# Unpaid work on a student visa



## Celine (Sep 17, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

I have a question regarding my situation and hope you could help me solve this dilemma. 

I am on a student visa and limited to 20 hrs of work per week during the semester. I started an internship about five months ago in a small company and then started to get paid a few months after. I got a second job during the holidays and therefore need to going back to being unpaid for my internship or stop it before the start of the semester. 

However I was reading this on a government website: 

"You will also be able to accept paid or unpaid internship positions as well as complete volunteer work. Voluntary or unpaid work will not count towards the 40 hours if the work is considered a benefit to the community, is for a non-profit organisation or would not be offered as a paid position to an Australian resident: that is, the position is the same for both locals and non-residents. Unpaid work in return for board and lodging will also not count towards your weekly maximum of allowed work hours. Any other type of unpaid work, i.e. professional internships or work placements, WILL count towards your fortnightly quota."

Is it considered a professional internship even if I decide not to be paid for it? 

Also is too much experience going to have a negative impact on my applications for Graduate Programs (if I have a chance to apply on a student visa)? 

Thank you for your help,
Celine


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

It is classed as work if a normal Australian would be paid for it. In your case a normal Australian would be paid for it so no you can't do it unpaid and not count it towards your 40 hours per fortnight.


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## ampk (Sep 21, 2013)

Is this an option to look at?

. Unpaid work in return for board and lodging will also not count towards your weekly maximum of allowed work hours.


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## meringue (Feb 16, 2016)

Hi Celine, I believe that it still counts as a professional internship and will count towards your hours. Do you have any updates? Have you discussed with your boss yet on going back to being unpaid?


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## Celine (Sep 17, 2012)

meringue said:


> Hi Celine, I believe that it still counts as a professional internship and will count towards your hours. Do you have any updates? Have you discussed with your boss yet on going back to being unpaid?


Hi, I am finishing my internship the week before the semester starts. Anyway I guess I can still get some experience doing volunteer work.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

Celine said:


> Hi, I am finishing my internship the week before the semester starts. Anyway I guess I can still get some experience doing volunteer work.


You can only do volunteer work if it is something that an Australian would not be paid to do. If it is something an Australian is can be paid to do then it counts towards your working hours.


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## wolfe23zc (Feb 25, 2016)

Celine said:


> Hi, I am finishing my internship the week before the semester starts. Anyway I guess I can still get some experience doing volunteer work.


Doing volunteer work for gaining experience is a good option!


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