How many hours per week can I work part-time as an international master's student in Australia during the academic term, and what's the typical hourly wage?

Australia measures the student work limit in fortnightly hours, not a flat weekly number, which matters because it gives you some flexibility to work more in one week and less in the next as long as the two-week total stays within the cap.

The Hour Limits

• During academic term: Up to 48 hours a fortnight, averaging to roughly 24 hours a week.
• During scheduled course breaks: Generally unlimited hours, subject to your visa conditions, which you can confirm in VEVO.

Current Minimum Pay

From 1 July 2026, Australia's National Minimum Wage is 26.44 dollars an hour for employees not covered by a specific award or agreement, while casual employees receive at least 33.05 dollars an hour, which includes a 25 percent casual loading on top of the base rate. Most Australian employees, including many student jobs, are covered by a specific industry award, so actual pay can differ from these baseline figures, including higher rates for evenings, weekends and public holidays.

What This Means in Weekly and Monthly Terms

Common Student Jobs

Hospitality, retail, customer service, warehouse work, tutoring, administration and on-campus university roles are the most common part-time jobs for international masters students, and many of these fall under specific awards that pay above the flat minimum wage, particularly for evening or weekend shifts.

My Advice

Do not plan your budget around the 33.05 dollar casual rate as a baseline; treat 26.44 to 30 dollars an hour as your realistic starting expectation and treat anything above that as a bonus. Ask any prospective employer which award covers the role before accepting, since award coverage, not just the headline minimum wage, determines your actual pay rate and any penalty rates for irregular shifts.