Employment and visa information for students working remotely from Australia

Australian Employment Law

If you are working remotely from Australia, please note that Australian employment law applies. This includes (but is by no means limited to) stipulations such as Australian minimum wage and payment of superannuation. You should ensure that your host company is aware of this.

If you are in doubt about any aspect of employment law, please seek legal advice. The University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) Legal Service may be able to assist with this.

International students on Student visas

If you are working remotely from Australia, and are the holder of a Student visa, restrictions on working hours associated with that visa will apply, even if your host company is based overseas.

All international students on student visas should ensure that they are compliant with the working hours limitations attached to your visa. ENGR90033 Internship is an elective subject which may count towards your working hours, even if your internship is unpaid.

From 1 July 2023, work restrictions for student visa holders will be re-introduced and capped at 48 hours per fortnight. This impacts students undertaking an internship from Semester 2, 2023 onward. Read more here.

This restriction applies to:
- Paid and unpaid work (unless the unpaid work meets the definition of volunteer work, which work undertaken as part of ENGR90033 does not)
- Work undertaken in Australia including remote work for a company based overseas

Please note that work undertaken as part of ENGR90033 is not formally registered as part of your course because it is an elective subject and not a mandatory component.  

As a result, work you undertake within your internship must be limited to approx. 24 hours per week and totaling no more than 48 hours per fortnight.  It is suggested that students complete the internship over 14 weeks, which at 24 hours per week equates to 336 hours (meeting the minimum requirement of 320 hours).