Greenwich College | Working In Australia

How many hours can I work?

Student visa holders are able to work over 40 hours per week.* If you hold a working holiday visa, you can work as long as you like for a maximum of 6 months with any one employer.

*Working hours for student visa holders have been temporarily relaxed. This means that international students can work more than 20 hours per week. This covers secondary applications as well. This is a temporary agreement that the government will evaluate in April 2022.

You need a Tax File Number (TFN)

Once you have working rights, you will need to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) for taxation purposes. If you start work before you get your TFN, you have 28 days to provide your TFN to your employer.

You can apply for a TFN online here: TFN application form. You can also visit the Australian Taxation Office. Call 13 28 61 to make an appointment. Greenwich English College Student Services offers you advice on how to apply for a Tax File Number.

Types of jobs

Most students work in hospitality and services because it offers flexible working hours, which allows students to study at the same time.

Starting out, you can look to find work as:

Waitress/waiter
Bar staff
Kitchen hand
Shop assistant
Delivery person
Cleaner

As your English improves, the chances of finding employment in more professional areas increase. Higher level students, and students who complete Greenwich’s courses in Business of Management often find jobs in the following types of roles

Customer Service
Office administration
Marketing
Business administration

Rates of pay

The rates of pay will be different from place to place, but you could expect to earn anywhere from AUD$21 to AUD$38 per hour for hospitality and bar jobs. Office based jobs tend to pay about $25-$50 per hour.

Greenwich Job Club

Job Club is held each Friday – providing students with the opportunity to learn skills and techniques to improve their employment prospects and to seek specific advice to help get secure a job.

You’ll learn something new each week – such as:

How to write a resume
Interview skills and practice
Common behaviours and etiquette in an Australian workplace
City tours - showcasing places to apply for jobs

Working in Australia

Select course guide

English Courses

Management Courses

WORK WHILE YOU STUDY