The Student Visa Subclass 500 will allow you to work in Australia as well. But you cannot start working until and unless your course of study commences. This is applicable for the student visa subclass 500 holder as well as the dependent family members traveling on that visa.

Student visa holders have the same work entitlements as any other worker in Australia. You can use your visa information at any point in time with the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system. Read this article to find out more about the student visa 500.

Hours A Student Visa Holder Can Work In Australia

According to student visa 500 requirements, an applicant must be at least six years old. They can work 40 hours every fortnight as long as their course continues. But this excludes any work undertaken as part of training related to the student’s course of study. During course breaks, students are allowed to work for unlimited hours. A student enrolled in a master’s degree, or doctorate degree program can work for more than 40 hours per fortnight.

The family members of the student visa holders can also work for only 40 hours during a fortnight. The Department of Home Affairs in Australia has set out some criteria that the family members of the student visa holders also need to fulfill. The student visa 500 checklist includes applying for a Tax File Number. If the Department of Home Affairs asks, your employer is obliged to display the relevant documents.

Temporary Relaxation On Work Hours Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic

The Australian government has given student visa holders some temporary relaxation due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • A student visa holder can work for more than 40 hours every fortnight if employed by an aged care service. This applies even when you are an employee under any National Disability Scheme Service provider.

  • You will be allowed to work if you are working in the healthcare industry to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • The student employees working in the agriculture industry and the hospitality and tourism industry are also allowed to work beyond the specified time.

  • However, these relaxations are temporary and will be reviewed by the government after the pandemic is over. If the students are working for longer hours, they need to balance both sides.

  • A student visa holder working for more than 40 hours needs to ensure that they are committed towards their work as well as study.

The student visa holders making use of the temporary relaxations need to follow these specific things:

  • Maintain proper attendance.

  • Take care of course enrolment.

  • Show satisfactory progress during the course of study.

If you fail to maintain these criteria, you might be at risk of breaching your visa. You should seek advice from a migration agent in Perth to avoid breaching your visa.

Rights Of A Student Visa Holder

All student visa holders have certain rights in the workplace. This includes minimum pay and other basic conditions. Here are certain things you need to know:

Working hours: A student visa holder can work for 15 hours in the first week. They can work for 25 hours in the second week as well as the third week. A student visa holder is allowed to work for only 10 hours in the fourth week. The basic working conditions that student visa holders are entitled to be written in an official document. The pay scale depends on the work done by the student visa holder.

Careful about fake agreements: You should be careful about fake agreements and unpaid training work while an employer is hiring you. You should have details of the employer who is hiring you. Find out the reputation of your employer before you start working for them. If you think you are exploited at work, you can talk to a trusted migration agency in Perth. They will be able to provide you with accurate information about your working rights as a student visa holder.

Violation of fundamental rights: You should always report to the concerned authorities if you think your employer is violating your fundamental work rights. You can always seek legal advice if you think your employment will be affected by reporting unethical practices. Your visa will not be canceled if you fail to meet the visa conditions due to workplace exploitations. The Assurance Protocol is responsible for protecting the students from visa cancellation because of workplace exploitation.

But the Assurance Protocol comes into effect only if the student visa holder has no other reasons for student visa cancellation. You also need to seek assistance from the Fair Work Ombudsman. You also need to help the Fair Work Ombudsman with all their inquiries. Additionally, you need to be committed to following the visa conditions in the future. If the FWO finds you eligible, they will forward your case to the Department of Home Affairs with your permission.

Tips To Hire Visa Agents

You should hire visa agents in Perth to ensure that you do everything to avoid student visa cancellation. They will help you know your working rights as a student visa holder. But finding the right visa agent can be a little tricky. So, you should follow these tips to hire a reliable visa agent.

Check What The Previous Clients Have To Say

You should check out what the previous clients have to say about the visa agent. The clients of a reliable visa agent will be satisfied with the services they receive. You can trust Google reviews as those cannot be modified by the visa agency. Therefore, the Google reviews will give you an authentic impression of the visa agents. You will also be able to avoid fraud agents if you follow the client reviews.

Choose A Visa Agent With Experience

If you hire an inexperienced visa agent, you might be required to spend less. But the charges of the visa should not be the critical determinant for hiring them. The fee of an experienced agent will be a little high. But their experience will ensure that you do everything right to get your student visa. You should ask your agent how many years of experience they have. The years of experience of your visa agent will come in handy in making you aware of your working rights.

Schedule A Face-To-Face Meeting With The Visa Agent

You should ensure that you are meeting your visa agent physically to ask relevant questions. Many people avoid this in an attempt to save time. But you should check if you are hiring the right agent, especially when you are paying a huge amount. If you cannot meet them physically, at least arrange a meeting over a video call. Many visa agents often offer the first consultation free of cost.

Summing Up

A student visa holder in Australia can work for 40 hours per fortnight. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some are allowed to work for longer hours. They have certain working rights, including minimum pay and basic work conditions. A student visa holder can lodge a complaint if their working rights are violated. You should seek advice from a reliable Immigration Agent Perth to know more about your working rights as a student visa holder in Australia.