How to find work in Australia

PTE Author
PTE Author
Image - Australian city hall- 800px
Reading time: 3 minutes

Have you ever dreamt of migrating to Australia for work or study? As one of the world’s most attractive places to both work and live, you’re not alone, however, there are a number of things to keep in mind before you start planning to apply for jobs in Australia.

Let’s explore some of the major things that you need to keep in mind when looking to find work in Australia.

Organizing your visa

In order to legally apply for work in Australia, you’re going to need a visa that gives you permission to enter the country with a view to seeking employment.

It’s important to remember that the appropriate visa depends on your career type and industry that you’re applying to. To understand what visa applies to your specific skills, use the visa finder on the government’s Home Affairs site.

Learn the culture

The workplace culture in Australia is unique for many reasons. Whilst Australian’s are known to be laid-back, this isn’t to be confused with their approach to hard work. Australian’s work hard though also have strict workplace laws that protect the health and wellbeing of all employees.

Australian’s like to keep things casual in the workplace and it is common that everyone is encouraged to speak up during meetings. This can cause culture shock for those that migrate from countries where the workplace hierarchy dictates your ability to speak up.

In-demand skills

As with all countries, certain professions are in demand in Australia. It’s important to remember that seasonality can impact the demand for certain jobs at different times of the year so it’s important to do your own research to understand job availability in your specific area of expertise.

To learn more about careers in demand in Australia, visit the government’s Job Outlook site.

Choosing where to work in Australia

If you’re looking to migrate to Australia for work, you’ve probably done some research on where you’d like to live. The major capital cities in Australia are:

  • Adelaide, South Australia

  • Brisbane, Queensland

  • Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

  • Darwin, Northern Territory

  • Hobart, Tasmania

  • Melbourne, Victoria

  • Perth, Western Australia

  • Sydney, New South Wales

Whilst Sydney is best known for tourism, each capital city has a unique look and feel and all have unique attributes. The major Australian universities are largely spread across Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne and the two most dominant cities for professional careers are Sydney and Melbourne.

Writing a resume and cover letter

It’s a common misconception that applying for a job in a new country requires a unique resume and cover letter style. Whilst there isn’t a specific formula when applying for a job in Australia, it’s important to consider that an employer in Australia may not have any context around the businesses that you’ve worked with in your home country. As a result, it’s a good idea to ensure that this context is shared in your cover letter to ensure that key skills aren’t overlooked.

Applying for jobs in Australia

As is the case in virtually all major job markets, applying for jobs in Australia is largely an online experience. The Australian market has a number of major job listing sites and it’s on these sites that you’ll also be required to file job applications. In addition to the major job listing sites, LinkedIn is commonly used in Australia for connecting with recruiters and applying for jobs too, however, this can vary depending on your job category and what you’re hoping to apply for.

The most appropriate site to apply for jobs really depends on what industry you’re applying for, so it’s best to do your own research to find what job site best suits your needs.

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    PTE Academic can help you get there

    If you want to migrate to Australia or New Zealand you may be required to sit an English test as part of your visa application. Or you may need to sit a test as part of a  skills assessment or for professional registration.

    The question is “which test should I take?”

    There are a range of language tests you can choose from. However, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is the market leader in computer-based English language testing. PTE Academic is delivered entirely on a computer and then scored by a computer, using Pearson’s automated scoring technology.

    The PTE Academic English test is accepted by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for all visa applications. This includes Permanent Residency, Employer- Sponsored/Work Visas, and Student Visas.

    Further, PTE Academic is accepted by most Australian skills assessment authorities and professional registration bodies including:

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    • Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

    • Australian Computer Society (ACS)

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    You will sit PTE Academic on a computer in one of Pearson’s secure test centers. Pearson then uses its automated scoring technology to ensure that your English skills are assessed with complete fairness. Your responses are scored objectively and consistently, no matter where in the world the test is taken, so it doesn’t matter where a test taker comes from or what they look like.

    The use of the automated scoring technology also allows PTE Academic to deliver test results typically within2 days, in comparison to other English languages tests which take 2-3 weeks.

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    Booking PTE Academic is a simple online process. Simply choose one of our 240+ test centers in 400+ test centers in 117 countries, then select a convenient test time and date. We test 365 days of the year around the world.

    Plus you can also schedule your test up to 24 hours in advance where seats are available.

    Interested in studying abroad?

    When studying abroad in a course taught in English, you will often need to prove how your English language skills. With PTE Academic you can apply to thousands of universities and colleges around the world including:

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    • All TAFE and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics in Australia and New Zealand.

    • Prestigious institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, and Imperial College London accept PTE Academic scores.

    • In the USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, and Europe, PTE Academic is continuing to grow.

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    The United Kingdom is a cornucopia of leading education facilities and employment opportunities – but such world-class education comes at a cost. With university courses quite easily exceeding £20,000 (US$24,830), studying in the UK is known to be costly (and that’s not even taking into account rent and other costs of living!).

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    EU citizens/Student loans UK

    If you’re a student from a European Union country – such as Italy, Germany, France, Spain or Sweden – your education costs will be capped as though you were a UK student. This means that you won’t pay more than £9,250 a year for your university degree. 

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    A wide number of degree types will allow you to access student financial assistance. These include (according to gov.uk): 

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    • A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

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    We wish that there was good news on this front – but unfortunately, UK education loans for international students (excluding students from the EU) are not available. Additionally, the cost of your tuition fees can potentially be far more than home students, with laboratory-based degrees set to cost up to £30,000. 

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    • Sales representative

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    • Amusement park staff member.

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    Apply for a scholarship 

    This is likely your best chance for getting a foot in the door if you’re an international student looking for a loan to study in the UK. There are many scholarships open to international students, with varying levels of criteria to meet. They also tend to differ depending on the country in which you live. Some examples of these include: 

    If you have your heart set on studying in the UK, it’s best to explore every avenue available to you to ensure you end up studying in the country and university you love.

    Learn more about PTE Academic if you need to undertake an English language proficiency test before you depart.

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