Work Rights on Australian Visas Explained: What Every Condition Number Means (2026)
Which Australian visas carry full work rights, which are restricted, and what condition numbers like 8101, 8104 and 8107 actually mean. Covers student, working holiday, sponsored and tourist visas, plus what a breach can cost. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Visa work rights:
- 0:11 Check your conditions:
- 0:21 What the numbers mean
- 0:33 Full work rights,
- 0:48 417 and 462:
- 1:06 No work rights
- 1:16 482 renamed
- 1:28 Consequences:
- 1:48 Not sure?
Transcript
Every visa condition number means something specific — condition 8101 means no work allowed at all.
VEVO — the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system — is the free way to check your own conditions, using your passport or visa grant number.
Condition 8101 blocks all work. Condition 8104 caps you at 40 hours per fortnight. Condition 8107 means work only for your sponsor.
Full, unrestricted work rights generally apply to permanent residents, skilled visas like the 189, 190, 491, 186 and 482, and the 485 Temporary Graduate.
The 417 comes with one limit: no more than 6 months with a single employer. The 462 carries the same rule.
A student visa holder can work no more than 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session — unlimited during official breaks.
Tourist visas generally allow no work at all — the ETA, eVisitor and Subclass 600 all carry condition 8101.
The Subclass 482 — renamed from the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024 — ties you to your sponsoring employer under condition 8107.
Working beyond your conditions can mean visa cancellation and a re-entry bar of 1, 3, or more years, depending on severity.
Parent visas like the 870 and 173 generally allow work — but always confirm the specific condition attached to your own visa.
If a specific piece of work isn't clearly allowed, VEVO shows the actual condition — and a registered migration agent can advise before it starts.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
Short versions
- What your visa condition numbers actually mean (0:27)
- The hidden 6-month rule on working holiday visas (0:30)
- What breaking your visa conditions actually costs (0:32)
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