Working while Studying in Australia

If you are considering going to Australia for you, you may also be considering how you can work. There are a lot of different options that you have to choose from if you want to work in Australia. Of course, working in Australia means you may have to make an adjustment to the visa you are working on (you can find more information here), but it’s not a difficult process. Most student visas allow you to work up to 40 weeks every 2 weeks, but make sure to check out and research at the Immigration Department website before you make any assumptions about working in Australia.

Why would you consider working while studying? First, you may be the type of person that likes to work a lot, and that’s okay. Other people may consider it so that they can save up and use the money that they are making. You may need some assistance with your living expenses, or you may just want some pocket money so that you can enjoy your time in Australia. In some cases, you can get a job related to the field you are studying, which is always helpful for getting experience and finding a job in your field of study after you’ve graduated.

You could end up working in a variety of industries while studying in Australia. You may find work related to whatever field you are studying, or you could find a traditional part time job that many college students end up having (like working in fast food or at a grocery store).

Many companies will hire international students with no questions asked, especially if you are looking at retail, hospitality, tourism, agriculture, and administration jobs. You could also get an apprenticeship with a tradesman, or you may even be able to find a job at the university that you are attending.

If you decide to work in Australia, you will be protected by a variety of fair work laws that the government has in place. Even though you are an international student, you are protected by these laws as well. Some of these laws will vary depending on the state or territory that you are working in, but most of them remain the same no matter where in the country you are working.

Are you interested in working with a non-profit organization? In Australia, these are known as NGO’s (non-government organizations). An organization known as Volunteering Australia is actually incredibly popular. Volunteering is highly encouraged for people of any age, because Australians have a high work ethic and believe that you should give back to your community. It’s even encouraged if you’re from another country and visiting their community for awhile.

There are a variety of ways that you can find work in Australia. If you want to line up work before you arrive in Australia, there are literally dozens of websites that you can look through.

Here are some of the most popular:

• Seek – http://www.seek.com.au/
• Australian Job Search (government-funded job search site) – http://www.jobsearch.gov.au/
• CareerOne – http://www.careerone.com.au/
• My Career – http://mycareer.com.au/
• Also consider using the newspaper local to where you are studying or Gumtree (Australia’s equivalent to Craigslist) to find part-time jobs that may not be listed on traditional job sites.

If you can’t find a job that you like through these websites, you can also contact your school’s international office or career services for assistance in finding a part-time job while you’re studying in Australia. They will have resources available for you to use in order to find a job that will allow you to make some money while you are working on your degree.