Employing international students: the 48-hour rule, breaks, checks and the graduate pipeline

The 48-hour rule, precisely

• 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session, in force since 1 July 2023. A fortnight is any 14-day period starting on a Monday; a student can work 40 hours one week and 8 the next, but never more than 48 in any Monday-to-Sunday fortnight.
• Unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks, between courses once the student has a confirmation of enrolment for the next one, and after the final course ends until the visa expires.
• No cap for students in a master’s by research or a doctorate once the course has started.
• All employers count together, including unpaid work, except a placement that is a mandatory part of the course.
• No work before the course starts. A student who has arrived but not yet begun classes cannot work.
• Secondary applicants (a student’s partner) have the same 48-hour cap unless the student is in a master’s or doctorate, in which case the partner has unlimited rights.

You are not expected to police hours at other jobs, but you are expected not to roster a student beyond 48 hours yourself, and a student who tells you they are at their cap is protecting both of you. A student on a bridging visa after a further application usually keeps the same condition until the new visa is granted.

The checks

• VEVO before the first shift: it shows the student visa, its expiry and condition 8105 (the 48-hour condition) or 8104 for family members. Keep the result.
• Course dates: ask for the confirmation of enrolment or the institution’s calendar so you know when the breaks fall and can roster full time then.
• Tax file number declaration as a resident for tax purposes in most cases (a student in Australia for more than six months with a settled routine is usually a tax resident), the tax-free threshold available, and super at 12 per cent.
• Award pay in full. Underpaying students is the single most common finding in Fair Work Ombudsman audits of hospitality, retail and cleaning, and the Ombudsman’s assurance protocol means a student who reports underpayment will not have their visa cancelled for a hours breach, so the old leverage is gone.

Where students look for work

University and TAFE careers portals, Indeed and Jora, Facebook groups by campus and nationality, and word of mouth inside each community. For skilled part-time roles (nursing assistants, IT support, bookkeeping, engineering drafting) and for students in their final year who are weighing where to stay after graduation, SponsorTalent lists them with the course, the expected completion date and the visa, so an employer can hire for the 48 hours now and for the graduate role next year. Search free; unlock a contact for A$30.

The pipeline: student, graduate, sponsored

A student who finishes a degree, diploma or trade qualification in Australia can move to a 485 Temporary Graduate visa with unrestricted work rights for two years (longer for regional study), and from there to a 482 or 186 if their occupation is listed and you want to keep them. Employers who hire students in their final year, roster them properly and then offer the graduate role have the cheapest, lowest-risk sponsorship pipeline there is: the worker already knows the business, holds an Australian qualification, and has a visa history with no gaps. The visa-by-visa rules for the whole onshore pool: employing visa holders already in Australia; the sponsorship step when the time comes: sponsoring an existing employee; the student’s own version of this path: student visa to sponsored job.

Note that the 2024 and 2025 changes to the student program (higher English requirements, the genuine student test, tighter rules on onshore applications) have reduced the number of new students, so the graduates of 2026 to 2028 will be a smaller cohort than the one employers got used to. The employers who hold onto theirs will be the ones with the pipeline.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours can an international student work in Australia? 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, counted over any Monday-to-Sunday fortnight and across all jobs; unlimited hours during scheduled breaks and after the course ends; no cap for research master’s and PhD students.

Can I roster an international student full time during university holidays? Yes. The cap applies only while the course is in session. Ask for the institution’s calendar so the dates are documented.

What happens if a student works more than 48 hours? The student breaches condition 8105 and the visa can be cancelled. The employer breaches the Migration Act if it allowed work contrary to a visa condition and can face civil penalties. Keep rosters within the cap and the VEVO result on file.

Do international students need sponsorship to work? No. The student visa carries work rights. Sponsorship becomes relevant only when the student graduates, moves to a 485 and you want to keep them beyond it.

Do I pay super for international students? Yes, at 12 per cent like any employee. They can claim it when they leave Australia permanently.