Australia caps how much international students can work during term, and misunderstanding the limit is a common visa compliance mistake, one that can put your entire visa at risk if you get it wrong.
Current rules:
- 48 hours per fortnight is the standard cap while classes are in session, where a fortnight means a fixed 14-day block starting on a Monday rather than any rolling two-week window you choose yourself
- Unlimited hours are permitted during official course breaks
- Master’s by Research and PhD candidates get unlimited work rights year-round, with no fortnightly cap at all, from the day their degree begins
The distinction between a coursework Master’s and a Master’s by Research matters here: only the research pathway gets the unlimited treatment. Your partner’s work rights follow the same logic. If you’re on a Bachelor’s or coursework Master’s, your accompanying partner is capped at 48 hours too, but if you’re doing a Master’s by Research or PhD, your partner can work unlimited hours from the moment your course starts, regardless of their own study level.
What counts toward the cap is broader than most students assume: gig economy work through apps like Uber or delivery platforms counts in full, and even genuinely unpaid trial shifts count unless they’re a formal, CRICOS-registered part of your course. Genuine volunteering for a registered non-profit generally does not count. Exceeding the limit risks visa cancellation and can block future visa applications, including the Subclass 485 graduate visa, so track your hours across every employer combined rather than per job.
For the financial capacity threshold behind your visa, see Australia Student Visa Financial Capacity Rules 2026.