Can International Students Work in Australia on Student Visa?

International students who are resident in Australia automatically have permission to work in Australia with their student visa. Dependants of students visa also have permission to work in Australia.

International students do not need to apply separately in Australia to start a job. However students need a Tax File Number before they can start working.

International students cannot work until they have started their course in Australia. Once their course has commenced they are permitted to work in Australia.

How many hours a week international students can work?

International students in Australia can work up to 40 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. However they can work full-time during University vacations. This can be great help to international students who come to study in Australia without scholarships and financial aid.

International students receving partial scholarships must check with their university if they are allowed to work with the granted scholarships. International students holding a university scholarship may or may not be entitled to undertake paid work as per the University’s scholarship conditions.

International students receiving external scholarships from private organization must contact them and check if they are allowed to work in Australia with their scholarship.

What type of work international students can do?

Part-time work is not difficult to find in Australia. International students who are hard working should be able to find good campus jobs easily.

University can help international students look for part-time work on campus, which is likely to be a non-professional job, such as sales, marketing, waiter, retail store staff and others.

Australian Universities generally do not have teaching assistantships programs available for international students. However, international PhD students may find on campus jobs as research or teaching assistants.

Part time employment opportunities may include following jobs.

• Retail – supermarkets and retail stores.
• Hospitality – cafes, bars and restaurants.
• Tourism – hotels and motels.
• Agricultural – farming and fruit-picking.
• Sales and telemarketing.
• Administration jobs.
• Teaching or coaching school students.

Paid internships for international students in Australia

Internships in Australia, either academic or professional work experience, are incredibly valuable for international students. Paid internships can be a great way to get exposure to international students. Companies in Australia are looking for paid interns in various fields. International students can find these paid internships in local newspapers and local news websites.

Volunteering jobs for international students

Volunteering jobs are good for getting job experience in Australia. There are many charities and non-government organisations in Australia and they always in need of volunteers.

For international students, benefits of volunteering are enormous. The right match can help you find friends in new country, reach out to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career.

Rights of international students

According to the Australian Laws international students are entitled to get

• A minimum wage.
• Breaks and rest periods.
• Challenge of unfair dismissal from the job
• A healthy and safe work environment

Finding Part-time Jobs in Australia

The most popular way to find local part-time jobs are to check Newspapers and online job sites. Many universities and city councils provide job notice-boards on their websites. International students must register their details at a recruitment agancy which may help them place in part-time work.