A complete education experience is waiting anyone who wishes or plans to study in Australia. All institutions here have extracurricular activities including internships, and exchange and volunteer programs to help students improve their chosen studies and gain international study experience which is actually appealing to future employers.
There are many opportunities for students who were granted student visas and are eligible to work. Even if your visa was granted, you can still apply to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to work once you begin your course.
If you receive permission to work, it will be up to 20 hours per week whilst studying – however not before your course commences. If you have dependent with you they may also work up to 20 hours. However if you are studying a Masters or Doctorate degree your dependent may work any amount. Be sure to adhere to these restrictions or your visa may be cancelled.
Although Australia is an affordable place to live compared to the USA or UK. Part-time or casual work is a good way to support your lifestyle and pay for essentials like groceries, rent and bills.
If you plan to work, be sure to apply for a Tax File Number from the Australian Taxation Office – this is similar to a social security number, and allows you to work and open a bank account in Australia.
Some industries are good for students to approach as they offer flexible hours and may be willing to train new employees. Hospitality is one such industry, with hotels, bars, cafes, clubs, takeaway food chains, restaurants and catering companies offering the following positions – waiter/waitressing, kitchen hand, barista, bar service, food preparation and pizza delivery. Other industries that are often student-friendly include security companies, retail and sales work, IT, cleaning and housekeeping, promotional work, Au Pair & babysitting, administration and office temping work.
Wages vary depending on your age and the industry you are working in – anything from $10 to $30 per hour is common. Some Australian Internship Programs offer paid work.
Private tutoring in a discipline you are familiar with is a good way of making money – approximately $40 per hour. If you speak another language other than English, tutoring work in your native language is also an option.
Getting Work
There are several ways to seek a job when in Australia and why choosing a working holiday visa. One such way is to approach employment agencies. Which may be government based, run by a charity or your own educational institute – these places can also help with job interview skills and give resume building tips.
Another way to seek work may be to look online at job databases. Online at jobs advertised on a business’s specific website or in the job section of your local newspaper. One of the most successful methods is to approach businesses face-to-face, by resume dropping. Be sure to look professional and well-presented when using this technique.
Which Australian work visa should I apply for?
Visas in the skilled migration program are organised into three categories. Each category contains several different visas, however, only the Offshore General Skill category is discuss in detail below.
Offshore General Skilled
You should apply for this category if you are an applicant outside Australia.
Skilled – Independent: relevant if you satisfy the basic requirements, are highly skill and have education, skills and employability. And either do not have a sponsor or choose not to be sponsored or nominated by a State or Territory government.
Skilled – Australian Sponsored: relevant if you satisfy the basic requirements, nominate a skilled occupation from the Skilled Occupations List. And have both a sponsor (who is related to the applicant or their spouse) and an assurer.
Skilled – Designated Area Sponsored: relevant if you satisfy the basic requirements (with exceptions) and have both a sponsor and an assurer. The sponsor must live in a designated area, and you must be related to your sponsor.
Also Read: 9 Things to You Need to Think About When Travelling Abroad
Skill Matching: relevant if you satisfy the basic requirements but think that you may not pass the points test. In this case you can enter your details into the “skill matching” process. This links applicants to State or Territory government or employers. Who wish to nominate migrants to fill specific vacancies in specific parts of the country.
Skilled-State Territory Nominated Independent: relevant if you satisfy the basic requirements, nominate a skilled occupation from the Skilled Occupations List. Meet the pool mark for the Skilled-Independent category and are nominate by a participating State or Territory.
Onshore General Skilled
You should apply for this category if you are an eligible overseas student. Who is currently in Australia and who wishes to apply for permanent residence under this category. The most common visa in this category is the Skilled – Independent Overseas Students visa (although there are others).
