Working in Australia

If you’re interested in working in Australia you will need to have the correct type of visa to allow you to enter the country and take up employment.

If you wish to move ‘down under’ permanently you’ll have to apply for residency, alternatively it is possible to work temporarily in Australia depending on the country you originally herald from and the visa type you are in possession of.

If you’re an overseas student studying in Australia and are in possession of a Student Visa you may have the right to work in Australia for up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time during the holiday periods. 

Those in possession of a Working Holiday Maker Visa can remain in Australia for up to 12 months; they cannot work for the full 12 months but can take various temporary work assignments but cannot hold one job for more than three months at a time.

The majority of those interested in working in Australia are actually seeking to make a move ‘down under’ more permanent and apply for immigration to Australia under one of the many immigration programmes. 

If an individual has a massively in demand skill they can apply for a permanent visa based on those skills under the Australia Skilled Visa Program and if they can secure an offer of employment in Australia before they apply for residency and the Australian authorities and employer can prove that the job offered could not be fulfilled by an Australian citizen, the individual in question stands a very high chance of being accepted.

There are many alternatives available to anyone considering moving to Australia and making an application for permanent residency that are not based on skills or offers of employment and if you’ve secured your residency permissions in Australia and are only now beginning your search for suitable employment there are a number of approaches you can take.

The Australian government have a number of websites to assist the job seeker, business owner or employer.  JobSearch for example helps you if you’re interested in finding employment, training courses or career guidance anywhere in Australia.  The JobNetwork on the WorkPlace site is of particular use to those who have been seeking work for a long time and it incorporates many organisations that assist with job finding.

Alternatively you can make use of recruitment companies in Australia - whether offline or online like Working In Australia.com for example; you can look in local newspapers and trade publications for openings or directly target suitable employers with your CV.  Whatever method of approach you choose, working in Australia and establishing a brand new life ‘down under’ is a dream shared by many but realised by few.  Good luck in being one of the few who make their dream come true.