Last updated: 30 June 2026 · RACC Migration & Education Services

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Subclass 482 visa holders must generally work full-time hours, at least 38 hours per week, for their approved sponsor. You are tied directly to your sponsoring employer under Condition 8607, and you cannot reduce your hours to part-time, work for other employers, or change roles without formal approval from the Department of Home Affairs.

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Quick answers:

• Full-time hours? Generally yes, at least 38 hours per week.

• Is 37.5 hours okay? Yes, recognised as full-time if it matches your employer's standard policy.

• Part-time allowed? Only with formal employer and Home Affairs approval.

• Second job or freelance? No — breaches Condition 8607 even outside your normal hours.

• Lost your job? You have 180 days to find a new sponsor, capped at 365 days total.

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This guide explains the working hours rules under Condition 8607, then what workplace rights and protections you keep under Australian law regardless of your visa status. If you haven't applied yet and want to know how much work experience you need before lodging, see our guide to 482 visa work experience requirements instead, this page covers your hours obligations after the visa is granted.

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Working Hours Rules & Regulations

Full-Time Requirement.

The 482 visa generally requires you to be employed full-time. Standard full-time work in Australia is defined as 38 hours per week, based on the Fair Work Act and how sponsors structure their nominated positions.

 

Condition 8607 itself does not write in an exact hours figure, the 38-hour expectation comes from the way nominations are built and assessed, not from a number stated in the condition.

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37.5-Hour Exemption.

While 38 hours is the standard, working 37.5 hours per week is also accepted as full-time employment, provided this matches your employer's standard company policy.

 

The Department has not raised concerns over positions offering 37.5 hours, since different industries define their standard working week slightly differently while still meeting the full-time threshold. A change from 38 to 37.5 hours due to a company-wide policy shift generally does not need separate reporting, as long as the role stays within full-time parameters.

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Part-Time Exceptions.

Part-time hours can sometimes be negotiated, but this depends heavily on your employer, your specific stream, or whether your occupation is exempt.

 

Any reduction from full-time hours needs your sponsor's agreement and must be reflected in your nomination terms , you cannot simply reduce your own hours, since Condition 8607 ties you to the role and salary structure your visa was approved under. If your sponsor agrees to part-time hours, they must still pay you on a pro-rata basis that satisfies the Annual Market Salary Rate and your stream's income threshold.

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Second Jobs & Freelance Work.

You are only permitted to work for your approved sponsor, in your nominated occupation. Taking on a second job, casual shifts elsewhere, or freelance work outside that sponsorship is a breach of Condition 8607, even if the extra work happens outside your normal hours and has nothing to do with your sponsored role.

 

The only compliant way to take on additional work is for that new employer to lodge its own nomination and for you to be granted a corresponding approval first.

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Workplace Rights & Protections

Under Australian law, your working hours and entitlements must align with the National Employment Standards (NES), regardless of your visa status.

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You are entitled to a maximum standard working week of 38 hours, plus reasonable additional hours where required. Your sponsor must still meet the relevant minimum salary thresholds, such as the Core Skills Income Threshold, regardless of variations in your specific hours. You also accrue standard workplace entitlements on the same terms as Australian workers, including paid annual leave, paid sick and carer's leave, and superannuation.

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Your sponsor can only require you to perform duties that relate to your approved occupation, and must pay you the same as an equivalent Australian worker doing the same role. If you believe your employer is not meeting these obligations, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice, doing so does not put your visa at risk, and only the Department of Home Affairs can cancel a visa, not your sponsor.

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What Happens If Your Hours or Role Change?

If your sponsor changes your hours, pay, location, or duties while you remain employed with them, they may need to notify the Department of Home Affairs through the change-in-situation reporting channel. This obligation sits with the sponsor, not the visa holder, but it directly affects whether your continued employment stays compliant with your nomination.

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A change in duties is the riskiest scenario. If your new responsibilities shift far enough that they match a different ANZSCO occupation than the one originally nominated, you need both a new nomination and a new 482 visa grant before starting in that changed role, continuing without them is a breach of Condition 8607, regardless of whether your sponsor stays the same.

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What If You Stop Working for Your Sponsor?

If your employment with your sponsor ends, you have up to 180 days to secure a new approved sponsor in the same occupation, apply for a different visa, or make arrangements to leave Australia. During this window, you are permitted to work for other employers, including in occupations outside your most recently approved nomination, so you can support yourself while you sort out your next step. For the full process and timeline, see our guide to changing employer on a 482 visa.

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This 180-day allowance can be used more than once across your visa period, but the total time spent not working in line with Condition 8607 cannot exceed 365 days in total. Exceeding either limit puts your visa at risk of cancellation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 482 visa require exactly 38 hours per week?

Standard full-time work in Australia is 38 hours per week, and most 482 nominations are built around this figure. Condition 8607 itself does not state an exact number — the requirement comes from how the role and Fair Work Act standards are applied.

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Is 37.5 hours per week acceptable as full-time?

Yes. The Department treats 37.5 hours as full-time where it matches the employer's standard company policy, recognising that different industries define a standard working week slightly differently.

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Can my employer reduce my hours without telling Home Affairs?

Sponsors should report changes to hours, pay, location, or duties through the change-in-situation process. Whether a specific change requires formal notification depends on its scale and nature — check with a registered migration agent if you are unsure.

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Will working two jobs on a 482 visa get my visa cancelled?

It can. Working for anyone other than your approved sponsor, in an occupation other than the one nominated, breaches Condition 8607 and may lead to visa cancellation under the Migration Act.

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What if I lose my job on a 482 visa?

You have up to 180 days to find a new approved sponsor, apply for a different visa, or leave Australia, and you can work for other employers during this period. The total time across your visa period spent outside Condition 8607 compliance cannot exceed 365 days.

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Note: this page covers working hours once your 482 visa is already granted. If you're still preparing your application and want to know whether part-time work counts toward the work experience requirement, that's a separate question answered in our eligibility guide.

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For comprehensive official details on visa conditions, you can also refer to the Department of Home Affairs or your current visa grant letter. But Condition 8607 situations are rarely as straightforward as they look on paper — if your hours, role, or sponsor arrangement is changing, book a consultation with one of RACC's registered migration agents (MARN1572962, MARN1172003) before you make a move that could put your visa at risk.

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This article provides general information only and does not constitute migration or legal advice. Visa conditions and requirements may change, and individual circumstances vary.

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