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Temporary relaxation of working hours for student visa holders

To address workforce shortages, student visa work hours have been temporarily relaxed. This measure takes effect immediately for all ongoing students as well as new student arrivals, including secondary applicants. Students will be able to work before their course of study commences. They will also be able to work more than 40 hours a fortnight in any sector of the economy.  (Now Extended)

These temporary measures remain in place until further notice. Students must ensure they are aware of any changes to visa conditions, including work rights.

Post study work rights for select degrees in areas of verified skill shortages will be increased from:

  • Two years to four years for select Bachelor’s degrees
  • Three years to five years for select Masters degrees
  • Four years to six years for select PhDs.

In addition, student visa holders who are outside Australia and arrive between 19 January 2022 and 19 March 2022 may be eligible for a refund of their VAC. Students can apply for a refund up until 31 December 2022. For more information on how to apply for a VAC refund see Getting a refund.


Information for students

You must continue to balance your study and work commitments even though there is flexibility in the number of hours you can work.

Students must still:

  • maintain their course enrolment
  • ensure satisfactory course attendance, and
  • ensure satisfactory course progress.

Student visa holders who cancel their enrolment and stop attending classes, or fail to meet satisfactory course progress, may be in breach of their visa conditions.  

Queensland International Education and Training Strategy 2022-2027

The Queensland International Education and Training Strategy 2022-2027 sets out the vision and focus areas to support a strong sector and build a global talent pipeline for Queensland. 

The Strategy builds on the sector collaboration fostered by the 2016-2026 strategy and reinforced by the 2021- 2022 roadmap through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Find out more

Hear from students in Queensland

Ankita Ranjitkar, Nepal 

My name is Ankita Ranjitkar and I recently completed a Master of Technology (Enterprise Systems and Business Analytics) course at Federation University in Brisbane. I am originally from Nepal and have been studying in Queensland for 2 years.

Hear from students in Queensland

Mehdi Banki, Iraq 

My name is Mehdi Banki and I have recently completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Australian Catholic University (ACU) in Brisbane. I came to Queensland with my family from Iraq in 2013 when I was 18.

Hear from students in Queensland

Peng Yu, China 

My name is Peng Yu and I’m from Shanghai, China. I am currently working on a PhD in Future Materials at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Toowoomba and have completed a Master of Engineering Science at USQ as well.

Hear from students in Queensland

Rachel Kee, Malaysia 

My name is Rachel Kee and I’m from Penang, Malaysia. I have just completed a Bachelor of Aviation, majoring in Aviation Management, at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Springfield campus. My dream career is to be a pilot for an international airline.

Live in Queensland

There are so many cities and towns to live and study in throughout Queensland!

Each city or town offers its own unique study experience. Being such a large and diverse place, Queensland gives you a range of lifestyles and environments to choose from. You can choose to live in a major city, a beach town, or even in the outback.

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Working in Queensland

Many international students work while they live and study in Queensland, Australia. Working while you study in Queensland provides extra income, hands-on work experience and can help improve your English and career opportunities. Find out more about work opportunities and your work rights as an international student in Queensland, Australia.

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Student support

When you choose to study in Queensland, Queensland will become your second home where you never have to feel lost or alone. The Queensland Government has invested in support services and resources to make sure students have the best student experience possible when they study in Queensland. In 2020, the Council for International Students Australia awarded Study Queensland the ‘Best International Student Support Initiative of the Year’ for the Queensland Government’s COVID-19 response for international students.

Find out more

Student Blogs

Alumnus Success: Patricia Susanto, Indonesia
Patricia Susanto is CEO of The Jakarta Consulting Group in Indonesia. She studied a Master of Human Resources at Griffith University.
Alumnus Success: Nisar Keshvani, Singapore
Nisar Keshvani is the Associate Director of Strategic Outreach and Communications at the National University of Singapore. He is a recognised consummate leader with over 25 years of experience in public relations, corporate affairs, public policy issues and more. He holds a Master’s degree in Research in Online Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Alumnus Success: Ee Ling Lim, Singapore
Ee Ling is the Head of Asia Pacific Business Development, Global Innovation at 500 Startups, a leading early-stage venture capital fund, ecosystems developer, and innovation firm and Co-Founder and CEO of Smarter Me, a K-12 edutech startup. She studied a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) at University of Queensland (UQ).
Alumnus Success: Haswar Hafid, Indonesia
Haswar Hafid is Head of Brand Partnerships at ByteDance in Indonesia and has more than 15 years of experience in monetization, commercialization and advertising across technology, media and e-commerce industries. He studied a Bachelor of Information Technology at The University of Queensland (UQ).
Alumnus Success: Philip Whittaker, Malaysia
Philip Whittaker is a sports and entertainment executive who has launched 4 theme parks, 2 golf courses and a major integrated resort. He studied a Bachelor of Hotel Management at Griffith University Gold Coast Campus and then a Master of Business in Marketing at Queensland University of Technology.
Alumnus Success: Anita Wong, Hong Kong
Anita Wong is a Manager in the Sustainability Department of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, primarily involved in the environmental management (biodiversity sector) for the expansion of the Hong Kong International Airport into a three-runway system (i.e. the 3RS Project). She studied a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering at The University of Queensland.