During semester
Work capped at 48 hours per fortnight across all employers. Rolling 14-day window.
Condition 8105 · Student Visa 48 Hours Per Fortnight
Your mate says "it is fine over semester break, you can work as much as you want." Is that right?
The answer lives in condition 8105. Worth getting clear before you accept that extra Saturday shift. 8105 limits student visa holders to 48 hours in any 14-day period during active study. Unrestricted during official course breaks.
Quick answer
48 hours per fortnight during semester. Unlimited during official breaks.
Volunteer work for registered non-profits generally does not count. Breach leads to cancellation and a 3-year re-entry ban.
The 48-hour rule
The mechanics.
A fortnight is any rolling 14 consecutive days, not a specific pay period.
Unlimited during official breaks
Summer break, mid-year break, official term breaks listed in your CoE, and the completion period after final assessment allow unlimited work.
Not counted as work
Mandatory unpaid placements compulsory to your course. Voluntary unpaid work for registered non-profits that would not hire paid staff.
Breach consequences
Cancellation and a 3-year re-entry ban.
Data-matching with STP, ATO, and Medicare detects breaches with increasing accuracy.
Section 116 cancellationBreaching 8105 creates grounds for cancellation under Section 116.
3-year re-entry banCancellation activates a 3-year re-entry ban under PIC 4013. Applies to all Australian visa applications for 3 years.
PIC 4020 scrutinyFuture Australian visa applications face PIC 4020 scrutiny. Any misrepresentation about past compliance is treated very seriously.
NOICC window for responseIf breach is alleged, a Notice of Intention to Consider Cancellation is issued with 14-28 days to respond.
The rule changed from 40 hours to 48 hours in July 2023.
Older online guides still reference 40 hours. Always check your own grant notice or VEVO for the current condition. Some student visas granted before July 2023 may carry the older 40-hour variant.
Frequently asked
Condition 8105 questions.
If condition 8105 affects your visa, book a consultation with Sourabh Aggarwal.
What about secondary applicants like my spouse?
A spouse on a Subclass 500 usually has the same 8105 condition. Different rules apply where the primary holder is a Masters by Research or PhD candidate.
Does the 48-hour rule apply if I am in deferred status?
Deferral does not unlock unlimited work. You are still subject to 8105. If you are not actively studying, the Department may treat that as a separate breach of 8202.
Can I work over 48 hours between semesters?
Only from the date your course officially ends per your education provider's records. Having an offer for the next semester before the current one ends does not unlock unlimited work.
Does overtime on a single shift count?
Yes. All hours worked count.
Some information on this page has been sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and has been interpreted and approved by Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal (MARN 1462159). Last reviewed: May 2026.