Australia Guide: Jobs

Finding a job abroad is not easy, and foreign working conditions are often quite different from those at home. Our job guide explains where to look for a job and how to apply for it. You will also find information on salaries, working conditions and social security issues.

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  Introduction

  Employment prospects

  Australia has a labour force of 9.8 million (in December 2004), some three-quarters of whom are employed full time, and an unemployment rate of 5.1 per cent (in May 2005) – one of the world's lowest.

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  Qualifications

  What qualifications are needed to work in Australia?

  The most important qualification for working in Australia is the ability to speak English fluently.

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  Employment Agencies

  Public and Private Employment Agencies

  In Australia, the government authority in charge of employment at federal level is Centrelink.

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  Contract jobs

  Contract and part-time jobs

  Contract or freelance jobs are available through specialist employment agencies in Australia.

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  Temping

  Temporary & Casual jobs

  Temporary and casual jobs differ from part-time jobs in that they’re usually for a limited (fixed) period, e.g. from a few hours to a few months, or even intermittent.

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  Job hunting

  Where to look for a job in Australia

  Your method of job hunting obviously depends on your circumstances, experience and qualifications, and the sort of job you’re seeking, and may include the following:

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  Job Applications

  How to apply for a job in Australia

  Curricula vitae (CVs) are important in Australia when looking for work, particularly when jobs are thin on the ground.

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  Working in Australia

  Salary, working hours and Tax File Number

  There’s a federal minimum wage in Australia, which as of July 2020 is $753.80 per week or $19.84 per hour, but most job sectors are bound by ‘award’ wages, which are set for different industries, professions and trades through a unique system, decided at federal or state level by pay agreements between unions and employers.

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  Social Security

  The Australian social security system

  Social security (welfare) is the name given to state benefits paid to residents in Australia. Social security is non-contributory and is financed from general taxation (although there’s a specific levy for Medicare).

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  Unemployment Benefit

  Getting money when you lose your job

  Australia’s unemployment benefit system takes the form of ‘jobsearch’ and ‘newstart’ schemes.

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