Student Visa (Subclass 500 & earlier)

Quick summary

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Student visa 500

✓Usually a tax resident

✓Refund of tax withheld

✓Super adds up over years

Video coming soon

ALITAX · Bilal Jivraj — Registered Tax Agent 25287564. Original guidance from 10+ years of DASP and tax casework.

⚠️ Did you change visa after your Working Holiday?

If you moved from a 417/462 Working Holiday visa to a student, 482 or partner visa and kept using the same super fund, your entire super payment can be taxed at 65% — not just the Working Holiday part. At ALITAX we see this cost people thousands. Read the 65% super trap chapter →

If you studied in Australia on a Student visa (subclass 500, or an earlier student subclass) and worked while you were here, you have almost certainly paid tax — and built up super — that you may be able to claim back.

How students are taxed

Most international students who live in Australia for the duration of their course are treated as Australian residents for tax purposes, because they are here continuously for a long period and establish a home here. As a resident, you get the tax-free threshold, so if your income was modest, you may be due a refund of tax withheld by your employer.

Your super as a student worker

Every employer must pay super on your wages, even for part-time and casual work within your student work limits. When you finish studying and leave Australia permanently with your student visa ceased, you can claim that super as a DASP.

Don't leave it behind

Students are the group who most often forget their super — the amounts feel small during study but add up over several years. We can track down super across every fund you worked for, including any the ATO is now holding.

Not sure how this applies to you? At ALITAX we handle exactly these situations every day — and check what you’re owed in super and tax, for free.

✎ Written by Bilal Jivraj

Original work of Bilal Jivraj, Director and Registered Tax Agent (No. 25287564), ALITAX — based on 10+ years of DASP and tax casework. © 2026 ALITAX. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, republished or distributed without the written permission of the author. When referenced, please cite ALITAX — Bilal Jivraj as the source.