One of the most common questions for anyone heading to Australia on a student visa is: can I work? How many hours? Doing what? This guide answers everything simply and directly.
The work hour limit on a student visa (Subclass 500)
With a student visa, you can work 48 hours every 14 days (a fortnight) while your course is in session. During official school holidays, you can work unlimited hours.
Exceeding the limit can cancel your visa
Working more than 48 hours in a fortnight while your course is active is a visa breach. The Department of Immigration monitors this through tax declarations, employer records and cross-referencing of tax data.
Not being caught does not make it legal. Consequences can include visa cancellation, deportation and being barred from obtaining Australian visas in the future.
How much can you earn working 48 hrs/fortnight?
| Type of work | $/hr (casual) | Fortnightly gross | Monthly gross | Monthly net est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Café / barista | A$27–32 | A$1,296–1,536 | A$2,592–3,072 | A$2,100–2,490 |
| Restaurant / waiter | A$27–35 | A$1,296–1,680 | A$2,592–3,360 | A$2,100–2,720 |
| Cleaning (company) | A$28–35 | A$1,344–1,680 | A$2,688–3,360 | A$2,180–2,720 |
| Cleaning (self-employed / ABN) | A$35–55 | A$1,680–2,640 | A$3,360–5,280 | ⚠️ see ABN note |
| Supermarket / retail | A$25–30 | A$1,200–1,440 | A$2,400–2,880 | A$1,950–2,330 |
| Delivery / driver | A$25–38 | A$1,200–1,824 | A$2,400–3,648 | A$1,950–2,960 |
| Construction | A$35–45 | A$1,680–2,160 | A$3,360–4,320 | A$2,720–3,500 |
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman — Pay Guides. Monthly net estimated for a tax resident with the tax-free threshold active, income ~A$33–42k/year.
At 48 hrs/fortnight and an average wage of A$28/hour, you earn around A$1,344/fortnight or A$2,688/month — enough to cover rent and basic expenses in cities outside Sydney.
Employee (TFN) — tax is withheld automatically from your pay
When you work as an employee with a TFN, income tax is automatically withheld by your employer each pay cycle — the net amount lands directly in your account. If too much is withheld, you get it back in your tax return.
ABN (self-employed) — no tax is withheld. You need to set it aside.
When you work under an ABN you receive the full gross amount in your account, with no tax deducted. This feels great at first, but can be a nasty shock at the end of the financial year when the ATO bills everything at once.
Example: you received A$4,000/month as a sole trader throughout the year = A$48,000 gross. The ATO may charge approximately A$7,000–9,000 in tax on your return — all in one hit.
The golden rule for ABN: set aside 25–30% of every payment in a separate, untouched account reserved for tax.
Jobs that require no prior experience
- Barista / café — RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) is mandatory for working in bars and pubs. Can be completed in Australia (cost A$30–100, done online)
- Restaurant, pizza shop, fast food
- Residential and commercial cleaning
- Supermarket and retail
- Food delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
- Babysitter / childcare — WWCC (Working with Children Check) required
- Warehouse — night shifts pay up to A$38–42/hour
Self-employed cleaning — earning more with an ABN
Cleaning is one of the most accessible jobs for immigrants — no tough interview, no advanced English, no prior experience needed. There are two paths:
Working for a cleaning company
The simpler way to start — you are hired as a casual employee, paid by the hour (A$28–35), with no worries about finding clients or managing your own schedule. Search for vacancies on SEEK and Indeed using terms like "cleaner", "cleaning staff", "house cleaner".
Self-employed cleaning with an ABN — higher earnings, more patience required
With an ABN you can work as a sole trader, charge A$35–55/hour and keep 100% of the amount.
To find clients: advertise on local suburb pages on Facebook (search "[suburb name] Community" or "Buy Sell Swap [suburb]"). Airtasker and referrals from happy clients are also worth pursuing.
The realistic side: building a full schedule takes time — sometimes weeks or months. Recommendation: keep a regular job on the side and gradually transition to self-employment as your client base grows.
What about working in your field of study?
This is an important topic that is rarely discussed openly. It is possible to work in your field on a temporary visa, but there are real challenges:
Permanent roles vs temporary visa holders
Many employers prefer candidates with permanent residency (PR) for ongoing roles — especially in IT, engineering, healthcare and finance. The reason: a temporary visa has an expiry date, which creates uncertainty for the employer.
This does not mean it is impossible. Temporary contracts of 6 to 12 months are very common in these fields and are often the entry point. Once you are in, you build a track record and may be made permanent or transition to a sponsored visa (SID/482).
The recommended strategy
Do not give up on your field — try to break into it. But keep a sustaining job on the side to cover your bills while you pursue career opportunities:
- Work 24 hrs/week doing something simple (café, delivery, cleaning) to pay the bills
- Use your remaining available hours to apply in your field, complete local certification courses and build your network
- Target temporary contracts in your field — they are more accessible for temporary visa holders
- Once you land a contract in your field, consider reducing your sustaining job
Where to look for work
| SEEK | Australia's largest job site — seek.com.au |
| Indeed Australia | Second largest platform — au.indeed.com |
| Roles in your field and professional networking | |
| Gumtree | Informal vacancies and cash jobs — gumtree.com.au |
| Airtasker | One-off tasks — ideal for sole traders and those just starting out |
| Immigrant community groups | Facebook/WhatsApp — jobs shared within the community. Search "Immigrants in [city]" or your nationality group |
The right strategy for handing in your CV — quality over quantity
A common mistake is dropping a CV at 50 or 100 random places. In practice, 5 well-delivered CVs are worth more than 100 handed out carelessly.
What makes the difference: go in during quieter times (Tuesday to Thursday mornings), ask for the manager by name and hand it to them directly, be well presented, have your CV on your phone and printed, and follow up 2–3 days later.
Your first job often comes through your network — not through SEEK
In practice, many immigrants land their first job through people they already know — a classmate, a friend of a friend, someone from an immigrant community group in the city.
Invest in connections from your very first days. Join community groups, talk to people in your course, attend events — and don't hesitate to openly mention that you are looking for work.
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