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Jobs in Australia for UK citizens

Workingholiday.co is a site offering jobs in Australia for UK citizens and focuses on the shorter term job market.

We place an emphasis on those who want to visit Australia as part of a working holiday and be able to pay for their stay by working.
We help by providing links and documentation requirements you will need to take up a post.

We offer a short list of typical jobs as a sample but for more information on what is currently available we ask you to contact us with some information about what type of work you are seeking and which country and city you would like to work in.
We can then work with you in more detail and provide more specific opportunities.

Chris Hemsworth says: "It's different down here, the air has more life in it. Because Australia isn't just a place you see it's a place you feel. That's why there's nothing like it!"

Come and explore this great land, learn to surf just like Chris and his mates, you might even catch a glimpse of Thor as you're learning to surf in Byron Bay!

Explore the golden outback, enjoy the Aussie nightlife, parties, festivals and events. But, most of all define your own adventure. Whether that's adrenaline filled, seeking out our weird and wonderful wildlife, getting to know the friendly locals or enjoying our endless coastlines.

We welcome thousands of mates down under every year. We want to help you have the adventure of a life time, with rock solid support when you need it the whole time you're here!

Popular Job Sectors

Here are some very attractive job offers in Australia.

1.Construction

If you want to develop your career in the construction sector, there are plenty of jobs on offer in the industrial and residential sectors.
If you are ambitious enough, then there are several jobs for skilled managers.
These entail the various skills required in planning and designing, and also managing a local site.
It would be very helpful if you had a qualification in Building and Construction as these will be asked for, should you find a good offer.

2. Civil engineering
These vacancies are plentiful and cover working in the railways, roads and bridges sector of the country.
A Qualification in engineering would be very beneficial here.

3. Teachers for young children.
These will include positions in childcare and nurseries for children.
Early Child Education is a beneficial qualification to have to secure a position.

4. Nursing
With a qualification here, you can apply for positions in paediatrics, mental health and helping the elderly.
Needless to say, you need and Bachelor of Nursing to be successful.

5. SYSTEMS ANALYSTS for business
Using data analysis to understand what drives business and demand, are very valuable skills to have.
You should be familiar with using data to help develop businesses.
If you have any type of track record in working with data, then there are many opportunities for you
Qualifications in business analytics will be very helpful here.

6. SOFTWARE PROGRAMMERS
If you are a natural in coding, there is no shortage of job opportunities in Australia for you.
This includes mobile apps and software development.

Working holidays mean you can stay longer and spend what you earn on awesome experiences… like sky diving in Byron Bay, 4W Driving on Fraser Island, learning to surf or even sailing the Whitsundays.There's free stuff too that only takes your legs to see and explore. Think… the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, Coogee to Bondi Beach coastal walk, the laneways of Melbourne, Byron Bay lighthouse and the Brisbane River and sunbaking on any of the thousands of beaches.

Finding Work

Australia has pretty much the same jobs you get in all other corners of the World. The skills and experience you have at home can help put you front and centre for the perfect job down here! Jobsearch below shows we have open right now include:

        • Hospitality
        • Fruit Picking - find out more about Fruit picking and the fruit picking seasons
        • Sales
        • Chef
        • Retail
        • Labour hire
        • Admin
        • House keeping
        • Front desk reception
        • Kitchen hand
        • Customer service
        • Kitchen hand
        • House keeping
        • Kitchen hand
        • Customer service

…to name a few.We can help you with finding work to extend your visa for a second year if you decide a year is simply not enough.

Useful Information

There are many aspects to working in Australia that may persuade you to take the next step of actually applying for a job.

The lifestyle is laid back as you have seen from various tv programs and websites.
On top of that wages are relatively high and the two together could make it very attractive if you are trapped in a 9 to 5 job back in the UK

The Mercer’s guide rates working in Sydney at 40th in the list of top world favourite places to work. If you have graduated it becomes even more attractive because they make very generous wage offers to those with a degree.

Unlike the UK, there are very attractive outdoors activities on another scale. The beaches are simply wonderful and attract those from around the world to visit.
In fact, most towns along the coast are beautiful places to see.
And don’t forget, English is the spoken language. What a great start to an alternative lifestyle.

The majority of the job market in Australia is posts are in the services sector. The tourist sector is also thriving. If you are seeking a position as a post-graduate, the bigger cities are your best bet.
You could start by visiting the Australian government site in Australia which provides a truckload of info and help on jobs.

Please note that the approach to actually going to live in Australia is slightly different. Here we recommend visiting the skill select website as it deals in permanent positions… lmip.gov.au/

If you happen to have skill in the skill shortages sector you stand a good chance if even better-paid work.
These sectors include engineering, education, healthcare and finance.

Working holidays mean you can stay longer and spend what you earn on awesome experiences… like sky diving in Byron Bay, 4W Driving on Fraser Island, learning to surf or even sailing the Whitsundays.There's free stuff too that only takes your legs to see and explore. Think… the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, Coogee to Bondi Beach coastal walk, the laneways of Melbourne, Byron Bay lighthouse and the Brisbane River and sunbaking on any of the thousands of beaches.

Finding Work

Australia has pretty much the same jobs you get in all other corners of the World. The skills and experience you have at home can help put you front and centre for the perfect job down here!Jobs we have open right now include:

    • Hospitality
    • Fruit Picking - find out more about Fruit picking and the fruit picking seasons
    • Sales
    • Chef
    • Retail
    • Labour hire
    • Admin
    • House keeping
    • Front desk reception
    • Kitchen hand
    • Customer service

…to name a few.We can help you with finding work to extend your visa for a second year if you decide a year is simply not enough.

Useful Information

We have many visitors from European countries seeking to try out life in Australia. Very often these will be students before they start their college or university courses, or those on a year sabbatical from studying. We have many from major cities across the UK, and those considering a career in private industry e.g. the construction industry and interior design. One particular student finished her training at the Society of International Design.  Rather than take up a job offer on interior design in the U.K. remained in Australia for 2 very enjoyable years and worked in 2 major cities.

Working holidays in Australia


A working holiday in Australia offers a once-in-a-lifetime travel adventure that adds a new dimension to the tourist experience.
Combining work with travel Down Under enables you to soak up more of the Aussie way of life for far longer than a regular holiday would allow – and, best of all, get paid for it!
Australia welcomes working travellers – especially gap-year students and other backpackers – because they’re good for the country’s economy

Research shows that working holidaymakers spend more than twice what they earn while in Australia, contributing billions of Australian dollars to the economy and helping create tens of thousands of jobs for Aussies.
So, you’ll likely get a warm reception as a working traveller among the Aussies, and thousands of jobs are up for grabs for people from the UK.

Types of short-term jobs available in Australia

Australia offers a diverse range of short-term job opportunities. Among the most popular are:
• Fruit-picking.
• Working in the hospitality sector.
• Office temping.

Fruit-picking in Australia

Many large orchards and plantations are scattered across Australia, with various states producing different harvests at diverse times, according to seasonal weather patterns and temperatures.
This means you can work as a fruit-picker throughout the year if you’re prepared to travel around the country.
There’s no doubt that fruit-picking is hard work but it’s rewarding too if you like spending time in the countryside away from tourist traps.
And fruit-pickers in Australia can now earn more than ever before. Major changes to how casual farm workers are paid were introduced in 2022 by Australia’s Fair Work Commission. Fruit-pickers and fruit-packers are now guaranteed a minimum of $25.41 (Australian dollars) an hour. This works out at about £14.30.

Hospitality jobs in Australia

Restaurants, bars and cafes in Australia have been crying out for more hospitality workers to meet a steep rise in demand for services as it rebuilds from Covid-19 lockdowns.
A broad range of short-term opportunities are available in Australian hospitality businesses. These include:
• Chefs.
• Bar staff.
• Baristas.
• Management roles.
• Catering assistants.
• Waiters.
• Cashiers.
• Customer service assistants.
• Cleaners and housekeepers.
• Hotel staff.

Temporary office work in Australia

If you’re not that keen on the outdoor life or late shifts behind a bar, and are looking for work with freedom to move around, the Australian temporary secretarial and office admin sector could be for you.
Working as a temp, you could find yourself based in a skyscraper in Sydney’s Central Business District one week and manning the front desk of a suburban health centre the next.

About half of Australia’s largest companies regularly hire temporary workers in all kinds of positions. So, as long as you’re flexible and versatile, you can get to experience a range of new businesses, and broaden your skill set and knowledge base.
The best way to get the most out of temping is to sign up with a recruitment agency and be willing to take on an assortment of jobs and adapt to changing office environments.

Benefits of a working holiday in Australia

A working holiday in Australia offers multiple benefits.
The world’s largest island and smallest continent, Australia is a traveller’s paradise – from extraordinary coral reefs including the Great Barrier Reef, stunning rain forests and red-earthed national parks, to amazing beaches, scorching deserts, vibrant city nightlife, and the incredible wildlife and unique landscapes of the outback.
Then there are the delights of Bondi Beach and the Great Ocean Road, plus the spectacular sight of Sydney Opera House. And a common language and an average 240 days of sun a year are added bonuses.

A working holiday allows you to stay in the country longer, which gives you more scope to enjoy experiences like these, while partly financing your trip at the same time. Wages in Australia tend to be competitive, particularly for casual jobs.

Besides cost efficiency, getting short-term work while staying in Australia enables you to gain a deeper insight into Aussie life, gain a better cultural understanding of the country, and make more local friends.
It also helps you build a better CV and provides the opportunity to weigh up the pros and cons of becoming an expat working and living in Australia permanently.

Long-term jobs in Australia

Just as Australia offers many working holiday jobs, there are also plenty of opportunities if you’re a professional considering relocating to the country.
The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) facilitates two-way movement of qualified professionals between the countries. And workers from overseas enjoy the same rights as Australian national employees.

Many of the long-term jobs needing foreign workers in Australia are in the healthcare sector, including:
• Doctors.
• Paramedics.
• Nurses.
• Dental hygienists.

There’s also ongoing demand for:
• Teachers and other education professionals.
• Software developers.
• Construction and manufacturing workers.
• Engineers.
• Social workers.
• Architects.

How to get a working holiday job in Australia

Australia attracts so many UK working holidaymakers because it offers a laid-back lifestyle in a healthy economy with low unemployment and good rates of pay.
To get a short-term job in Australia, you first need a work visa from their government’s Department of Home Affairs before you arrive in the country.

A regular tourist visa for Australia lasts three months, but a working holiday visa (WHV) allows you to stay for a year. To get a WHV, you need to have a British passport and be aged 18 to 30.
You’ll also need to apply for a unique tax file number (TFN) from the Australian Inland Revenue. This allows you to open a bank account for an employer to pay your wages into and enables you to switch between jobs easily.
Job Search in Australia helps thousands of UK citizens get working holiday jobs Down Under every year, offering crucial assistance to streamline the process of landing your working holiday job.

Contact us to find out more about working holidays in Australia.
If you decide you want to stay in Australia longer or on a permanent basis, we can help with that too by guiding you through the process of acquiring a second working holiday visa, sponsorship, or permanent residency.

Questions often asked by those considering  a job in Australia

Yes, you do. A tourist visa isn’t enough. You need a working holiday visa (WHV), which allows you to remain in Australia and work for 12 months.

The initial working holiday visa covers 12 months but you may be able to remain working in Australia for two or three years if you’re doing certain types of work specified by the Australian government.

Australia is one of the few countries that offers a working holiday visa program for young travellers You need to apply to Australia’s Department of Home Affairs online from outside Australia. You can do this by creating an ImmiAccount.

The Australia working holiday visa is designed for young solo travellers seeking a cultural experience. To get a visa, you have to hold a British passport and be aged 18 to 30. You’ll also have to pay $510 (Australian dollars) for your visa.

The Australian government stipulates you must have the equivalent of at least AU$5,000 in the bank to get a working holiday visa. This is around £2,800.

Hotels and guest houses in Australian cities are too pricey for most backpackers, so hostels provide the standard source of accommodation for travellers on a working holiday in Australia. House shares are another option.

The multiple benefits of working holidays in Australia make them particularly popular among gap-year students. You’ll enjoy new experiences, make new friends, get a deeper insight into Aussie culture, and create memories you’ll never forget. And you get the chance to see more of the country’s amazing sights and landmark attractions.

Australia is ranked fourth happiest country in the world, and the laid-back lifestyle is renowned for an ideal balance between work and carefree living.

Backpackers tend to earn more than Australia’s national minimum wage – AU$812 a week in 2022 – depending on the sector in which they’re working.

Popular jobs among backpackers in Australia include fruit-picking and employment in hospitality, tourism and retail.

Professionals looking to relocate to Australia need to apply for a permanent visa, which, unlike a working holiday visa, allows you to remain in the country as long as you want to.