Australia brings back work hour restrictions for foreign students; read details here

Mumbai: Australia is set to reinstate student visa rules on July 1 and plans to bring back the maximum limit on working hours for international students.

International students, who were initially allowed to work for 40 hours, will now be allowed to work for 48 hours per fortnight.

The student visa work rules were relaxed in Australia throughout the pandemic and were completely removed in January 2022, allowing primary and secondary student visa holders to work more than their normal limit of 40 hours per fortnight to address workforce shortages.

These relaxations are to end on June 30, 2023. Work restrictions for student visa holders will be reinstated and capped at 48 hours per fortnight effective July 1, 2023.

"This allows student visa holders to concentrate on obtaining a high-quality Australian education and qualification while also being able to support themselves financially, gain valuable work experience, and contribute to Australia's workforce needs," read the official statement released on Australian Home Ministry’s website.

In addition, the Australian government had also extended the international students' post-study work privileges by two years. However, only those with specific degrees and who are pursuing a field where there is a skills shortage will be qualified for this extension.

Additionally, Australia recently announced a fresh budget allocation of AUS$36 million that would be used to speed up the granting of visas and expedite the application process for international students.