Guide · Part-time jobs · 4 min read
Part-time jobs abroad for Nepali students: the hours, the pay and the jobs, country by country.
Part-time work helps with living costs but rarely pays tuition, and every country caps it. Australia allows 48 hours a fortnight in term at a minimum of AUD 26.44 an hour; the UK 20 hours a week at £12.71; Germany 140 full days a year at €13.90; Sweden 15 hours a week for permits granted from 11 June 2026. Most first jobs are in food, retail, cleaning, warehouses and care. Get a tax number first, and get paid into a bank account, never cash in hand.
The short version
- Australia: 48 hours a fortnight in term, unlimited in breaks, minimum AUD 26.44 an hour. UK: 20 hours a week at £12.71 (21+).
- Germany: 140 full or 280 half days a year, €13.90 an hour. Finland: an average of 30 hours a week. Sweden: 15 hours a week (new permits).
- Most first jobs: food, retail, cleaning, warehouses, delivery and aged care. It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks to find one.
- Budget as if you earn nothing for the first 2 months, and never plan to pay tuition from part-time pay.
- Paid below the minimum, in cash, or without payslips? It's illegal. Keep records and ask for help.
Hours and pay, country by country
| Country | During term | In breaks | Minimum pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 48 hours a fortnight | Unlimited in scheduled breaks | AUD 26.44 an hour (from 1 July 2026), more for casual roles |
| United Kingdom | 20 hours a week at degree level (10 below) | Full-time in official vacations | £12.71 an hour, age 21+ (from April 2026) |
| Germany | 140 full days or 280 half days a year | Counts within the same yearly limit | €13.90 an hour (from 1 January 2026) |
| Netherlands | 16 hours a week, with a work permit your employer holds | Full-time June to August | The Dutch minimum wage |
| Belgium | 20 hours a week, with a student contract | Full-time in holidays | Set by sector |
| Finland | An average of 30 hours a week | Full-time in holidays | Set by sector agreements |
| Sweden | 15 hours a week, for permits granted from 11 June 2026 | More from June to August | Set by agreements |
| Denmark | 20 hours a week | Full-time June to August | Set by agreements; high |
| Norway | 20 hours a week | Full-time in holidays | Set by agreements in some sectors |
| Cyprus | Set hours, in named sectors only | Set by the rules in force | Low; don’t count on it |
Rules change. Check your own visa or permit conditions before you take a job, and read our country guides: Australia, UK, Germany.
What it covers, in rupees
| At a glance | Australia | United Kingdom | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| A typical term week | 20 to 24 hours | 20 hours | About 15 to 20 hours |
| At the minimum, a month, before tax | About AUD 2,290 at 20 hours | About £1,100 | About €1,000 to 1,200 at 20 hours |
| In rupees | About Rs 2.4 lakh | About Rs 2.2 lakh | About Rs 1.7 to 2.1 lakh |
| Covers | A shared room and food in most cities, after the first months | Rent and food outside London | Rent and food in smaller cities |
At Rs 105.97 per AUD, Rs 202.99 per GBP and Rs 171.38 per EUR (18 Oct 2026). Before tax; your first weeks pay nothing.
The jobs our students get first
| Job | Where | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, café, kitchen hand | Everywhere | Weekend availability |
| Supermarket, retail | Everywhere | Some local language helps in Europe |
| Cleaning | Everywhere | Early starts |
| Warehouse, packing | Australia, UK, Germany, Netherlands | Shifts, sometimes nights |
| Delivery (bike or car) | Cities | Check your visa allows self-employed work; many don’t |
| Aged care, disability support | Australia, UK | A certificate and checks |
| Campus jobs: library, tutoring, research help | Universities | Good grades; apply early |
In Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordics, the local language opens far more jobs. Even basic German, Dutch or Swedish helps.
How to find one faster
- Get your tax number in week 1: TFN in Australia, National Insurance number in the UK, tax ID after the Anmeldung in Germany.
- Rewrite your CV in the local format: one or two pages, no photo for the UK and Australia, a photo often expected in Germany.
- Be free at weekends. Most first jobs need them.
- Walk in. Restaurants and shops still hire people who ask in person.
- Use the university’s careers service for campus jobs.
Underpayment: how to spot it
| Sign | It’s illegal when |
|---|---|
| “Training” shifts unpaid | You did real work |
| A flat rate below the minimum | Always |
| Cash in hand, no payslip | Usually; you lose tax, pension and proof of hours |
| Asked to work over your visa’s hours | You break your visa; the employer breaks the law |
| Your passport held “for safety” | Always |
Keep your rosters, payslips and bank records. Underpaid workers can get help whatever their visa: the Fair Work Ombudsman in Australia, ACAS in the UK, and labour inspectorates in Europe.
From our files. When we plan a budget with a family, we count part-time pay from month 3, not month 1, and never towards tuition. Students who planned on earning from week 1 are the ones who call us short of rent in month 2.
Our view
Part-time work is for living costs, experience and references, not tuition. Choose your country on what you can afford without it, then let the work make life easier. If your plan needs more hours than a country allows, we’ll show you one that fits better: Australia vs UK and the best country to study and work compare the work rules side by side.
