On a subclass 500 Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours during official breaks; research master's and PhD students have no limit. From 1 July 2026 the national minimum wage is A$26.44 (≈ $18.57) an hour, or A$33.05 for casual staff. After graduating, a bachelor's or coursework master's graduate can apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for 2 years, and a research master's or PhD graduate for 3 years. The key conditions are being aged 35 or under (50 or under for research degrees), IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, at least 92 weeks of study in Australia and applying within 6 months of finishing. The 485 charge starts from A$5,750 (≈ $4,040).
This guide explains how the hours are counted, realistic earnings, tax and superannuation, every 485 condition, and why your course choice before enrolment decides whether you can stay on after graduation. Conversions use the ECB rate of 28 September 2026 (A$1 ≈ US$0.7024). For a country overview, see studying in Australia.
How many hours you can work during your studies
| Period | Limit | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Semester or term (course in session) | up to 48 hours per fortnight | bachelor's, coursework master's, vocational and English students |
| Official breaks between study periods | unlimited | the same students |
| The whole course | unlimited | research master's and PhD students, and their family members |
The cap applies per fortnight rather than per week, so 30 hours one week and 18 the next is within the rule. Breaching the work condition puts your visa at risk, so keep your own record of shifts if you have more than one employer. Your visa conditions appear in the grant letter and in VEVO; the visa itself is covered in our Australian student visa guide.
What you can earn
International students have the same workplace rights and minimum pay entitlements as other workers.
| Measure | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| National minimum wage | A$26.44 (≈ $18.57) an hour, A$1,004.90 (≈ $706) for a 38-hour week |
| Casual minimum including the 25% loading in place of paid leave | A$33.05 (≈ $23.21) an hour |
| 48 hours per fortnight at the casual rate (RMIT calculation) | about A$793 (≈ $560) a week before tax |
| 20 hours per fortnight at the casual rate (RMIT calculation) | about A$330 (≈ $230) a week before tax |
If an industry award covers the job, the minimum rate may be higher; check it with the Fair Work Ombudsman pay calculator. You must receive a payslip within one working day of being paid; it is your main record of earnings and tax withheld. Hospitality, retail and tutoring are typical student jobs.
Earnings help with rent and groceries but cannot replace visa funds: Home Affairs says you should not rely on work in Australia. For a full budget, see the cost of studying in Australia.
Tax, TFN and superannuation
Tax File Number (TFN). Your employer will ask for one. If you are in Australia on a visa with work rights, you can apply free online through Individual Auto-Registration. The TFN is posted to your Australian address within 28 days, so apply soon after arrival.
Income tax. If you study in Australia for more than six months, you are treated as a resident for tax purposes and pay resident rates. For 2026–27:
| Taxable income | Tax |
|---|---|
| up to A$18,200 (≈ $12,780) | nil |
| A$18,201–45,000 | 15c for each dollar over A$18,200 |
| A$45,001–135,000 | A$4,020 plus 30c for each dollar over A$45,000 |
The Australian financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June, and your own tax return is due by 31 October. Your employer withholds tax from your pay; the ATO then checks it against your return and deductions. If your course is shorter than six months and you leave afterwards, you are likely to be a non-resident for tax purposes.
Superannuation. On top of wages, employers pay super into a retirement account: 12% in both 2025–26 and 2026–27. You can claim it after you leave Australia permanently.
Finding work
- University careers services advertise student jobs and help with CVs.
- Volunteering and internships build experience and networks and can lead to paid work.
- Do not accept pay below the minimum or work without payslips; the Fair Work Ombudsman is the government body that handles pay complaints.
The 485 visa: available streams
| Stream | For | Stay | Charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-Higher Education Work | bachelor's, honours, master's and doctoral graduates | 2–3 years depending on the degree | from A$5,750 (≈ $4,040) |
| Post-Vocational Education Work | diploma, associate degree or trade graduates with a qualification related to an occupation on the skilled occupation list | up to 18 months | from A$5,750 |
| Second Post-Higher Education Work | graduates of regional campuses who lived regionally for at least 2 years on their first 485 | 1–2 years | from A$2,265 (≈ $1,590) |
Stay under the first stream depends on your Australian qualification:
| Qualification | 485 stay |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's, including honours | 2 years |
| Coursework and extended master's | 2 years |
| Research master's | 3 years |
| Doctoral degree | 3 years |
| Graduate diploma | 2 years by default, unless earlier study would give longer |
Indian nationals receive longer periods under a trade agreement, and Hong Kong and British National (Overseas) passport holders may stay up to 5 years. Other nationalities, including Russian and Central Asian citizens, get the standard periods above. You choose the stream when you apply and cannot change it afterwards.
Conditions for the Post-Higher Education Work stream
| Condition | In practice |
|---|---|
| Age | 35 or under when you apply; under 50 if you rely on a research master's or PhD |
| Location | apply in Australia while holding a valid visa |
| Previous visa | a Student visa now or within the last 6 months |
| Timing | course completed within the 6 months before you apply |
| Qualification | bachelor's, honours, master's (coursework, extended or research) or doctorate; a graduate diploma only under Home Affairs conditions |
| Australian study requirement | at least 92 CRICOS weeks, taught in English, in Australia, on a visa allowing study, over at least 16 calendar months |
| English | IELTS 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each band, PTE 55 or TOEFL iBT 81 with band minimums, scored in the 12 months before you apply |
| Insurance | adequate health insurance for all applicants |
| Police check | an Australian Federal Police check applied for within the 12 months before, and not on the same day as, your visa application |
| Previous graduate visas | if you have already held a 485 or 476 as the main applicant, you cannot be the main applicant again in this stream |
For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, the minimums are: IELTS Academic or General Training 6.5 (each band 5.5), PTE Academic 55 (listening 40, reading 42, writing 41, speaking 39), TOEFL iBT 81 (12, 12, 14, 17), LANGUAGECERT Academic 67 and CELPIP 8. C1 Advanced is not accepted for this visa. IELTS results with a One Skill Retake are accepted if the retake is completed before you apply.
The key decision happens when you choose your course
The Australian study requirement causes most unpleasant surprises. Two academic years means 92 weeks of standard CRICOS course duration, spread over at least 16 calendar months. In practice:
- A one-year coursework master's does not reach 92 weeks on its own. If the 485 matters to you, choose a 1.5–2-year programme or check how it combines with earlier study in Australia.
- Credit for prior learning shortens your time in Australia. If it cuts your actual study below 16 months, you may not meet the requirement.
- English courses and enabling programmes do not count; a Foundation year before a bachelor's is not included.
- Online study from overseas does not count: the course must be completed in Australia on a visa that allows study.
Course lengths are compared in our guides to master's degrees in Australia and bachelor's degrees in Australia.
The second 485 for regional graduates
The Second Post-Higher Education Work stream is open to graduates whose first 485 was granted on the basis of study at a regional campus. On that first 485 you must also have lived only in a designated regional area for at least two years immediately before applying. During the second visa you must keep living in a regional area.
| Category | Areas | Extra stay |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 — major cities | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | none |
| Category 2 — cities and major regional centres | Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, Hobart | 1 year |
| Category 3 — regional centres and other regional areas | everywhere else | 2 years |
A regional campus of a metropolitan university also counts. If a longer post-study stay matters, compare universities by location category as well as ranking; see our guide to universities in Australia.
How to apply for the 485: a timeline
- Two to three months before your course ends, sit the English test: the result must fall within the 12 months before you lodge.
- Around the same time, apply for an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check. It must be applied for within the 12 months before the visa application, but not on the same day.
- Arrange health insurance covering you and any family members for the whole stay: OSHC is tied to the Student visa, so check whether your policy covers the period after it ends or buy a new one.
- Once results are released, get your completion documents from the university and lodge in ImmiAccount while in Australia, within 6 months of completing the course.
- While the application is processed, the bridging visa granted on lodgement keeps you lawful. Do not cancel your current visa, or you will become unlawful.
After the 485
The 485 is temporary, and you find your own employment; no employer sponsorship is needed to get it. Staying longer requires a separate skilled or permanent visa with its own occupation, experience and English criteria. You cannot apply for a Student visa in Australia while holding a 485.
To compare post-study options elsewhere, see our guides to the UK Graduate Route and OPT in the USA.
Common mistakes
- Treating the 48-hour cap as weekly and working too much during term.
- Choosing a one-year master's and expecting a 485 without checking the 92-week rule.
- Sitting the English test too early: it must fall within the 12 months before the 485 application.
- Applying for the AFP check on the same day as the visa, or more than 12 months before it.
- Missing the six-month window after course completion; late applications are not accepted.
- Counting future earnings in the Student visa budget.
FAQ
The cap is 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session, about 24 hours a week on average. There is no limit during breaks between study periods, and none at all for research master's and PhD students.
At least A$26.44 an hour, or A$33.05 for casual work, from 1 July 2026. Working 48 hours a fortnight at the casual rate gives about A$793 a week before tax, according to RMIT.
Yes. Students in Australia for more than six months are tax residents: the first A$18,200 a year is tax-free, then resident rates apply. Your employer withholds the tax once you provide your TFN.
Research master's and PhD graduates in the Post-Higher Education Work stream. Bachelor's and coursework master's graduates get 2 years; regional graduates may add 1–2 years with a second 485.
Only if, together with other study in Australia, you reach 92 CRICOS weeks over at least 16 months. A one-year course alone does not meet the requirement.
From A$5,750 for the main applicant in the Post-Higher Education Work and Post-Vocational Education Work streams, and from A$2,265 for the second 485. Family members pay separately.
Sources
- Home Affairs: Student visa (subclass 500) — work, funds — checked 28.09.2026
- Home Affairs: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — streams, stay, charges and Post-Higher Education Work stream — checked 28.09.2026
- Home Affairs: Australian study requirement — checked 28.09.2026
- Home Affairs: Second Post-Higher Education Work stream and regional migration — checked 28.09.2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman: minimum wages — checked 28.09.2026
- RMIT: cost of studying, work and student earnings in 2026 — checked 28.09.2026
- Study Australia: your work rights and tax and superannuation — checked 28.09.2026
- ATO: TFN for foreign passport holders, resident tax rates and super guarantee rate — checked 28.09.2026
- US dollar conversions use the ECB reference rate of 28.09.2026: EUR/USD 1.1378 and EUR/AUD 1.6199, so A$1 ≈ US$0.7024.
Choosing courses that fit the 485 study requirement, your budget and career goal is provided under an agreement with StudyU. Visa decisions are made by Home Affairs and hiring decisions by employers; we do not promise employment.
Next steps
- Bachelor's Degrees in Australia: How the Degree Works, 2027 Costs and Entry for International Students
- Master's Degrees in Australia: Program Types, Degree Requirements, 2027 Costs and the 485 Visa
- Cost of Studying in Australia in 2026–2027: University Fees, Living Costs, Visa and a First-Year Budget
- Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) in 2026: Requirements, Funds, Genuine Student Questions and How to Apply
- Working While Studying in the UK and the Graduate Route: 20 Hours a Week, Tax, and Two Years or 18 Months After Graduation
- Working While Studying in the USA and OPT: On-Campus Jobs, CPT, OPT and STEM OPT Under the 2026 Rules
