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Student Work-Hours Tracker
Reviewed by Mohammad Saghir Khan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1170510)Last reviewed:
How to Use This Tool
Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while their course is in session, and unlimited hours in scheduled course breaks. Enter your shifts day by day and the tracker totals each fortnight, including the overlapping weeks that Home Affairs also checks, and warns you before you go over.
- Pick the fortnightChoose any date and the tracker moves to the Monday that starts that fortnight.
- Add your course start dateEnter it once. Any hours entered before your course starts are flagged, because you generally cannot work before then.
- Say whether your course is in sessionChoose "No" only for scheduled breaks in your provider's academic calendar.
- Enter your hours for each dayAdd the hours on your roster or payslip, across all jobs, not counting unpaid breaks. Use decimals for part hours, for example 7.5.
- Check the result and the next fortnightThe meter shows hours used and left. Use Previous and Next fortnight to plan ahead, because overlapping weeks also count.
What You Will Need
- Your roster, timesheets or payslips
- Your course start date
- Your provider's academic calendar for break dates
Understanding Your Result
- Green: you are within the 48-hour limit.
- Amber: 8 hours or fewer left this fortnight.
- Red: over the limit in this fortnight or an overlapping one, or hours worked before your course started.
When to Get Advice
- You think you have already worked over the limit
- Your provider has reported your attendance or progress
- You are unsure whether a placement is a registered part of your course
Speak with a Registered Migration Agent: call 1300 919 717 or book a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plain-English answers to the questions we are asked most often.
How many hours can I work on a Student visa?
Up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. You cannot work before your course starts unless your previous visa allowed work. Master's by research and doctoral students have no limit once their course has started.
When does a fortnight start?
A fortnight is any period of 14 days starting on a Monday. Home Affairs checks every such period, including ones that overlap, so week 2 of one fortnight plus week 1 of the next must also stay within 48 hours. The tracker checks the overlapping weeks for you.
What counts as work?
Any activity that would normally be paid. Home Affairs treats you as having worked if you were at work according to your roster or timesheet (not counting unpaid breaks), clocked on to an electronic system, or were paid according to your payslip.
Does unpaid work or a placement count?
Unpaid work experience counts toward the 48-hour limit. Work that is a mandatory, registered part of your course, such as a required placement listed on CRICOS, does not count. A placement that is optional, or goes beyond the registered requirement, does count.
Can I have more than one job?
Yes. You can work for more than one employer, but your total hours across all jobs must stay within 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session.
When is my course not in session?
During scheduled breaks in your provider's academic calendar, while your course is formally deferred or suspended, after you have completed the course listed on your Confirmation of Enrolment while your visa is still valid, and when your enrolment was cancelled because your provider defaulted, until your new course starts. Keep a copy of your academic calendar as evidence.
Does the limit apply on a bridging visa?
Yes. If you hold a Bridging visa A or B from a valid Student visa application, the same 48-hour limit applies while your course is in session.
What happens if I work more than 48 hours?
Working more than the limit breaches visa condition 8105, and breaching a visa condition is a ground for visa cancellation. If you think you have gone over, get advice from a Registered Migration Agent straight away.
Where are my hours saved?
Only in your own web browser, so you can come back and keep tracking. Nothing is sent to us, your employer or Home Affairs. Clearing your browser data or using "Clear this fortnight" removes them.
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