Jobs in Australia
What you need to knoa about Work Rights and Obligations
International students have the opportunity to work in Australia while studying. It can be a great way to experience the local culture and connect with the community.
Working Hours
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From 1 July 2023, work restrictions for student visa holders will be re-introduced.
Student visa work restrictions were relaxed throughout the pandemic, and completely removed in January 2022 to allow primary and secondary student visa holders to work over their normal limit of 40 hours per fortnight to address workforce shortages.
The Australian Government has announced that student visa holders already working in the aged care sector on 9 May 2023 can continue to work unrestricted hours in the aged care sector until 31 December 2023.
From 1 July 2023, work restrictions for all other student visa holders will be re-introduced and capped at the increased rate of 48 hours per fortnight. This ensures that student visa holders are able to focus on obtaining a quality Australian education and qualification, while remaining able to support themselves financially, gain valuable work experience, and contribute to Australia’s workforce needs.
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You must continue to balance your study and work commitments even though there is flexibility in the number of hours you can work.
Students must still:
maintain their course enrolment
ensure satisfactory course attendance, and
ensure satisfactory course progress.
Student visa holders who cancel their enrolment and stop attending classes, or fail to meet satisfactory course progress, may be in breach of their visa conditions.
Types of work
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What’s the difference between casual and part-time?
In Australia, you can either work part-time, or on a “casual basis”. In part-time work you have a set number of hours. In casual work your hours may vary week to week.
If you get a casual job, you might get paid more than regular part-time work. Your hourly pay could increase by up to 25%. This is called ‘casual loading,’ and it is extra money.
In casual work, your hours can change each week, and you won’t get paid for any days you are sick or on holidays.
Full-time job
Full-time employees generally work 38 hours per week, and receive pay for a full week’s work as well as conditions like paid annual leave and sick leave. A full-time worker is also entitled to notice of termination of their employment. This means that if your employer no longer wants to employ you, they have to provide a period of notice (or payment instead of the notice period) depending on how long you have worked there.
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The flexible hours and large number of opportunities in these industries make these ideal for students:
Retail - including supermarkets, department stores, boutiques
Hospitality - cafes, bars, restaurants, delivery
Farming and fruit-picking - seasonal work
Services – childcare, aged care and cleaning
Administration and clerical work
Tutoring
What is not ok at work
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The Government is committed to addressing exploitation of migrant workers in all sectors and is aware of the risks of exploitation that international students can face, where limited work hours are a condition of their visa.
The Government has agreed to the recommendations in the Post-Study Work Rights Report which address these risks:
ensuring the needs of student and graduate visa holders are considered when developing the package of reforms to address migrant worker exploitation expected in 2023.
ensuring information about the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman in securing workplace rights and protections for all workers in Australia is available to international students and graduates.
What should I do if my employer is threatening me with visa cancellation for working too many hours in a fortnight?
You should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. Your employer cannot cancel your visa, and the Department of Home Affairs will not cancel your visa for reporting workplace exploitation to the Fair Work Ombudsman, even if you have worked more than the allowed number of hours in a fortnight.
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Unpaid work trials for any period beyond what’s reasonably required for you to demonstrate the skills required for the job. What’s reasonable will vary depending on the nature and complexity of the job, but could range from an hour to one shift.
Not being paid for meetings or training and the time you spend opening and closing the business.
Not being given a pay slip – you should receive a pay slip within one day of being paid.
Receiving goods or services instead of pay.
Being pressured, forced or threatened to sign a workplace agreement.
Being sacked because you were sick or injured.
Being discriminated against, including not being hired, or being sacked, because of a protected attribute – see our Discrimination page for more information.
Pay secrecy – you have the right to talk about (or not talk about) your current or past pay, and ask other employees the same thing. For more information go to Pay secrecy
Bullying or sexual harassment in the workplace.
Minimum Wage
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Australia has a minimum wage. You must be paid at least this amount– it’s the law!
Search “FWO Pay and Conditions Tool” from the Fair Work Ombudsman. It will help you find out the minimum wage for your work. -
A minimum wage is an employee’s base rate of pay for ordinary hours worked.
Every year, the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) Expert Panels review the minimum wages received by employees in the national workplace relations system.
What is the current national minimum wage?
From 1 July 2023, the national minimum wage is $882.80 based on a week of 38 ordinary hours ($23.23 per hour).
Paying Tax
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What is Tax File Number
A tax file number (TFN) is your personal reference number in the tax and superannuation systems.
Your TFN is:
a unique number (usually 9 digits)
an important part of your identity
yours for life – you keep your TFN even if you change jobs or name, move interstate or go overseas.
You might need to pay tax depending on how much you earn. Get a Tax File Number (TFN) before starting work. Give your TFN to your boss to make sure you do not pay more tax than you should. Everyone gets their own TFN and it’s yours for life! It’s important you don’t let anyone else use it – not even friends. You will also need to lodge a ‘tax return’ each year.
How do I get a TFN
Use the official ATO (Australian Taxation Office) website to apply for a free TFN.
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These rates apply to individuals who are Australian residents for tax purposes.
2023-24
Taxable income (Tax on this income)
0-$18,200 (Nil)
$18,201 - $45,000 (19c for each $1 over 18,200)
$45,001 - $120,000 ($5,092 plus 32.5c for each $1 over 45,000)
$120,001 - $180,000 ($29,467 plus 37c for each $1 over $120,000)
$180,001 and over ($51,667 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000)
The above rates do not include the Medicare levy of 2%
You can use the Simple Tax Calculator to calculate the tax you own on your taxable income for the full income year.
Payslips
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In Australia, you must get a payslip within one working day of getting paid. Normally, workers get paid weekly, fortnightly (every two weeks), or monthly. The payslip is an important document.
What can I find on my payslip?
A payslip tells you how much you have earned and how much tax has been taken from your pay. If you are paid an hourly rate, a payslip shows you the number of hours you have worked.
What should I do if I have not received my payslip?
Inform your boss or manager that you didn’t get your payslip. Usually, it is just a mistake. They must provide it for you when you ask.
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Your employer is required by law to keep accurate employee records. They must be in English and kept for seven years. They are private and should only be accessed by you, your employer, and any relevant payroll staff.
The records your employer must keep are:
General records
General records include your name, the date you started employment and your type of employment (permanent, temporary, casual, full or part-time).
Pay records
Pay records must include your rate of pay, your ordinary hourly rate, the gross and net amount of your pay, any deductions and any other types of payments like penalty rates, bonuses or leave loading. This makes it easier for employers to keep track of payments and to generate a payslip in Australia.
Leave records
If you are entitled to leave, your employer must keep a record of any leave taken and the balance of your remaining leave. Records should also include any agreements made with your employer about using leave in advance or cashing out your leave.
Hours of work records
Your employer must keep records of your hours of work in the following cases:
If you are a casual worker or irregular part-time employee who is guaranteed a pay rate set by the time you work
If you are entitled to a penalty rate or loading for overtime hours worked
They must also keep a record of any written agreements with you about your hours such as taking time off instead of being paid for overtime hours.
Superannuation contribution records
When paying you, your employer must keep a record of any superannuation contributions, the pay period they relate to, the date of each contribution, and the fund’s name. A record must be kept if you have requested that super contributions be paid into your chosen fund.
Ending employment
Employers must keep track of any employee who has had their position terminated within the company. This means recording how the employment was terminated – whether it was a mutual agreement or some other way, whether notice was provided and if so, how much, and the name of the person who ended the employment.
Other records
In addition to the records already mentioned, your employer must keep a record of any other agreements you have made with them. This might include individual flexibility arrangements, annualised wage arrangements, annual earning guarantees and employee transfer records.