You can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. That is the rule. What trips people up is the word fortnight. It is not a weekly limit of 24 hours. It is a rolling 14-day block, and the way you spread your shifts across those 14 days matters.
Here is how the cap works in practice, what changes when your course is not in session, which hours do not count, and what happens if you get it wrong.
How is a fortnight counted?
A fortnight is any period of 14 days, not a fixed calendar block. In practice, the Department of Home Affairs looks at the 14 days counted from the start of any given week. Most students treat it as Monday to the following Sunday, but the rule is about the 14-day window, not the label you put on it.
So if you work 30 hours in week one and 18 hours in week two, you are at 48 for that fortnight. Fine. If you work 30 hours in week one and 25 in week two, you are at 55. That is a breach, even if neither week on its own looks extreme.
Two things to hold onto:
- You cannot average out a quiet fortnight with a busy one. Each 14-day period stands on its own.
- You cannot bank unused hours. A week where you work 10 hours does not give you a licence to work 38 the next week.
If your employer offers you a run of shifts, add them up before you say yes. A 14-day diary is the only reliable way to stay inside the cap.
When does the cap not apply?
The 48-hour limit applies while your course is in session. When your course is not in session, the cap does not apply, and you can work unrestricted hours.
What counts as 'not in session' depends on your provider's teaching calendar, not on whether you personally have an assignment due. The standard breaks are:
- Between study periods, such as the gap between semesters or trimesters.
- Before your course starts, for the period after your course commences but before teaching begins.
- After your final assessment, in the period before your course end date on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
If you are studying a course with a compulsory work component, such as nursing, teaching or social work, the placement hours are treated differently. More on that below.
The safest habit is to check your provider's academic calendar and your CoE. If you are unsure whether a particular week counts as in session, ask your international student adviser before you pick up extra shifts.
What about placement hours?
Hours you spend on a registered course's compulsory work component do not count towards the 48-hour cap. That includes clinical placements, teaching rounds, and other practicum hours that are a required part of your degree.
The key word is compulsory. If the placement is a required component of your CRICOS-registered course, those hours sit outside the cap. If you are doing optional work experience, a casual job, or an internship that is not a course requirement, those hours count.
Two practical points:
- Placement hours still have to be recorded and verifiable. Your provider will usually have a process for this.
- If you are doing a paid placement that is a compulsory part of your course, that pay is still income, and it still needs to be declared for tax purposes. It just does not eat into your 48 hours.
If your placement is unpaid, you are still covered by your provider's insurance arrangements and, in most cases, by the Fair Work Act. Unpaid does not mean unprotected.
What happens if you breach the cap?
Breaching the work condition on your Student visa (subclass 500) is a serious matter. The condition is attached to your visa, and the Department of Home Affairs can cancel your visa if you do not comply.
In practice, a breach is usually discovered in one of a few ways:
- Your employer reports hours to the Australian Taxation Office, and those records can be checked.
- Your provider flags a concern, for example if your attendance or academic progress drops.
- You disclose the breach yourself, which is generally better than being caught.
The consequences can include:
- Visa cancellation, which may carry a three-year exclusion period for certain other visas.
- Difficulties with future visa applications, including the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).
- For employers, penalties for allowing a breach, which is why many workplaces are strict about rosters.
If you think you have breached the cap, get advice early. Your provider's international student support team and a registered migration agent can tell you what to do next. Do not wait for a letter from the Department.
What about the 48 hours in practice?
Most students find the cap is workable if they plan around it. A few habits help:
- Keep a simple log of your shifts and hours. A notes app is enough.
- Check your roster against the 14-day window before you accept extra shifts.
- Ask your employer to confirm your hours in writing, especially if you are paid casually.
- Know your provider's census dates and teaching periods, so you know when the cap applies.
- Do not rely on a verbal arrangement. If it is not recorded, you cannot prove it.
Remember that your Student visa is primarily for study. Work is a supplement, not a substitute. If you are struggling to cover costs, talk to your provider's support services before you take on more hours than the cap allows.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work more than 48 hours in a fortnight if I am on a course break?
Yes. When your course is not in session, the cap does not apply, and you can work unrestricted hours. Check your provider's calendar to confirm the break dates.
Do unpaid internships count towards the cap?
If the internship is a compulsory part of your course, it does not count. If it is optional, it counts. The test is whether the placement is a required component of your CRICOS-registered course.
What if my employer asks me to work more than 48 hours?
You can say no. The condition is on your visa, not your employer's. If your employer pressures you, that is a red flag, and you can report it to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Does the cap apply during the semester break?
No, provided the break is a genuine period when your course is not in session. If you have resits or supplementary assessments, check with your provider whether that period counts as in session.
Can I work on a student visa before my course starts?
Once your course has commenced, you can work. Before your course commences, you generally cannot work unless your visa was granted with work rights and you have started your course. Check your visa grant letter for the exact conditions.
Always confirm current figures and conditions on the Department of Home Affairs website and your provider's own pages. Rules and calendars change, and your CoE is the document that governs your specific course dates.