are treated as a resident for tax purposes; the first AUD 18,200 a year is tax-free, and your employer withholds tax on income above that and pays it to the ATO, according to Study Australia. The brackets above that threshold are published in the ATO’s resident tax rates table and change by financial year.
- Financial year and tax return: the financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June, your employer provides an income summary by 14 July, and 31 October is the deadline to lodge your own tax return, according to Study Australia. If your income is under the threshold you will usually get withheld tax back.
- Superannuation: contributions paid by your employer stay in your super account and can be claimed when you leave Australia permanently, according to Study Australia.
Steps before your first day at work
- Open your visa in VEVO and confirm work condition 8105 and your course start date.
- Apply for a TFN on the ATO website after you arrive, and keep the reference number.
- Open an Australian bank account and choose a super fund, or accept your employer’s default fund.
- Ask the employer about the employment type (casual or part-time), the award that applies and the hourly rate, and get the contract in writing.
- Check your first payslip: hours, rate, tax withheld and super.
Can a Saudi scholarship student work while studying?
Two separate questions. The first is Australian law: your visa allows work within the limits above, whether you are sponsored or self-funded. The second is the scholarship: a Saudi scholarship student (مبتعث) is bound to the Ministry of Education and SACM to study full-time and stay in good standing, and any job may affect the allowance or your scholarship status, so the decision is not the employer’s or yours alone. A Saudi employee applying for the scholarship must also comply with their own employer’s regulations, according to the King Salman Scholarship Program conditions (as at September 2026).
The practical rule: before accepting any paid work, ask your academic adviser at SACM through the Safeer platform, keep the answer in writing, and check the Ministry’s current regulations; what is allowed may differ between training linked to your major and paid work outside the university. If your goal is experience rather than income, an internship or cooperative training inside your program is the clearer route, and it is one of the services KD International offers. Read about scholarship obligations in our Ar-Ruwaad track guide and the guide to all Saudi scholarship tracks.
Which jobs suit students, and how do you protect your visa?
Part-time student jobs are common in hospitality, retail, care industries and supply chains; casual workers have hours that vary week to week with no commitment to ongoing work and no paid leave, while part-time staff have set hours and paid leave, according to Study Australia. Most universities also advertise on-campus jobs (library, peer support, events) through their student careers portal, which are easier to fit around lectures.
Three rules keep you safe: never work cash-in-hand without a payslip, never exceed 48 hours in any fortnight during session, and never let work pull down the attendance or course progress that both your visa and your scholarship require.
How KD helps
KD International offers education consulting and university admissions, visa guidance, internships and cooperative training, and help with accommodation, with an office in Sydney that knows the student job market there. If you plan to study and work, start with our step-by-step process, then register your details so a counsellor can arrange your admission and visa. If you are a scholarship student asking about work, put the question to SACM first, then contact us about anything to do with your studies.
Frequently asked questions
48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, unlimited hours during official breaks, and no work before the course starts, according to the Department of Home Affairs. A fortnight is a rolling 14-day period starting on a Monday.
AUD 26.44 an hour, or AUD 1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, from 1 July 2026 according to the Fair Work Commission. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top, and many industries pay more under their awards.
The student visa allows everyone to work within the 48-hours-a-fortnight limit. Scholarship obligations to the Ministry of Education and SACM are a separate matter, so ask your SACM academic adviser through Safeer before accepting any job and keep the answer in writing.
Yes. Apply on the Australian Taxation Office website after you arrive and give the TFN to your employer before your first day; otherwise more tax than necessary is withheld.
A student studying for more than six months who works is treated as a tax resident, so the first AUD 18,200 a year is tax-free and income above that is taxed at the ATO’s bracket rates. The financial year runs 1 July to 30 June, returns are due by 31 October, and students usually get withheld tax refunded.
Yes; there is no limit on work hours when the course is not in session, according to the Department of Home Affairs. Check the official break dates in your university calendar, because personal leave does not count.
No. 48 hours a fortnight at the minimum wage earns about AUD 1,269 before tax, while the visa requires proof of AUD 29,710 a year for living costs alone. Work is for personal expenses and experience, not for funding tuition.
Keep your payslips and a record of your hours, and contact the Fair Work Ombudsman free of charge; international students have the same rights as all other workers in Australia.
Official sources
- Work restrictions for student visa holders — Australian Department of Home Affairs
- Student visa (subclass 500) — Australian Department of Home Affairs
- The national minimum wage — Fair Work Commission
- Minimum wage increase starts today (1 July 2026) — Fair Work Ombudsman
- Your work rights explained — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- Tax and superannuation — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- Finding work while you study — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- Tax rates – Australian resident — Australian Taxation Office
- الشروط | برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث — وزارة التعليم
Ready to start?
KD International helps you choose a university, prepare your admission and visa file, and answers your questions about Saudi scholarships and studying in Australia. Apply now or message us on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
