As of June 2025, international students in Australia on a Student Visa (subclass 500) are permitted to work under specific conditions. These regulations are designed to help students gain valuable work experience while ensuring their primary focus remains on their studies.
If you are a Subclass 500 Student Visa holder, you may be eligible to work with Sidekicker. A student visa allows you to work up to 48 hours during any fortnight across multiple employers combined.
As a Sidekick, it is your responsibility to ensure you are monitoring your hours, and that you do not exceed your working restrictions. If you are hired on a shift that may push you over your 48-hour limit for the fortnight, you will need to withdraw via the Sidekicker app. You will also need to withdraw any applications you still have pending on jobs that could push you over this limit.
How do I calculate my hours?
A fortnight is a period of 14 days starting every Monday, and ending on a Sunday. Each week overlaps between two fortnights, so it's crucial to calculate your hours carefully to avoid breaching visa conditions.
What if I have an exemption?
Some Sidekicks that hold a student visa may be exempt from the 48 hour restriction during semester depending on their specific visa conditions. This includes:
Current Masters by Research students
Current Doctorate students
A dependent on the student visa of someone studying a Masters or Doctorate. Dependents of Master’s students are entitled to unlimited work rights, which means they can work more than 48 hours per fortnight. These work rights are inherent to their visa status and do not require additional updates in the Sidekicker app.
If this applies to you, you can let us know by completing this form. To verify your unlimited work rights, you need to provide the following documents:
VEVO Check: This document shows your visa details and work conditions.
Evidence of Your Partner’s Enrollment: This can include a Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) or a visa grant notice that confirms your partner is enrolled in a Master’s program.
Note: Do not use this form to tell us if you are on holiday or an industry placement. If you’ve changed your visa then please submit a new VEVO check.
Additional Guidance for Dependents of Master’s Students
Dependents of Master’s students on a Student (subclass 500) visa have specific work rights and verification requirements. As a dependent, you are entitled to unlimited work rights, meaning you can work more than 48 hours per fortnight. These rights are tied to your visa conditions and do not require any updates in the Sidekicker app. If your manager questions your work rights, you can explain that as a dependent of a Master’s degree student, you are entitled to unlimited work rights. Providing the VEVO check and evidence of your partner’s enrollment can help clarify any misunderstandings.
What if I work in healthcare?
Previously, student visa holders working in the aged care sector before 9 May 2023 were allowed to work unrestricted hours until 31 December 2023. As of 2024 and into 2025, all student visa holders working in healthcare (including aged care) are now subject to the 48-hour fortnightly restriction unless otherwise stated by the Australian Government.
Please note that although you may be on a student visa, you may have different conditions attached to your visa than another student visa holder. If you are unsure of your conditions or have any concerns regarding your restrictions, you can complete a VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) check.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are monitoring your hours and that you do not exceed your working restrictions as per the conditions of your visa. This includes your work with other employers.
Still have questions? While we are unable to provide assistance on specific visa matters, please do not hesitate to reach out via the Support chat or your Sidekicker app by clicking 'Get help'.