WORK
Working while you study
The hours, the wage, the tax and the paperwork — with the numbers that apply right now.
The numbers
| 2026 | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours while your course runs | 48 per fortnight | Not 40. The cap changed on 1 July 2023. |
| Hours during scheduled breaks | Unlimited | Only for official course breaks |
| National minimum wage | AUD 26.44 / hour | From 1 July 2026; casual work adds a loading on top |
| Superannuation | 12% | Paid by your employer on top of your wage, from 1 July 2026 |
| Tax-free threshold | AUD 18,200 / year | If you are treated as a resident for tax purposes |
Minimum wage per Study Australia. Superannuation rose to 12% on 1 July 2026. Whether you are a resident for tax depends on your circumstances — ask the ATO or an accountant, and be careful with any site quoting a rate from a decade ago.
At 20 hours a week on the minimum wage that is roughly AUD 2,290 a month before tax. It covers rent and food in Cairns. It does not cover tuition — that is what the calculator is for.
The paperwork, in order
- Tax File Number (TFN) — free, online, from the ATO once you are in Australia. Without it you are taxed at the top rate.
- An Australian bank account — you can usually open it before you fly and collect the card here.
- Superannuation fund — your employer pays 12% into it. When you leave Australia for good you can claim it back (a departing Australia superannuation payment, taxed).
- Your first payslip — check the hourly rate against the award, not against what you were told. Underpayment of international students is common and it is illegal.
- The tax return — between 1 July and 31 October for the year that just ended. Many students get money back.
What work you will actually get
Hospitality, kitchens, cafes, hotels, cleaning, farm work in season, and retail. In Cairns, tourism runs the town, so the season matters: April to October is busy. Your English gets better fastest in a job where you have to talk to people, which is worth more than the extra dollar an hour in a kitchen.
Do the 48 hours include unpaid work?
Can I work more during the holidays?
What if my employer pays cash?
Talk it through with us. It costs nothing.
Write or call. We will go through the course, the dates, the budget and the visa with you — and tell you straight if it does not add up in your case.