Seven years ago, I applied to work and vacation in Australia. Today, their working/holiday visa program is stronger than ever. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 30 and want the freedom to look for temporary job in Australia, this is everything you need know.
To be honest, the process is rather simple, especially when everything is automated online. You do not need to fill out any paperwork!
The first step is to enroll in the Working Holiday Maker program. Within this program, you can apply for one of two types of work visas: Working Holiday (subclass 417) or Work and Holiday (subclass 462).
Requirements to be Eligible to Work and Travel in Australia
- You must be physically capable of working. Under certain conditions, you may be asked to have a medical check to confirm it.
- You must have a return ticket, proof of onward travel at the end of your stay, or proof of sufficient cash to purchase a fare to leave Australia. I didn’t have any of them, so I used a copy of my mother’s bank statement.
If you match all of these requirements, you’re almost certain to get your visa—there is no yearly limit on the number of working visas awarded, and if you haven’t guessed by now, the Australian government works extremely hard to encourage young seasonal workers to join the country. You are more than welcome to apply to work and travel in Australia.
- Here’s what a Working/Holiday Visa will grant you:
The right to remain in Australia for up to 12 months. This is valid for a year from the date you enter the country, regardless of how much time you spend there during that period—you can enter and depart as often as you choose.
The freedom to work as much or as little as you like. The sole requirement is that you stay no more than 6 months with any one employment. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it keeps you in the mindset that this is only temporary. - Freedom to study. Do you already have the funds to support yourself and wish to devote some of your time to studying? This visa allows you to do it for up to four months every year, which is enough time to complete a 12-week course of education or training.
The ability to apply for a second visa. If you have an existing WHM visa and have completed at least three months of seasonal employment, you can apply for a new work visa that will begin when your current visa expires, allowing you to work in Australia for an additional year. Two for one deal!
Where to Stay While You Work and Travel in Australia
When I’m working and traveling, I always stay at hostels. They’re inexpensive, transitory, and an excellent opportunity to make new friends—many other individuals who work and travel prefer to stay in hostels as well. And after the hostel staff realizes you’re staying for a while, they’ll give you some insider information on what’s going on in town and who you should contact about work opportunities.
When I earned my first bar work, I was on a tight budget and had to rebook my shared hostel dorm room every night. I was also hitting the streets every day with my résumé, looking for work.
I won’t lie: the ambiguity of it all was distressing. But it paid off. Looking back, that was the most fulfilling aspect of my adventure.
Backpacker Job Assistance
For those who prefer not to fly by the seat of their pants (confession: I’m just really bad at planning), the good news is that, in Australia, the YHA has now formalized this process in something called the Backpacker Job Assistance scheme, which can alleviate a lot of the stress of finding work while traveling.
It is now operating in a limited number of hostels in New South Wales and Western Australia, chosen due to the availability of seasonal and temporary jobs in the area. They will assist you in a variety of ways, including:
- We are offering you a weekly cost for lodging in the hostel while you find work.
- Actively assisting you in finding work by directing you to job opportunities that have become available in your area and providing you with helpful suggestions and information on how to work and travel in Australia efficiently without feeling lost.
- Being a helpful point of contact before your arrival. If the thought of just turning up and figuring it out worries you, you’ll enjoy this program. It enables you to plan accommodations and hunt for work before you even arrive.
Where to Find Work in Australia
Your best chance of finding a seasonal work is to either show up and look for one (as I did) or to have a contact in the region who can function as a go-between (such as the YHA mentioned above). You’ll learn about chances that haven’t even been fully posted yet, and you might even land a better job than you would through usual means.
If you’re looking through online listings, start with backpacker-specific job boards.
- Backpacker Job Board – Approximately 8,000 backpacker-friendly positions are now advertised.
- Jobaroo – Founded by travelers for tourists to Australia, this website serves as both a job board and a storehouse for a wealth of firsthand advice for seasonal employment seekers.
- Jora – There are currently over 300,000 open positions across the country.
- Downundr provides job postings for island resorts, pearling, and cruise ship work.
Then move on to the general job search boards.
- SEEK is a career portal website that collects job offers from a huge number of employment, education, and volunteer organizations throughout the world. Over 3 million job postings, including high-end ($150k+) employment.
- Gumtree – Gumtree is Australia’s Craigslist, offering free job postings and classifieds around the country.
- Adzuna is a job search engine for Australia, with over 20,000 listings.
- CareerJet has over 200,000 jobs posted, including seasonal work.
- Manpower is the Australian arm of the American human resource group, which aggregates positions from 50 locations around the continent.
Types of Work Available in Australia
Fruit picking and harvesting are the most common kind of temporary jobs. In many ways, the Working Visa system was designed solely to provide labor for this market. It’s hard work, but it pays well—and it’s only accessible around harvest time. Make sure you’re seeking for this type of work during the right season.
Bartending is my specialization and first love when it comes to working and travelling in Australia. Here’s how to get a bartending job anywhere in the world.
Restaurant Work – If you have previous experience as a waiter/waitress or host/hostess, restaurants are likely seeking for qualified candidates, particularly in larger cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
Landscape Gardening/Grounds Worker – Serve as a seasonal laborer or groundskeeper for farms or garden maintenance companies.
Office and retail positions include shop personnel, client sales reps, clerical assistants, and receptionists.
Outback work entails working on ranches or livestock stations. This is an introduction to the field of seasonal labor.
Beach Work – Work and travel in Australia as a surfing teacher, lifeguard, or diving instructor (training is required, and assistant/support roles are available for individuals who do not have or are undergoing training).
Childcare and Au Pair Work – You can find this type of work in two ways: through an agency like AIFS (which usually requires a fee up front, but they’ll do all the job hunting for you) or by looking for jobs yourself on general job boards (see below) or more specific sites like AuPairWorld.com.
Travel Industry Work – Helping to keep hostels and hotels open throughout the busy summer months.
The Best Job You’ll Find In Australia
Finally, the ideal job you’ll find is one that pays you well while also allowing you to have fun—that’s why you’re working while traveling! I like working as a bartender, but there are so many opportunities for work and travel in Australia that it ultimately comes down to choosing the appropriate profession for you.
That’s the best job you can find.
Examine what you already know and consider how you can apply it elsewhere. It’s really no different than looking for a job in your home country—use your networks, explore job boards, and see what’s available.
Australia is a great country, and you’ll enjoy every minute of your trip.