Can Pakistani Students Work Part-Time While Studying in Australia? (2026)

Are Pakistani students allowed to work in Australia?

Yes. The Australian student visa (subclass 500) includes work rights as a standard condition, so you do not need a separate work permit. Once your course has started, you can take a part time job straight away. Your spouse or partner, if they come with you on a dependent visa, may also have work rights, which can help a family budget.

Work rights begin when your course begins, not the day you land. So if you arrive a few weeks early, use that time to settle in, open a bank account and get a tax file number rather than starting a job before classes.

How many hours can you work while studying?

During term, the cap is 48 hours per fortnight. A fortnight means any two week period, so the count is not reset weekly. You could work 20 hours one week and 28 the next and stay within the limit, but going over across the fortnight breaches the condition.

During scheduled course breaks, such as summer holidays or the gap between semesters, you can work unlimited hours. This is when many students earn the most, because they can take on close to full time shifts without touching study time. Postgraduate research students often have more flexible arrangements once their coursework is complete.

How much can you realistically earn?

Australia has one of the higher minimum wages in the world. Casual roles typically pay a solid hourly rate, and casual workers often receive a loading on top of the base wage to make up for not having paid leave. Actual pay varies by role, state and employer, so treat any figure as a range rather than a promise.

Working close to the 48 hour fortnightly cap during term can bring in a meaningful amount toward rent, groceries and transport. During long breaks, full time hours can add up to a substantial cushion. Even so, part time earnings should be seen as support for living costs, not a way to fund tuition. If you want to see how those tuition and living numbers stack up, our guide on how much it costs to study in Australia from Pakistan gives realistic ranges to plan around.

What jobs do Pakistani students usually do?

Most student jobs are casual and flexible, which fits around a class timetable. Common options include:

• Retail, such as supermarkets, clothing stores and convenience shops.
• Hospitality, including cafes, restaurants and fast food.
• Delivery and rideshare work, where you set your own hours.
• Campus roles like library assistants, tutors or student ambassadors.
• Administrative and customer service roles once your English and confidence grow.

On campus jobs are worth chasing early because they understand your schedule and often pay well. As you progress, internships and roles linked to your field of study can matter far more for your career than the wage itself.

Rules you must follow to protect your visa

Work rights come with conditions, and breaking them can put your visa at risk. Keep these in mind:

• Stay within 48 hours per fortnight during term.
• Maintain satisfactory course attendance and progress. Study comes first.
• Get a tax file number so you are paid legally and taxed correctly.
• Keep payslips and know your rights, because underpayment does happen and you are protected by law.
• Do not accept cash only work that skips proper records, as it leaves you exposed.

The safest approach is to treat your studies as the reason you are there and your job as support around it. A strong academic record also protects your options later, including the post study work stream. If staying on after graduation is part of your plan, our overview of the best post study work visas for Pakistani students puts Australia in context alongside other destinations.

Australia vs the UK for student work

Both are popular English speaking choices with part time work rights, but the details differ.

• Australia: 48 hours per fortnight in term, unlimited during breaks, high minimum wage with casual loading.
• UK: usually 20 hours per week during term for degree students at eligible institutions, with full time allowed in holidays.

Australia’s fortnightly model gives you a little more room to bunch hours around a lighter study week, while the UK counts strictly by the week. Wages and living costs differ too, so the better fit depends on your city and course. To weigh the wider trade offs, see our comparison of whether the USA or UK is better for Pakistani students for a sense of how these decisions play out, or browse country options on our destinations hub.

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