Looking for work in Australia

Documents you need

• Degree certificates, transcripts and work references

  required

• Skills assessment, if your visa requires one

  optional

• Visa details showing your work rights

  optional

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Check your work rights

   Read your visa grant notice and check your conditions in VEVO. You can use VEVO to send proof of your visa conditions to an employer, and employers can check the conditions of visa holders who have given them permission. If you are on a working holiday visa, remember that you can usually work for the same employer for up to 6 months.

2. 2

   Step 2: Find out whether your qualifications need recognition

   According to the Australian Government Department of Education, requirements to work depend on the occupation:

   • Regulated occupations have registration, licensing, professional membership or other requirements that must be met before you start. Contact the relevant registration, licensing or professional authority.
   • Other occupations: if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, your state or territory Overseas Qualifications Unit can give a general assessment of how your qualification compares. In all occupations, the employer decides whom to employ.
   • Skilled migration: a skills assessment from an approved assessing authority is a separate process for your visa.
3. 3

   Step 3: Search in several places

   • Workforce Australia is the Australian Government's jobs board; any Australian can use it to search and apply for jobs.
   • Australian Public Service (federal government) jobs are advertised on APSjobs.
   • Private-sector vacancies are also advertised on commercial job boards, through recruitment agencies and professional associations, and on employers' own career pages.
   • Jobs and Skills Australia publishes the Occupation Shortage List, which shows which occupations are in shortage.
4. 4

   Step 4: Check the pay before you accept

   Ask which award or agreement covers the job and check the minimum rate with the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool. From 1 July 2026 the National Minimum Wage is $26.44 an hour. Job advertisements cannot offer pay that breaches the Fair Work Act or an award. See Your rights at work in Australia.

5. 5

   Step 5: Prepare to start

   Apply for your tax file number, open a bank account and decide on a super fund (or let your stapled fund be used) so that you are paid correctly from your first pay day.

Improving your English

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Accepting work that breaches your visa conditions, for example too many hours on a student visa.
• Leaving registration for a regulated occupation until after you arrive, which can delay your start.
• Not checking the award rate and accepting less than the minimum.

Tips

• Ask a former manager for a written reference that lists your duties and dates; it helps with both job applications and skills assessments.
• Keep copies of your qualifications and their English translations in one folder, digital and paper.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Official links

In your plan

• Start looking for work in AustraliaAdd to plan
• Check whether your profession needs registration in AustraliaAdd to plan
• Find the visa that fits your moveAdd to plan
• Check whether your occupation needs a skills assessmentAdd to plan
• Check your visa conditions in VEVOAdd to plan
• Check whether you can get a working holiday visaAdd to plan
• Register for free English classes (AMEP)Add to plan
• Plan your route to permanent residenceAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 5 Feb 2027.