Part-Time Jobs For International Students Australia: Understanding the 48 Hour Fortnight Rules

You’ve just landed in Australia, student visa in hand, accommodation sorted, and uni starting soon. The excitement’s real—but so is that bank account balance that’s dropping faster than you’d like. You know you’re allowed to work, but here’s the thing that keeps you up at night: the infamous 48-hour fortnight rule. Work too much, and your visa could be cancelled. Work too little, and you’re living on instant noodles for the next three years. Get the calculation wrong, and you might not even realise you’ve breached your conditions until it’s too late.

We’ve all been there—staring at rosters from two different jobs, trying to work out whether that extra Friday shift will push you over the limit. The stress is real, and the consequences of getting it wrong are serious. But here’s the good news: once you actually understand how the 48-hour fortnight rule works (and it’s not as straightforward as it sounds), managing your part-time jobs for international students in Australia becomes significantly less terrifying.

What Exactly Is the 48 Hour Fortnight Rule?

Let’s start with the fundamental regulation that governs every international student’s working life in Australia: if you’re on a Student Visa (Subclass 500), you can work a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight during term time. This rule was reintroduced on 1 July 2023 by the Department of Home Affairs, replacing the previous 40-hour limit that existed before COVID-19.

Here’s what “term time” actually means: any period when your course is in session. That includes semesters, exam periods, study weeks, and any time between when your course officially starts and when it ends. The rule applies whether you’re enrolled full-time or part-time, and it doesn’t matter when you commenced your studies—every international student on a 500 visa is bound by this limit.

The critical distinction: This 48-hour cap only applies during term time. During official university breaks—semester breaks, summer holidays, winter holidays, and mid-semester breaks—you can work completely unlimited hours. That means full-time work is absolutely on the table during your December-February summer break or your June-July winter break, which is when most students stack up their savings.

The rule covers all paid employment, whether you’re working casual shifts at a café, part-time hours in retail, or contract work through an Australian Business Number (ABN). If you’re getting paid for it, it counts toward your 48 hours. Multiple jobs? The hours combine. Working for two different employers doesn’t give you two separate 48-hour allowances—your total across all employment cannot exceed 48 hours per fortnight.

Important exemption: Work that’s a mandatory, CRICOS-listed course requirement doesn’t count toward your 48-hour limit. If you’re doing a compulsory placement as part of your nursing degree or mandatory practical hours for your teaching qualification, those hours are exempt. However, optional internships or work experience that isn’t officially required by your course will count toward the limit.

How Do You Actually Calculate Your Fortnight? (The Rolling Period Explained)

This is where most international students get tripped up, and honestly, it’s the Department of Home Affairs’ fault for making it unnecessarily complicated. A fortnight isn’t simply “two weeks added together.” It’s defined as any 14 consecutive days starting on a Monday, and it operates on a rolling calculation system.

Here’s the mistake everyone makes: you work 20 hours one week and 25 hours the next week. That’s 45 hours total, so you’re under the limit, right? Yes—but you’re not done calculating. Because fortnights overlap, you need to check every possible 14-day period, not just sequential weeks.

Let’s use the Department of Home Affairs’ own example to illustrate why this matters:

• Week 1 (Monday-Sunday): You work 15 hours
• Week 2 (Monday-Sunday): You work 30 hours
• Total for these two weeks: 45 hours ✓ You’re fine

But now:

• Week 3 (Monday-Sunday): You work 30 hours again
• Week 4 (Monday-Sunday): You work 10 hours
• Total for these two weeks: 40 hours ✓ You’re fine

However, look at the overlapping fortnight:

• Week 2 + Week 3 combined: 30 + 30 = 60 hours ✗ You’ve breached your conditions

This rolling calculation catches people off guard constantly. You might have two perfectly compliant “weekly” totals, but the 14-day period spanning across them exceeds 48 hours. The Australian Taxation Office shares your income data with immigration authorities, and your tax records, superannuation contributions, and payslips create a complete work history that makes breaches relatively easy to detect.

Practical tracking strategy: Use apps like Shifty or dedicated timesheet software to log every single shift across all your jobs. Set them to calculate rolling 14-day periods, not just weekly totals. Keep physical copies of all your rosters and mark them with running totals. Check your VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) regularly to confirm your work rights haven’t changed. And when in doubt, work fewer hours—the consequences of breaching aren’t worth the extra shift.

Which Part-Time Jobs Pay Best for International Students?

Let’s talk money, because that’s ultimately why you’re working while studying. The Australian job market offers decent hourly rates compared to many countries, but pay varies significantly depending on the industry, location, and whether you’re getting weekend or night penalty rates.

Here’s a realistic breakdown of what international students can expect to earn in popular sectors:

Job Type	Hourly Rate (AUD)	Feasibility for 48hr/Fortnight	Key Benefits
Café/Barista	$22-$28	High – flexible shifts	Tips, hospitality experience, social
Retail	$23-$29	High – flexible shifts	Customer service skills, weekend penalties
Food Delivery (Uber Eats/DoorDash)	$25-$35	Very High – work on demand	Complete flexibility, choose your hours
Warehouse	$25-$32	Medium – can be physical	Often early morning or evening shifts
Customer Service	$24-$30	High – predictable hours	Professional experience, phone skills
Support Worker	$28-$38	Medium – requires training	Meaningful work, healthcare sector
Tutoring	$28-$45	Very High – set your schedule	Use your knowledge, flexible, rewarding
IT Helpdesk	$28-$40	Medium – may require experience	Professional development, tech skills

These rates reflect 2025-2026 market conditions and include casual loading where applicable. Rates increase substantially on weekends, public holidays, and for night shifts—Saturday work might pay time-and-a-half, while Sunday and public holiday shifts can attract double time.

The hospitality sector (accommodation and food service) has historically been the largest employer of international students, though data shows this has declined over recent years. Meanwhile, healthcare sector employment has grown significantly, reflecting Australia’s strong labour demand in aged care, disability support, and allied health services.

Reality check on job hunting: Most students report finding their first job within 2-8 weeks of consistent applications. The key word is “consistent”—you need to be applying daily, following up, and being flexible about what you’ll do initially. Your first Australian job might not be glamorous, but it gets your foot in the door, gives you local experience, and often leads to better opportunities once you’ve proven yourself.

Food delivery work has become increasingly popular because you can genuinely work it around your schedule. Have a three-hour gap between lectures? Do a few deliveries. Study session going nowhere? Earn some money instead. The complete flexibility makes it ideal for managing the 48-hour limit without complex roster juggling.

What Are Your Rights as an International Student Worker?

Here’s something that surprises many international students: you have exactly the same workplace rights as Australian citizens and permanent residents. Your visa status doesn’t diminish your entitlements under the Fair Work Act, and employers who tell you otherwise are either misinformed or deliberately exploitative.

Your universal rights include:

• Minimum wage: You must be paid at least the national minimum wage or the award rate for your industry, whichever is higher.
• Safe working conditions: Your employer must provide a workplace free from hazards, discrimination, bullying, and harassment.
• Penalty rates: Weekend, public holiday, and night shift work must be paid at higher rates as specified in the relevant award.
• Payslips: You must receive a payslip within one day of being paid, showing hours worked, gross pay, tax withheld, superannuation, and deductions.
• Protection from unfair dismissal: You cannot be fired for being sick, injured, or raising workplace concerns.
• Superannuation contributions: If you earn over $450 per month (before tax), your employer must pay 10.5% of your ordinary earnings into a superannuation fund.

What’s absolutely illegal for employers to do:

Employers cannot demand unpaid work trials beyond a reasonable period, pay you in goods or services instead of wages, force you to sign away your entitlements, or deduct recruitment costs or visa sponsorship expenses from your wages. They also cannot threaten to cancel your visa—only the Department of Home Affairs has that authority.

Cash-in-hand work without payslips is a massive red flag. It leaves you unprotected if you’re not paid, injured, or need to verify your work history for future visa applications.

Important protection: The Fair Work Ombudsman operates under an Assurance Protocol with the Department of Home Affairs. This means if you report workplace exploitation or unsafe conditions, you will not have your visa cancelled for coming forward, even if you’ve technically breached your work hour limits while being exploited.

When Can You Work Unlimited Hours in Australia?

This is the question that can genuinely transform your finances as an international student: when does the 48-hour cap disappear? Understanding these exemptions allows you to strategically plan your work schedule to maximise earnings without jeopardising your visa.

During official course breaks, the 48-hour fortnight limit does not apply. You can work full-time during summer break (typically December to February), winter break (June to July), and mid-semester breaks. Note that exam periods are NOT considered breaks—if exams are still ongoing or results are pending, the limit remains in force.

If you’re a Masters by Research or PhD student, you have unlimited work rights from the moment your course commences. Similarly, after course completion but before your visa expires, you can work unlimited hours. Conversely, before your course starts, you are not allowed to work at all.

The Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) also offers a pathway to unrestricted work rights after graduation. Depending on your qualification, you can work for two to four years post-graduation without any limits. This visa doesn’t impose occupation restrictions, allowing flexibility in your career choices.

What Happens If You Accidentally Breach the 48 Hour Limit?

Missteps in calculating your work hours can lead to serious consequences. The Department of Home Affairs audits employment records through data shared by the Australian Taxation Office, making detection of breaches relatively straightforward.

For minor or first-time breaches, you might receive a warning notice and be required to demonstrate future compliance. However, repeated or significant breaches can result in visa cancellation under Section 116 of the Migration Act, leading to possible deportation and long-term consequences for future visa applications.

Common mistakes include:

• Miscalculating overlapping fortnights due to the rolling period system.
• Combining hours from multiple jobs without proper tracking.
• Working before your course officially commences or after disengagement from studies.

Practical protection strategies:

• Track every work hour using a reliable digital tool and maintain physical copies of your rosters, timesheets, and payslips.
• Communicate clearly with your employers regarding your visa restrictions.
• Avoid cash-in-hand arrangements that bypass proper tax and record-keeping procedures.
• Seek immediate advice from a registered migration agent if you suspect a breach.

Remember, the 48-hour limit is set to ensure your studies remain your priority while enabling you to gain work experience. Adhering to these rules is crucial for both your academic and professional future.

Making Part-Time Work Actually Work for You

Successfully managing part-time jobs as an international student in Australia is about balancing work and study, and making strategic choices to maximise your earnings without jeopardising your visa status. Opt for flexible employment that accommodates your academic schedule, track your hours meticulously, and always prioritise your education.

Your student visa work rights are valuable. Use them wisely, protect them carefully, and remember that your education is your primary purpose in Australia.