The Australian economy is healthy, as shown by its GDP per capita, which is higher than Sweden’s. The unemployment rate is also one of the lowest in the world. However, you must know that it is not easy for foreigners to find permanent work in Australia
As we have said before, it has become much more difficult to obtain an Australian work visa (with the exception of the WHV). This option is now only available for highly skilled workers or if your job is on the shortage occupation list.
In this regard, each year the Australian government publishes a job report, which lists the jobs most in demand and the areas of greatest need. These jobs generally include: nurses, doctors, engineers, architects, masons, welders, tilers, mechanics, cooks, etc. Also, keep in mind that in order to get a work visa and live in Australia, you will need to know English and pass a verification exam.
Those who get a WHS usually find work in agriculture, hospitality or tourism (for example, if you know some foreign languages, you can easily find work as a tour guide). It is not impossible to find work in other sectors, but it is more complicated, especially if you do not know English well.
Work in Australia
To work in Australia you need to obtain a work visa.
Temporary Skill Shortages, (subclass 482) you can apply for the visa if you are qualified to work or train in a skilled occupation, if you speak English well, if you have experience in your occupation, and if you have found a sponsor. You can apply for a visa when your employer submits your sponsorship application and selects you as a candidate.
there are two types of this visa:
- TSS Short-Term, if your job is on the list (STSOL), you can get a sponsor. It has a duration of 2 years and can be extended for another 2 years, but does not directly lead to a permanent visa. STSOL covers about 270 occupations. Keep in mind that if you speak English well and have experience in your occupation, the employer will sponsor you. Many sponsorships are in the hospitality and construction industries. Chefs, pizza makers, bricklayers, and tile setters are highly sought after occupations. Professions that Australians neither want nor are able to do.
- TSS Medium-Term, this visa is valid for 4 years and can be extended for another 4 years, resulting in permanent residency. The list contains over 200 professions (MLTSSL)
Remember that these lists are updated every six months according to the needs of the Australian labor market, so an occupation that was listed the previous month may no longer be listed.
If you believe you meet all the requirements to apply for a TSS visa, I advise you to contact a migration agency
Permanent visa,(sub classe186), is a permanent residence visa for highly skilled workers. It allows you to work and stay in Australia.
To get it, you can go two different ways:
- you can first go through TSS
- 2. you can apply for it directly
In either case, to apply for this visa:
- you must have an Australian sponsor
- you must be less than fifty years old
- you must have professional qualifications
Remember that even if your job is on the skills shortage list, Australian employers are unlikely to hire remote workers via Skype.
WHS, all persons who have not reached the age of 30 (or 35 in some countries), can apply This visa allows you to stay and work in Australia for 12 months. However, you cannot work for the same employer for more than six months. This makes it ideal for seasonal jobs in agriculture, tourism or as an au pair. It is also possible to attend language courses that last no longer than 17 weeks. The visa must be used within one year from the date of issue. During the whole period of the visa free entry and exit is possible.
When applying for a visa, you must declare that you have enough money for living expenses, (5,000 Australian dollars). Checks on entry are usually not carried out. In any case, it is advisable to have a certain amount of money available to cope with unexpected problems. The Working Holiday Visa can only be applied for once in a lifetime and only if you are staying outside Australia. With this visa it is not possible to emigrate with family and children. Cost of the visa: 450 Australian dollars
Second WHS, if certain conditions are met (you have worked at least three months in agriculture, livestock and construction in the regional areas), you can apply for the second WHV and stay for another year. For full information on the types of work that qualify you to apply for a second WHV and all areas that are considered ‘regional’ (i.e., rural), go to government website. If you qualify for the second WHV, you must submit the application at least one month before the first WHV expires in order to receive the second in time.
If you decide to leave Australia after the first visa expires, but meet the requirements to apply for the second visa, you can do so from abroad whenever you want, (even after a few years), provided you are not older than 31 or 35. Cost of the visa: 450 Australian dollars.
A final note: If you do not want to work on farms and do not meet the requirements to apply for the second WHV, you can still stay in Australia if you wish by applying for a student visa that allows you to stay in Australia, study and work part-time.
Third working holiday visa, from 2019 it will be possible to apply for a third working holiday visa, provided you have worked on the farm for 6 months.
Here is how to apply for the WHV
Work in Australia, useful resources
- Australian.gov, government website with all information about working in Australia
- Joboutlook, contains a list of all professions and it is possible to see job opportunities, salaries, future forecasts and many other information
- Jobs Gov, list of the jobs that are currently most in demand
- Fairr Work, information about the duties and rights of Australian workers
- Working and Living in Australia, pre departure guide book for seasonal workers
- Australian jobs 2021, labour market report
1 LinkedIn is always an important resource, not only can you view current job openings there, but you can also build a network of contacts (companies or recruiters) to set up interviews once you arrive.
2 Contacts, try to build a network of professional contacts, make Australian friends through Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. One acquaintance is worth more than 10 job search websites when looking for a job.
3 Delivering your resume in person: if you are already in Australia, you can deliver your CV in person to companies: in bars, restaurants, stores, construction sites, farms, etc.
4 Recruitment agencies, the most important agencies are:
- Kelly, international recruitment agency
- Hays, international recruitment agency
- MLKA, Australian recruitment agency, hospitality job offers, but not only
- Employment Plus, Australian recruitment agency
- Agencies in Australia, list of all agencies in Australia
5 Job search website
- Jobactive, official website of the Australian government, with many job vacancies
- Seek, popular website
- Jobted, job search website
- Adzuna, job search website
- Gumtree, classifieds website
- Jobisjob, job search website
- Totaljobs, English website
- Simly Hired, job search website
- Job Com, popular website
- Gradaustrailia, internships and job offers for graduates
- Gradconnection, internships and job offers for graduates
- Carreone, job search website
- Backpackerjobboard, temporary job offers
Useful information
Remember that some jobs in Australia require participation in a short training course, (one day or even online) to obtain the appropriate certificate:
- RSA, personnel serving alcoholic beverages require this certification. The cost varies from $50 to $150 and can also be done online by answering a questionnaire of about 80 questions. It seems much more complicated than it actually is, but it can be done in an afternoon. This “certificate” can determine whether or not you find work
- RCG, employees who work in the gambling sector need this certificate (casinos, betting shops, etc.). Do not think it is useless, considering that gambling is very popular in Australia and over 80% of adults practice it (the highest percentage in the world). Besides the classic casinos, there are hundreds of small clubs with slot machines and other games all over the country, even in the most remote areas
- White Card, if you want to work in the construction industry, you must attend a small training course, at the end of which you will receive the White Card (in passport format)
Moonlighting is not widespread in Australia, in any case you should avoid this practice at all costs, even if it was only for a few days, the penalties are very severe and can lead to expulsion from the country.
Work in Australia, conclusion
Years ago, many people who came to Australia on temporary visas started working, and after some time they were given permanent visas. Today, this is still possible, but by no means easy. Recently, the Australian government has tightened the process of granting permanent residency. First of all, you must be engaged in an activity that is on the Skilled Worker Shortage List, which the Australian government publishes twice a year. With this, you can get a sponsorship and work in Australia, and then you can apply for a permanent visa.
However, to be able to work in Australia, you need to meet three requirements:
- a good level of English
- a professional qualification
- a work experience
Therefore, people need to acquire the missing prerequisites, whether it is a qualification or a good level of English. Remember that if you do not have professional qualifications, you can acquire them by attending courses in Australia while you work to make a living in the meantime.
The only degrees that are always recognized are English, American and Canadian degrees. As for degrees from other countries, some are fully recognized, others are not. This is especially true for health professions. So it is advisable to inquire and check the Enic-Naric website on a case-by-case basis.
One piece of advice I would give to those who want to go to Australia with a WHV is to take an English course before leaving. It is true that it is possible to find work in the hospitality, agriculture, construction or cleaning industries even with limited English skills (and many do). But remember, the better your English, the greater the job opportunities and the higher your salary. So do not be afraid to invest a few hundred dollars in a course that you could get back in a month’s time.
Every month, thousands of young people come to the largest cities in search of work, so I recommend you consider smaller cities or tourist spots as well.
To those who are applying for a student visa to learn English, I say that it makes no sense to go to Australia just to learn English for two reasons:
- because of the Australian accent, which is very difficult and will not be useful outside Australia
- because of the cost: it is much cheaper to learn the language in another English speaking country, for example Malta
