Australia Student Visa Work Hours Calculator 2026 | Free Tool

On an Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500), you can work a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. A fortnight is a 14-day period that always starts on Monday and ends the following Sunday. During official university vacation periods (semester breaks), there is no work hour limit. PhD students and those enrolled in Masters by Research programmes have no work hour restrictions at all.

For Australian Student Visa work conditions, a fortnight is a fixed 14-day period that starts every Monday and ends the following Sunday — it does not roll from your start date. This means the measurement period is always Monday to Sunday, Monday to Sunday. You cannot average hours across fortnights — each individual 14-day period must stay at or below 48 hours regardless of what you worked the fortnight before.

Exceeding 48 hours in a single fortnight is a breach of your Student Visa Condition 8105. Consequences can include visa cancellation, a bar on future visa applications, and removal from Australia. Your employer may also face penalties for knowingly allowing a student to work over their limit. The Department of Home Affairs audits employer records and can identify breaches through tax records. Always track your hours carefully, especially if you work for multiple employers where combined hours are counted.

Yes. When your course is officially not in session (university vacation periods — summer break, winter break, semester breaks), Student Visa Condition 8105's 48-hour limit does not apply. You can work full-time or any number of hours. The key is whether your university's official academic calendar shows your course as 'in session.' Individual assessments, online coursework, or thesis writing during breaks still typically counts as vacation if the university is not in formal session.

At Australia's national minimum wage of $26.44/hour (effective 1 July 2026) for permanent part-time roles, working 48 hours per fortnight earns approximately $1,269/fortnight or $2,538/month before tax. Casual workers receive 25% casual loading, making their rate $33.05/hour, earning approximately $1,586/fortnight ($3,172/month before tax). Skilled roles in hospitality, retail, or tutoring often pay above minimum wage, further increasing potential earnings within the 48-hour cap.