First Job in Australia as an International Student: Mistakes to Avoid

Most first-job advice focuses on interviews and resumes. The mistakes that actually cost international students money happen in the first two weeks after starting: not sorting out a Tax File Number in time, not checking that superannuation is being paid at all, and not knowing what your award rate should be. None of these get much attention, and all three are simple to avoid once you know about them.

Not applying for a Tax File Number before your first pay

A Tax File Number, or TFN, is different from your visa or student ID, and you apply for it separately through the Australian Taxation Office. If you have not given your employer a TFN, and have not told them you have applied for one, they are required by law to withhold tax at the top rate on everything you earn, up to 47 percent for Australian tax residents. You get a 28-day window from your start date to provide it before this kicks in, and it is refundable at tax time either way, but there is no reason to hand over nearly half your pay for weeks while you wait for a refund. Apply for a TFN online through the ATO as soon as you accept a job offer, ideally before your first shift.

Not checking that superannuation is actually being paid

Superannuation is money your employer pays into a retirement fund on top of your wages, currently 12 percent of your ordinary earnings, and it is separate from the pay that lands in your bank account. Most casual and part-time employees are entitled to it regardless of visa status or how few hours they work, since the old minimum-earnings threshold was removed. Many international students never check whether it is happening, assuming it does not apply to them because they are not staying permanently. Ask your employer which fund they use, or check your payslip for a super contribution line, within the first month. When you leave Australia for good, you can claim this money back through the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment, so unpaid super is not a small amount to write off.

Not knowing what you should actually be paid

Every industry in Australia has a minimum award rate, and casual rates include a loading on top of the base hourly figure, on top of that again for weekend and public holiday shifts. Underpayment is common enough in casual, high-turnover industries that it should not surprise you, but it is easy to miss if you never look up your specific award. Before or during your first week, search the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay calculator for your industry and classification, and compare it against your actual payslip. See our hospitality pay guide for a worked example of how casual loading and penalty rates stack up in one common first-job industry.

Not tracking hours against your visa cap

Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight combined across every paid job while their course is in session, and it is easy to lose track once you pick up a second casual role or some freelance work. This is not a per-employer limit, and breaching it is a genuine visa condition issue, not a minor administrative slip. See our full breakdown of the 48-hour cap, including what counts as work and how it can be checked, before you commit to a second job.

Not keeping basic records from day one

Keep every payslip, either printed or saved as a PDF, from your very first shift. Note your rostered hours somewhere separate from what your employer records, even a simple phone note with dates and times. Keep receipts for anything you buy specifically for work, since some of these can be claimed as deductions at tax time. None of this takes more than a few minutes a week, and it is far easier to keep records from the start than to reconstruct months of casual shifts when your first tax return is due. See our work rights guide for what else to check as a new employee.

Bottom line

The costliest first-job mistakes are administrative, not social: missing the TFN deadline, not checking your super is being paid, not knowing your award rate, and not tracking your combined hours against your visa cap. Handle these four things in your first month, and the rest of your first job in Australia is a normal learning curve like anywhere else.