Working While Studying in Australia: Hours, Post-Study Work & PR (2026)

One of the reasons Australia stays a first choice for African students is what surrounds the degree: the right to work part-time while you study, a post-study work visa when you graduate, and — for many — a pathway towards permanent residency. Handled well, that combination lets you gain professional experience and offset living costs without putting your visa at risk.

This guide sets out your work rights during study, the post-study Temporary Graduate visa, and how the study-then-work route feeds a PR application. The visa conditions come from the Australian Department of Home Affairs and are labelled as such.

Can international students work while studying in Australia?

Yes. On a Subclass 500 student visa you can work up to 24 hours a week during term time, and unrestricted hours during your course’s scheduled breaks. Work rights begin once your course starts — not before. Part-time work helps with living costs, but it is deliberately capped so that study stays your main purpose.

How many hours can you work?

The cap is expressed as 48 hours per fortnight during term — in practice, up to 24 hours a week — and it lifts to unrestricted hours when your course is on a scheduled break. The limit applies to your study-visa work rights across the universities you can apply to through Craydel; it is a Home Affairs condition of the Subclass 500, not something individual universities set.

Does part-time work cover your costs?

Partly. Living costs run from about AUD 8,041 a year in Perth to AUD 18,849 in Brisbane, and 24 hours a week of term-time work can meaningfully offset rent and groceries — more so in a lower-cost city. But tuition (a median first bachelor’s year of about AUD 43,126) and the visa’s proof-of-funds requirement are not things a part-time wage will cover. The students who cope best pair a realistic budget with a lower-cost city and course, then use work as a buffer.

Post-study work: the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485)

When you finish an eligible Australian qualification, the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) lets you stay and work — typically for around two years after a bachelor’s or master’s by coursework. Across all of the universities you can apply to through Craydel, a post-study work option is available, which is why so many African students choose Australia for the experience as much as the degree. The exact length and eligibility depend on your qualification and are set by Home Affairs, so confirm the current rules when you graduate.

• Post-study work — Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485)Full-time work rights after you graduate; length depends on your qualification.~2 years
• Availability across institutions you can apply to through CraydelA post-study work option at every one of them, in our data.42 of 42

Post-study work availability and typical duration from Craydel institution data; eligibility and length are set by the Australian Department of Home Affairs (Subclass 485). Verify on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.

The pathway to permanent residency

An Australian degree plus post-study work is the most common on-ramp to permanent residency, and PR is not something a university grants — it is Australia’s national skilled-migration pathway. It is not automatic: PR runs through Australia’s skilled-migration system, which is points-tested and weighs your qualification, work experience, age, English and occupation against current demand. Study and post-study work build the profile; they do not guarantee the outcome.

Frequently asked questions