Working in Australia

Working in Australia 

Applying for permission to work (PDF)

The following comprises  selected extracts from the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) Website

Before you apply for a student visa with permission to work, please complete a UWS Proof of Commencement of Study Form (Word doc).  This form needs to be signed off by lecturers/tutors and returned to your International Student Advisor. The International Office will then electronically confirm commencement of study to DIMA making it possible for you to apply online for an Evisa.

Once you have had your commencement activated by the ISA, you can lodge your application.

All initial student visas are granted with the condition 8101, No Work.   You and members of your family can apply for permission to work only after you have commenced your studies in Australia.

The information in this area will help you to:

• understand the visa conditions relating to working while studying, and
• apply for permission to work on a student visa.

Maximum hours permitted

If you are given permission to work, there will be restrictions on the number of hours you will be allowed to work in a week.   The following table describes the maximum work hours permitted after a permission to work visa has been granted.

See also: Student visa types (subclasses) and conditions

If you are granted permission to work as a ...	Then you may work for ...
student (condition 8105)	a maximum of 20 hours a week during the term, not including work that is a formal registered part of your course, and unlimited hours during recognised periods of vacation.
member of a student's family (condition 8104)	a maximum of 20 hours a week throughout the year for the duration of your visa.
member of a family unit under visa subclass: 574 (masters or doctorate course), or 576 (AusAID or Defence-sponsored)	a maximum of 20 hours a week at all times (condition 8104), when you are studying any preliminary course, or unlimited hours, if you apply for permission to work after you start your masters or doctorate course

Course practical work

You may undertake a work placement as part of your course requirements as long as it is a registered part of your course. Check with your Head of Degree Program, or UWS International if the work is a registered component of the course.

Volunteer work/unpaid work

If you volunteer or take part in unpaid work, then you must apply for permission to work.

Any volunteer or unpaid work counts towards the limit of 20 hours per week.

New visa label

If you are granted permission to work, a new visa label will be put into your passport.  

It will have a work limitation condition (8105 or 8104), instead of the no work condition (8101).

(Exception: if you are a dependant on a subclass 574 (masters/doctorate sector) or subclass 576 (AusAID or Defence-sponsored) student visa and are granted permission to work after the student starts their masters or doctorate course, you will not have any work restriction condition on your visa label.)

Tax file number

You need to obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) to work in Australia. You can obtain a TFN through the Australian Tax Office. You will need to contact them about their requirements and processes.   See: Australia Tax Office website

Online services - students

  Applications for some Australian visas can be made using a computer with an Internet connection.   This service is in addition to making applications by mail or in person at a departmental office in Australia or an Australian Government office overseas.

Please note!

To implement improvements, the eVisa and citizenship eLodgement websites pages may be unavailable every Wednesday between:

06:30 to 07:30 (AEDT) - 19:30 to 20:30 (GMT):

Information on maintenance schedules outside these times will be made available on this page as they are announced.   We apologise for any inconvenience.

Available services

Internet services are being progressively introduced.   At present, student-related Internet services are:

Student visa services

  For applicants applying from outside Australia to study in Australia. Services available are: For applicants applying from within Australia to study in Australia. Services available are: For student visa holders and accompanying family unit members applying from within Australia for permission to work. Services available are:

Related visa services

Online visa enquiry facility

Continue application

Continue your partially-complete Internet visa application.

Download student checklists

Download checklists required with your Internet-submitted student visa application

Do you need help?

If you are experiencing difficulty with an online visa application, help is available in the following ways:

• from within the online visa application itself - most fields have associated help that can be accessed by clicking on the   symbol or
• take the online Electronic Visa Tutorial   or
• email help desk or
• telephone.

If the help within the online visa application does not meet your needs, then please contact the department in the following way:

If you are applying online for a	Contact the department by
Student visa and you are OUTSIDE Australia	helpdesk email
Student visa and you are IN Australia	telephone 131 881 during normal Australian business hours
Permission to work on a Student visa and you are IN Australia	telephone 131 881 during normal Australian business hours

Important: there is no email help desk for students who are applying for a visa from within Australia.   Due to limited resources, messages sent by students within Australia will not be answered.   Instead, students should call 131 881 for assistance.