Many international students choose to work while studying to earn an income, as well as to gain valuable Australian work experience to support their professional growth.

International students with a valid study visa can work up to 40 hours every two weeks during their study session. The hours do not need to be equally split between the two weeks. Instead, a student can work more hours in one week and less in others if it suits them and their employer. Students can only start working once their course starts.

During scheduled course breaks, students can work unrestricted hours. A full-time employee usually works, on average, 38 hours each week.

All Australian employees, including overseas students, have to pay Australian taxes. Students must apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) and can apply for the TFN online.

International students place post-graduation benefits as an important factor when finalizing destinations where to study. The experience international graduates gain – and income derived – from this employment is important to offset their family’s financial investment and help repay their study loans.

Temporary Graduate Visa

The Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) lets students stay and work in Australia after they finish their studies. There are two different streams of the temporary graduate visa: Post-Study Work Stream and Graduate Work Stream. Students can apply for one stream or the other depending on what they studied and what types of jobs they are seeking.

Post-Study Work Stream

The Temporary Graduate Visa – Post-Study Work Stream is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree in a CRICOS-registered course from an Australian institution.

To be considered for this visa, the student must apply within six months of their official date of course (program) completion.

The length of stay depends on the level of the Australian study qualification that they student had achieved. Typically graduates of a bachelor’s degree and a course-based master’s degree can stay for two years, while research-based master’s graduates can stay for 3 years, and PhD holders can live in Australia for four years with this visa.

For more information, visit the Australian Government’s website on Temporary Graduate Visa - Post-Study Work Stream.

Graduate Work Stream

The Temporary Graduate Visa - Graduate Work Stream is for international students who have recently graduated with skills and qualifications that are relevant to the specific occupations Australia needs. The skilled occupation list specifies the qualifications eligible for this visa.

Graduates need to apply within 6 months of their study visa’s expiry to be considered. They will be able to stay and work for up to 18 months if approved for the visa.

For more information, visit the Australian Government’s website on Temporary Graduate Visa - Graduate Work Stream. Please ensure you check the official government website for updates, as requirements can change frequently for visas and permits.

Other Work and Stay Visas

The Temporary Graduate Visa holders cannot stay longer in Australia by extending this visa. Instead, they can apply for other skilled work visas. Visit the Australian Government’s website to explore all the available visa options. If a graduate wants to apply for a new visa, they must do so before their current visa expires so they could obtain a Bridging Visa A (BVA) while their application is being processed.