Student visa work rights and part-time jobs in Australia

This guide is for international students in Australia on a Student visa (subclass 500) who want paid work alongside study. It is useful for nursing and allied health students looking for experience in aged care or support roles, and for any student looking for hospitality shifts. It also suits students near the end of their course who want to understand what changes once study finishes.

Student visas usually carry a work condition that limits how many hours you can work in each fortnight while your course is in session. Home Affairs publishes the current limit, and explains how a fortnight is counted, on its work restrictions page for student visa holders. The limit has changed in recent years, so check the official page and your own conditions in VEVO rather than relying on what a friend or employer remembers. The limit covers all the work you do, not each job separately, so two casual roles can take you over it quickly. Keep a simple record of your rostered and actual hours, including shifts that run late. If an employer asks you to work beyond your limit, you can say no. Breaching a visa condition can put your visa at risk, so staying within the rules is worth more than one extra shift.

Home Affairs treats scheduled course breaks differently from periods when your course is in session. Breaks set by your education provider, such as the time between semesters, may let you take on more hours, and many students use them for extra shifts or a block of experience in aged care or hospitality. The important word is scheduled. Time off you arrange yourself, a deferral or a gap caused by failing a unit may not count as a break. Your provider's academic calendar is the clearest evidence of when breaks start and end, so keep a copy handy in case an employer asks. Read the Home Affairs work restrictions page for the current rule before you plan a heavy roster. If you are not sure whether a period counts as a break, ask your provider's international student team or a registered migration agent before taking on extra hours.

Casual and part-time roles with flexible rosters suit most students. In aged care, personal care and support roles are common, though employers usually ask for a relevant certificate and a police check, and some may ask about vaccinations. Nursing students may find assistant in nursing roles in some states, depending on their year of study and the employer's policy. Hospitality offers evening and weekend shifts that work around classes, and a food safety or responsible service of alcohol certificate can help your application. Whatever the role, you have the same workplace rights as any other worker in Australia, including minimum pay rates and a safe workplace. The Fair Work Ombudsman has information for visa holders, including what to do if you are underpaid. When you apply through CrossNation, tell us your weekly availability and your course dates so we can suggest roles with realistic rosters.

These counts are live from the CrossNation job board. A listing is not a job offer, and it does not mean the employer sponsors visas. Check that a role fits your work rights before you apply.

• Aged care jobs: 0 open
• Hospitality jobs: 1 open
• Nursing jobs: 0 open