Part-time jobs for students in Australia: hours, pay

Facts checked on 11 October 2026

How many hours you may work

Australian citizens and permanent residents

The limit below is a visa condition. If you are a citizen or permanent resident, being a student does not limit your hours. The minimum age for work is set by each state and territory.

International students on a Student visa (subclass 500)

When	What is allowed
While your course is in session	Up to 48 hours a fortnight
During scheduled course breaks	No limit
Before your course has commenced	No work at all

A fortnight is 14 days, so the limit is not 24 hours in every single week. Any two weeks in a row are counted together: after a 30-hour week, the next may have no more than 18.
Students doing a master's degree by research or a doctorate have no limit once the course has commenced.
Family members who came with you are usually limited to 48 hours a fortnight at all times.

Working beyond your visa conditions can lead to the visa being cancelled. Check your own conditions in VEVO, the Department of Home Affairs' online service, and ask your provider's international student support if anything is unclear.

What you must be paid

The National Minimum Wage is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, before tax. It applies from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 and is reviewed every year.

Casual loading: casual employees get an extra 25% on top, because they have no paid leave.
Awards: most jobs in shops, hospitality, fast food and cleaning are covered by an award that sets its own minimum rates, including higher pay for evenings, weekends and public holidays. Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator to find the rate for your job and age.
Junior rates: employees under 21 are usually paid a percentage of the adult rate.
Unpaid trials: a trial shift may be unpaid only for as long as it takes to show you can do the job, and only under direct supervision. Anything longer must be paid.

International students have the same workplace rights as everyone else, and an employer cannot cancel your visa. If you think you are being underpaid, the Fair Work Ombudsman gives free help.

Casual or part-time?

	Casual	Part-time
Hours	No firm commitment to ongoing work; shifts are offered and you may accept or decline	Regular hours, fewer than 38 a week
Paid leave	None for annual or sick leave	Yes, in proportion to your hours
Pay	Casual loading on top of the base rate	The base rate

Most student jobs are casual. That suits a timetable that changes each semester, but your income will vary from week to week.

Before your first shift

A tax file number (TFN). It is free. If you hold a visa with work rights you apply online once you are in Australia, and it arrives within 28 days. Without one, tax is taken from your pay at the highest rate.
A super fund. Your employer pays 12% of your ordinary earnings into super for 2026 to 2027. You can choose the fund; if you do not, the employer uses a default one.
An Australian bank account for your pay.

Tax in brief

An Australian resident for tax purposes pays no tax on the first $18,200 of income in a year, then 15 cents on each dollar up to $45,000.
If you are enrolled in a course that lasts six months or more, you may be a resident for tax purposes, and can then claim the tax-free threshold.
If tax was taken from your pay you must lodge a tax return. The tax year ends on 30 June, and if you lodge it yourself through myTax you do so between 1 July and 31 October.

Where student jobs are advertised

Your education provider's careers service and noticeboards, for jobs on and near campus.
Workforce Australia, the Australian Government's job search site.
Employers' own careers pages and job boards. Hospitality, retail, care and supply chain work are the fields the government's own guide for international students names first.

Timing: Christmas falls in summer, and "Christmas casual" jobs in shops and warehouses are advertised in spring, well before December. Apply early in the season.

Finding them without checking every site

Jobofinder can do the looking. Set up one search:

Choose "Any part-time job", or type a job title such as barista or retail assistant. Add "casual" as a job title of its own if you want casual work in particular.
Choose Australia, type your town or suburb, and say how far you can travel.
Add the careers pages of employers near you that you would like to work for.

New jobs reach you every morning and evening with a link. Count your hours across all your jobs over each fortnight: the 48-hour limit is yours to keep.

Common questions

How many hours can international students work in Australia?

On a Student visa (subclass 500), up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. You cannot start work until your course has commenced. Students doing a master's by research or a doctorate have no limit once their course has started.

What is the minimum wage in Australia in 2026?

The National Minimum Wage is 26.44 dollars an hour, or 1,004.90 dollars for a 38-hour week, before tax, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual employees get a 25 per cent loading on top. Most jobs are covered by an award that sets its own, often higher, rates.

What is the difference between casual and part-time work?

A casual employee has no firm commitment to ongoing work and no paid leave, and is paid a casual loading instead. A part-time employee works regular hours of fewer than 38 a week and gets paid leave in proportion.

Do casual and part-time workers get super?

Generally yes. For 2026 to 2027 employers must pay 12 per cent of your ordinary earnings into a super fund, whatever you earn. If you are under 18 you qualify only in weeks when you work more than 30 hours.

Official sources

Rules and rates change. These pages have the final word, and this guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice.

Part-time and casual jobs for students in Australia