Before you start
Compare five student jobs, current hourly rates and requirements. Choose shifts that fit your English skills, classes and life in Australia.
A coffee at sunrise, a lively evening bar or a kitchen in the middle of service. Working while studying in Australia can help you practise English, meet people and learn practical skills. Choosing a job starts with understanding what each shift pays and how it fits around your classes.
Barista, bartender, waiter, kitchen hand and cleaner are five options to explore. The adult casual examples in this guide pay AUD 33.05–33.85 an hour for ordinary weekday daytime work. Sunday pay can reach AUD 60.93 for the contract cleaning classification explained below. These are specific award minimums current in November 2026, before tax, rather than average earnings or guaranteed job offers.
How much these five jobs pay per hour
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, the National Minimum Wage is AUD 26.44 an hour. For an adult casual employee not covered by an award, it is AUD 33.05 including the 25% casual loading. Many jobs have an award, which sets minimum entitlements by industry, duties, classification and working hours.
This table compares casual employees aged 21 or over working ordinary daytime hours. Rates include casual loading but exclude tax, superannuation, overtime, late-night penalties and other allowances. Junior, apprentice and introductory classifications may have different rates. An applicable enterprise agreement also needs checking.
| Job and example classification | Monday–Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barista · Restaurant Award, level 2 | 33.85 | 40.62 | 40.62 |
| Bartender · Hospitality Award, level 2 | 33.85 | 40.62 | 47.39 |
| Waiter · Restaurant Award, level 2 | 33.85 | 40.62 | 40.62 |
| Kitchen hand · Restaurant Award, level 1 | 33.05 | 39.66 | 39.66 |
| Cleaner · Cleaning Award, level 1 | 33.85 | 47.39 | 60.93 |
References: Restaurant Industry Award MA000119, Hospitality Industry (General) Award MA000009 and Cleaning Services Award MA000022. Check the duties and roster of an actual job in the Fair Work Pay Calculator.
A job title alone does not determine pay. A restaurant bartender can be covered by a different award from a hotel bartender. A cleaner directly employed by a hotel may not be covered by the Cleaning Award. The level 1 and 2 Restaurant Award examples here have the same Saturday and Sunday casual minimum.
1. Barista: coffee skills and early starts
Hourly pay: AUD 33.85 on weekdays and AUD 40.62 on Saturday or Sunday, using food and beverage attendant grade 2, level 2 of the Restaurant Award. Actual classification depends on duties; a role with greater responsibilities can have a higher minimum.
Making espresso, adjusting the grinder, steaming milk, cleaning equipment and keeping the station ready are practical skills employers may want to see. A busy café needs consistency as well as speed: several flat whites, different orders and alternative milks without mixing things up.
- Requirements: espresso machine practice and food hygiene. There is no national barista licence compulsory for every role. A course can help you practise, but does not replace experience or guarantee a job.
- Useful English: understanding sizes, milks and quick orders, and confirming an allergy or correction. There is no universal IELTS score for this occupation.
- Shifts and places to look: cafés, bakeries and breakfast restaurants. Check opening times and transport before agreeing to an early start.
See our Melbourne barista workshop guide (in Spanish) for a practical introduction, and check upcoming activities in Nōmadas events.
A Nōmadas barista workshop in Melbourne
2. Bartender: English and energy behind the bar
Hourly pay: AUD 33.85 on weekdays, AUD 40.62 on Saturday and AUD 47.39 on Sunday for an adult level 2 casual under the Hospitality Award. These figures exclude applicable late-night penalties. Check the venue's award: not every bar is covered by the same rules.
Duties may include pouring beer and wine, making drinks, taking payments, replenishing stock and closing the bar. Cocktail knowledge and an organised workstation help in cocktail venues; other roles start with support duties. You also need to understand when alcohol must not be served.
- Requirements: Responsible Service of Alcohol training, or RSA, accepted in the state where you work for duties requiring it. For example, NSW explains approved courses and accreditation. Check recognition before paying for an online course or moving interstate.
- Useful English: taking orders in a noisy room, checking identification and clearly explaining a refusal of service.
- Shifts and places to look: bars, hotels and licensed venues. Plan the journey home after closing and your sleep before the next class.
Our comparison of barista and bartender work in Australia (in Spanish) explores the two roles in more detail.
3. Waiter: English practice with every shift
Hourly pay: AUD 33.85 on weekdays and AUD 40.62 on Saturday or Sunday for the food and beverage attendant grade 2, level 2 Restaurant Award example. A support role limited to clearing tables can have a different classification, as can more specialised service duties.
Taking orders, carrying plates, serving tables, using the payment system and coordinating with the kitchen mean regular conversation. Search terms include waiter, waitstaff, floor staff and food and beverage attendant. Read the duties rather than relying on the job title.
- Requirements: organisation, customer service and safe food handling. Check the local RSA requirement if you serve alcohol. A hospitality qualification is not a general requirement for waiting tables.
- Useful English: explaining a menu, asking about allergies and passing orders on accurately. Ask the kitchen if you are unsure about a dietary restriction.
- Shifts and places to look: restaurants, cafés and event service. Ask about continuous or split shifts: two separate blocks may take up much of your day despite a small number of paid hours.
Use specific CV examples: tables you served, payment systems you used or how you handled an order issue. Our Australian CV guide (in Spanish) helps you organise that experience.
4. Kitchen hand: finding your feet in a kitchen
Hourly pay: AUD 33.05 on weekdays and AUD 39.66 on Saturday or Sunday for kitchen attendant grade 1, level 1 of the Restaurant Award. This example covers basic duties; it is not an automatic pay reference for a qualified cook.
A kitchen hand may wash utensils, clean surfaces, organise equipment and assist with simple preparation within the role. There is less customer conversation, but communication with colleagues remains essential: instructions about allergens, knives and hot trays must be understood.
- Requirements: hygiene, following instructions and working on your feet.
- Useful English: identifying ingredients, storage areas and cleaning and safety instructions.
- Shifts and places to look: restaurant kitchens, hotels and catering. Ask whether closing duties continue after the last service and exactly what those duties involve.
If you enjoy the environment and want professional training, explore studying cookery in Australia. Starting as a kitchen hand and qualifying as a chef are different steps.
5. Cleaner: attention to detail and weekend rates
Hourly pay: a level 1 casual cleaning services employee under the Cleaning Services Award has reference rates of AUD 33.85 on weekdays, AUD 47.39 on Saturday and AUD 60.93 on Sunday. Fair Work includes these rates in its cleaning employee entitlements guide. This example covers contract cleaning and ordinary daytime hours, not every listing labelled cleaner.
Work may involve offices, common areas and other sites serviced by cleaning companies. Site size, equipment, shift times and responsibilities matter. A room attendant directly employed by a hotel may instead be covered by Hospitality.
- Requirements: safety induction, correct use of chemicals and equipment, reading labels and attention to detail. Some sites require background checks or specific clearances; these are not universal requirements for every cleaner.
- Useful English: understanding instructions, chemical hazards, task lists and incident reporting.
- Shifts and places to look: commercial cleaning companies. Ask whether you work in one building or travel between sites, how that travel is accounted for and who provides equipment.
If an ad asks you to invoice with an ABN, clarify whether the arrangement is employment or independent contracting. An invoiced rate is not directly comparable to a wage with employee entitlements. An ABN does not increase the hours allowed by your visa.
How to fit work around your student visa
The general rule for a subclass 500 student visa allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session. Hours across all jobs count together; the limit is not 48 per employer. A fortnight is a 14-day period starting on a Monday, not a monthly allowance or a requirement to work exactly 24 hours each week.
The limit may not apply during scheduled course breaks. A day without classes is not automatically an official break. Generally, work cannot start before your course begins, with exceptions such as certain work rights on a previous visa. Research master's and doctoral students have specific rules. Check your conditions in VEVO and see our 48-hour fortnight guide (in Spanish).
What 48 hours of work could pay
These examples use the table's rates and assume you obtain every shift. They show gross fortnightly pay, before tax and without super, rather than available savings or guaranteed income.
| Hours worked | Gross fortnightly pay |
|---|---|
| Barista or waiter: 48 weekday hours | AUD 1624.80 |
| Barista or waiter: 36 weekday + 12 Saturday hours | AUD 1706.04 |
| Cleaner: 36 weekday + 12 Sunday hours | AUD 1949.76 |
The second example could mean 18 weekday hours and 6 Saturday hours each week. When moving shifts, recheck all relevant 14-day periods and hours from other jobs. Put classes, independent study, commuting and rest on the same calendar.
A casual hourly rate may be higher than a permanent employee's rate because it includes a loading. That does not mean guaranteed hours or the same paid leave. Compare stability and conditions too. The general superannuation guarantee rate is 12% of eligible ordinary time earnings, paid into the appropriate fund; do not budget it as rent money for this fortnight.
What to check before accepting a job
- Check your starting point. Visa conditions, class timetable, TFN, bank account and realistic availability. Prepare an English CV with verifiable experience and contact details.
- Ask about the award and classification. Confirm casual or part-time employment and weekday, weekend and public holiday rates. An ad saying “up to AUD 40” does not explain the pay for your particular shift.
- Separate wages, tax and super. Ask whether the quoted hourly rate is plus super or part of a package including it. Tips do not replace minimum pay.
- Clarify any trial. Fair Work allows a brief, supervised skills demonstration where its conditions are met. A full productive shift or additional work does not become free just because it is called a trial.
- Keep records. Save rosters, messages, your contract and payslips. Contact Fair Work if pay does not match your agreement or the applicable minimum.
“You must receive a payslip.”
Australian Department of Education
Choose for your current skills and schedule
If you already make coffee, demonstrate that practice. If you enjoy conversation, explore table service or bar work and the English it requires. If you prefer starting away from customers, kitchen or cleaning duties may suit you, provided you understand safety instructions. Compare transport, shifts and requirements before paying for training.
Nōmadas can help you prepare your study experience and understand your next steps. Job searching and hiring depend on your profile and each employer.
Frequently asked questions about student jobs
Which of these jobs pays the most per hour?
Among these casual classifications, a level 1 cleaner under the Cleaning Services Award reaches AUD 60.93 an hour on Sunday. Four weekday examples start at AUD 33.85. Duties, award coverage and shifts can change the comparison; this is not a ranking of every Australian vacancy.
How much can a student visa holder earn as a barista?
The example is AUD 33.85 per weekday hour and AUD 40.62 on Saturday or Sunday: an adult level 2 casual under the Restaurant Award working ordinary daytime hours. A student visa does not create a lower wage category. Check your actual duties and award.
Are these net or gross rates?
All amounts are gross Australian dollars, before tax and excluding superannuation. Your net income depends on your tax circumstances. Do not treat these figures as money available for rent and living costs.
Can I have two jobs on a student visa?
Yes, provided you meet your visa conditions. During course sessions, the general 48-hour fortnightly limit applies across all jobs combined. Keep a single record of every hour worked.
Do I need previous experience?
It depends on the role. Some support positions provide initial training, while a busy coffee station may require practical experience. Kitchen and cleaning work still require understanding instructions and working safely. Completing a course does not guarantee employment.
Which certificate do I need to work as a bartender?
For alcohol service duties requiring it, you need an RSA accepted in the state where you work. Check the provider, delivery format, accreditation and recognition before enrolling. A cocktail course does not replace RSA.
Can I work unlimited hours during holidays?
The 48-hour limit generally does not apply during officially scheduled course breaks. Check your course calendar and VEVO conditions. A lighter timetable or a holiday you choose yourself does not automatically create an exception.
Is the Sunday penalty rate always the same?
No. The level 1 and 2 casual Restaurant Award examples here have the same Saturday and Sunday minimums. Hospitality level 2 and Cleaning level 1 pay more on Sunday. Always check award coverage, classification and employment type.
