Australia’s Liberal-National Coalition, the country’s main opposition, has proposed to increase the work hour cap for student visa holders during study terms and semesters by 12 hours per fortnight, from 48 hours to 60 hours.
The proposal would be ongoing and start on 1 July 2026. The proposal also includes reduced student numbers of 240,000 new student visas annually.
It is assumed that around 63% of international student visa holders who are in employment work the maximum number of permitted hours under the baseline of 48 hours per fortnight, and 90% of those working at the current limit would fully take up the new limit of 60 hours per fortnight.
Currently, foreign students are entitled to work 48 hours every fortnight during term time (unless they are a PhD or master’s by research student) and unlimited hours during their holiday breaks. Foreign students can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while their course of study is in session. Students who have started a master’s degree by research or a doctoral degree have no work hour limits.
You are entitled to at least the minimum wage, which is guaranteed by the National Employment Standards for all employees in Australia, including visa holders and migrant workers. Employees must pay tax on their income and receive a payslip.
Before applying for the Australian student visa, you will need to enrol in a course at an Australian education or training provider and get a confirmation of enrolment (CoE) from the provider. Then, you need to apply for a student visa.
With the subclass 500 student visa, you can stay in Australia for the duration of your course, or a maximum of five years and travel in and out of Australia.
Studying in Australia has become tougher for most Indian students. Australia has tightened student visa rules and classified India as the highest-risk category for student visa applications. The Home Affairs website states that on 8 January 2026, Evidence Levels of several countries in South Asia were altered. India has been moved from EL-2 requirements to EL-3 requirements, making the process to get an Australian study visa tougher.
Evidence Level 3 (EL-3) moves the system toward mandatory evidence and deeper verification. Financial proof becomes compulsory, with students required to show clean and traceable funds to cover living expenses (currently AUD 29,710 per year) in addition to tuition and related costs.
Academic records, transcripts, prior qualifications and English proficiency are examined more closely. The intent to study is assessed in more detail to ensure the application is education-driven. Processing is likely to take longer and weak or incomplete files may face a higher rejection risk.
The Australian Visa fee for students has already been increased. The visa application charge (VAC) for Student visas (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visas (subclass 590) has been increased from AUD $1,600 for a primary applicant to AUD $2,000. The new student visa fee was made effective from 1 July 2025.
In addition to the Base application charge of AUD$2,000, there is an additional applicant charge for those 18 and over of AUD$1,225 and AUD$400 for those under 18. If you are in Australia when you lodge your application, the subsequent temporary application charge (STAC) of AUD 700 may be payable.