If you are studying in Darwin on a student visa and want to work part-time, you need a Tax File Number (TFN). It’s free, it’s issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and you keep it for life — even if you move cities, change visa or leave and come back.

Studying in Darwin

Whether you’re at the local university or a college or TAFE, the TFN process is the same:

  • Charles Darwin University

Your institution’s international student services can explain work and tax basics during orientation, but the application itself is made with the ATO.

Can you work on a student visa?

Most student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, and without that limit during scheduled course breaks. Check your own visa conditions on VEVO before you start — if your visa has no work rights, you can’t use the online TFN application.

How to apply for your TFN in Darwin

  1. Make sure you are in Australia and your student visa is linked to your passport.
  2. Complete the online application on the ATO website with your details exactly as on your passport.
  3. Enter your Darwin postal address — your TFN is posted there.
  4. Allow up to 28 days. Don’t submit a second application while you wait.

Prefer help? Our TFN application service prepares and checks your application for 99–199 AUD. Applying directly with the ATO is free.

Once your TFN arrives

  • Give it to your employer on the TFN declaration. If you started work before it arrived, you have 28 days to provide it.
  • Tell your bank, so tax isn’t withheld from interest at the highest rate.
  • Check your super: employers pay superannuation for eligible workers, including students. When you leave Australia you may be able to claim it back.
  • Lodge a tax return after 30 June each year. Estimate your result with our tax refund calculator.
  • Keep it safe: share it only with your employer, bank, super fund, the ATO and registered tax agents.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply before arriving in Darwin?

Not online: visa holders apply once they are in Australia. Have your Darwin address ready when you land so you can apply straight away.

I already have a TFN from another city. Do I need a new one?

No. Your TFN is valid everywhere in Australia. Just update your address with the ATO after moving to Darwin.

Can my partner get a TFN?

Yes, if their visa allows them to work. They apply separately with their own passport.

Darwin is in Northern Territory and uses ACST (no daylight saving) time. Not a student? Read how to apply for a TFN in Darwin.