You are not permitted to start work until you have commenced your course of study. You can work a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight during the study period.
For information on student visa conditions please visit Student Visa (Subclass 500)
Tax File Number:
You must obtain a Tax File Number to be able to work in Australia. A tax file number (TFN) is your unique reference number to our tax system.
When you start work, your employer will ask you to complete a Tax File Number Declaration Form. If you do not provide a TFN your employment will be taxed at the highest personal income tax rate, which will mean less money in your wages each week.
You can apply for your TFN online at https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/tax-file-number or phone 13 28 61, 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. For the ATO translating and interpreter service phone 13 14 50.
Finding Work:
The job market in Australia is highly competitive and you will be joining the general Australian population in your search for employment. You should not rely on income from employment when budgeting to pay for living expenses.
There are many different ways to find a job in Australia including:
Tax Return:
If you pay too much tax you are entitled to a refund. To get a refund you will need to lodge a tax return. You can lodge online using e-tax (free), by mailing a paper tax return, or by paying a registered tax agent to complete and lodge the return for you. If you lodge by e-tax your refund will normally be issued within 14 days into your nominated bank account.
- Lodge online using e-tax at www.ato.gov.au
- For a registered tax aged visit www.tabd.gov.au
- Tax returns are lodged at the end of the Australian tax year, which runs from 1st of July to 30th of June and ends on the 30th of June each year
Superannuation:
If your monthly wage is more than AU$450 (before tax), your employer must contribute an additional sum equal to 11% of your wage into a superannuation (pension) account for you. In most cases, you can access your contributions when you leave Australia permanently, although the contributions will be taxed.
To check your eligibility to claim your superannuation and to apply for your payment, visit https://www.ato.gov.au/Super You will need to provide the details of your superannuation fund to your employer, otherwise your employer will create a new superannuation fund for you, which may not be best suited to you and your financial requirements.
Legal Services:
Legal Services Commission of South Australia.
The Legal Services Commision of South Australia provides legal assistance to people throughout the state. You can access their services for legal information and advice, duty lawyer services and representation services are provided by in-house legal practitioners, along with private lawyers who have been accepted onto the Legal Services' panel of legal practitioners. For more information, visit https://lsc.sa.gov.au
