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In April 2026, many international students mistakenly believe that because they are "self-employed" on an ABN, their hours are invisible to the Department of Home Affairs.
This is a dangerous myth. In 2026, the Department uses Single Touch Payroll (STP) 3.0 and bank data-matching to estimate work hours based on your income and industry averages. If you earn $2,000 in a fortnight as a freelance graphic designer, the Department may estimate that at 40+ hours of work.
Why "Billable Hours" aren't the only ones that count toward your 48-hour limit.
As a freelancer, your clock doesn't just run when you are "on the job." In 2026, the Department’s definition of "work" includes any activity that contributes to your business. Here is how to stay compliant.
For visa compliance, you must count every hour spent on the following:
In 2026, if you report $3,000 of ABN income in a single fortnight but claim you only worked 10 hours, the Department may trigger an Integrity Audit.
Even for freelancers, the Rolling Fortnight starts on a Monday.
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