Key Points
- From 1 July, international students' working hours will be capped at 48 hours per fortnight.
- Students and business owners have expressed concerns about the impact of the new restrictions.
- There are approximately 600,000 international students in Australia this year.
Karanbir Singh has unwillingly had his work hours reduced by half, but it is not due to poor performance or a change in business needs.
The 22-year-old, who works as a chef at an Italian restaurant in Melbourne, is one of many international students impacted by changes to working laws.
From 1 July, international students' working hours will be capped at 48 hours per fortnight, which equates to about three shifts per week.
Chef Karanbir Singh, 22 at work. Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
Restrictions are an extra hardship for many already battling to survive soaring living costs.
"I'm doing half of the days that I was doing before," Mr Singh said. "It's really hard to pay the rent and the fees for my uni as well."
Mr Singh has already reduced his living expenses, paying his share of $420 a week for a house on the city’s outskirts.
He decided to move to save money on rent and reduce his work hours and earnings prior to the restrictions being reimposed.
"I was living near nearby the CBD and the rent was really high," he said.
"So, after cutting down the wages and the hours I had to move to one hour drive from the city.
"Also, the travel fees cost a lot - for the gas for my car. So, I have to come by train and it takes a lot of time."
Mr Singh is from Italy and is among 600,000 international students in Australia this year.
He is in the final semester of a master’s degree in IT at university and is starting an events business that he hopes will soon make up the salary shortfall.
He knows many other students who are worried about making ends meet.
"They're really stressed about the new rules," he said.
"So they are also trying to figure it out to find new jobs or, they are starting their own businesses."
Stefano Maffei runs two restaurants in inner Melbourne, La Vineria and Noi, and says he needs 30 per cent more staff to fill the roster gaps.
"This is something that is quite concerning at the moment," he said.
Stefano Maffei at his La Vineria restaurant. Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
"For students, it's going to be a very, very big struggle because many have to pay for their expenses, for the studies, and obviously with 24 hours only of work a week allowed, it's going to be tough."
French chef David Bitton is among Australia’s 57,000 restaurant and café owners also affected by the new rules.
Mr Bitton runs three restaurants in Sydney employing 55 staff, and fears the new rules will increase his business burdens.
He employs 10 international students and says cutting hours will impact their families abroad, too.
"Some of them also send money to mum and dad in Indonesia, in Nepal, you name it. So, really, it's a disaster for them," he said.
The federal government says restricting work hours will ensure that students focus on their education.
Suresh Manickam, CEO of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of Australia. Credit: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
Suresh Manickam is CEO of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of Australia, and says 1 July is "far too soon" to bring in the work caps.
"If this policy doesn't change, things will get substantially worse for the sector," he said.
"It'll get worse because you're opening up the propensity for an underground economy.
"The potential for people to move into a cash economy means they are not on the books, and not on the insurance of those organisations."
Mr Manickam wants the federal government to align hospitality with aged care – where staff are able to work unlimited hours until 2024.
Restaurateur David Bitton Source: SBS News
"Unemployment has never been so good. Why they're not changing or delaying this new law that's coming up, that's my priority," he said.
"And then (giving) us some relief would be nice."
