Job Opportunities in Australia for Working Holiday Makers
It’s many people’s dreams to travel to Australia, but not for a short while, for an extended working holiday. The Working Holiday is the perfect excuse to take a year out of your life and take up employment in Australia – or not. While you can definitely choose to bum it for an awesome, long holiday, there is always the chance for you to get a job from time to time in order to make some quick change. For those working holiday makers heading to Australia, here are some of the job opportunities available to you.
Please note that it is possible to work any type of job while you are in Australia on a working holiday. However, since you can only work the same job, with the same employer, for no more than 6 months on the same visa, employers for more professional roles will tend to stray away from working holiday makers.
Service Industry Jobs (Retail, Food & Beverage):
If you have experience serving food, preparing coffee or selling clothes, then the service industry is a good place to look for employment. Please be warned that the cities are going to be much more competitive for these types of jobs, so do make sure you prepare a CV targeted to showcasing your experience. If you want to work somewhere they serves alcohol, such as a pub or restaurant, then you will probably need to get an RSA (responsible service of alcohol) certificate to go hand-in-hand with applying.
Fruit Picking:
Fruit picking and harvest work is a popular option for backpackers as it can be quick money while also giving them time towards their mandatory 3 months of regional work (needed for those that want to apply for a 2nd year in Australia). It can, however, be grueling, hot and back-breaking work to say the least. On the positive side, you often get to be surrounded by tons of other backpackers.
Agricultural Work:
Ever dream of working on a farm in rural Australia? If so, there are plenty of jobs waiting for you, and it can help you if you’re looking to get your 3 months of regional work out of the way. A unique option would be to take a Jack-a-roo or Jill-a-roo course and then spend your time on the back of a horse!
Temp Work:
If your skills match up, there are several temp agencies that might be able to find you some short office roles. For those that wish to attempt this route, make sure you bring the proper clothing to suit an office environment. No, it probably doesn’t fit into a backpack, which is why I’m taking the time to point this out. Plan ahead!
Au Pair:
Child care workers might be able to get placed as an au pair in an Australian family. There may be families that need child care during the school holidays, which is great for those that want something temporary. The best bet for getting this sort of placement would be through au pair agencies, which might require references and a background check in order to place.
Work in a Hostel:
You don’t necessarily need to have a working holiday visa to work in Australian hostels as it is possible to work in exchange for accommodation if you plan to stick around a place for a while. However, there are options to work and receive pay, in which case you do need the visa. It all depends on the job and the workload, but it definitely is worth your time to ask if there are positions available.
Wwoofing:
You don’t need a working holiday visa to Wwoof Australia as it doesn’t pay. A job Wwoofing is a job that you work on an organic farm in exchange for meals and accommodation. You will most likely be far away from the big cities with little free time, but it can provide for a unique experience that you just can’t get anywhere else.
>> Learn more about the different work visas for Australia