Job Opportunities in Australia – Job options, Work Visas & Tips for getting jobs in Australia

Job Opportunities in Australia – As more and more students are considering Australia as a study abroad option, one would be naturally inclined to know more about the job prospects in the country after the completion of bachelor and master courses. Once a student goes to study abroad, he/she would anticipate staying and working in the country post the completion of their education. This not only ensures a high academic return on investment, but also provides a much needed exposure to the work culture abroad. 

Needless to say, apart from awarding degrees, the university education in Australia also prepares students for the next phase in their career by giving them the skills, contacts and experience that is necessary to achieve success. Most of the international students choose to stay and work in Australia after they complete their studies. As the students are already familiar with the education system and the Australian culture, it is easier to fit in the various job options available. A continuous rise in graduates getting full time employment in Australia has been noticed in the country year after year. 

We would discuss here the possibilities and the legalities of working in Australia.

Latest reads: Admission in Australia without IELTS & Australian Student Visa Process

Job Opportunities in Australia – Work Options in Australia

If you have passed out from a university in Australia and are a skilled graduate, you can expect to be in high demand in Australias work industry. As the number of industries are growing, the need for human resources is going up too. Industries like health, hospitality and technology are rising in Australia and are the major ones seeking skilled people. Management graduates top in the list while many other degree holders may opt for jobs like sales, nurses, clinic managers, physiotherapists, etc. 

The strongest industries of Australia are agriculture, health, mining and manufacturing. These are the industries you should be majorly looking for in your search for a job. Finance/Insurance Services, Social Assistance, Education & Training, and Science/Technical Services are other common industries to work in Australia. Though the chances of finding a good job are higher in the big cities like Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, etc., the smaller cities also have plenty to offer. 

Know more about Australian Scholarships

We are sharing below the average annual salaries offered to international students who graduate from various fields in Australia. 

For teaching jobs in Australia, you are required to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), some teaching experience, and a degree/Postgraduate Certification of Education (PGCE). If you are looking for an internship before getting into a permanent job, you can try searching online at Australian Internships, Intern Group, BUNAC, Placement Year International and Intern Options. 

Job Opportunities in Australia – Australian Work Visas

The validity of your student visa expires once the course of study is over, or after 6 months of course completion (as specified in your initial visa application). After this, a student must apply for and get a work permit to continue staying in the country for employment purposes. Students who have completed their studies in Australia can apply for a Post Study Work Permit or a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). This Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) has two categories. Which of these two categories does a student have to apply for will depend on the kind of qualification he/she has gained. 

Below mentioned is the essential difference between the two categories that fall under Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) – 

While the above mentioned is the most commonly applied visa by the international students for working, there are other visa options as well:

1. 487 Regional Sponsored Visa This is for permanent residency and allows you to work for 3 years in a specialized regional area. 
2. 887 Skilled Regional Residence Visa This visa is also for permanent residency (i.e. living and working in Australia permanently). You should have been living in Australia for 2 years with a year of work experience.
3. 886 Skilled Sponsored Resident Visa This visa is for international students looking for permanent residency and working while being sponsored by an employer.
4. 885 Skilled Independent Residence Visa This visa is also for permanent residency, provided the candidate has enough skills, that are required by employers in Australia. A point based system is used to judge the eligibility of applicants for this visa.

Job Opportunities in Australia – How to find a job in Australia?

There are plenty of ways to find a job in Australia – 

• You can start your job search online through websites like Seek.com, CareerOne, Australian JobSearch, GradAustralia, or GradConnection. 
• Your universitys placement office or career centre may be the best to suggest you the suitable job openings. 
• Also, there are many graduate positions being offered by big companies at the end of a graduate scheme programme (paid training programme). These schemes can be commonly found in the fields of Business Management, Finance, and Journalism. Law students can also seek clerk positions while doing their studies which might lead to employment after completion of their graduation. 
• Most of the job openings are publicly advertised on the websites of the companies or a job portal/newspaper.  Keep a check. 

If you are planning to stay on in Australia and work, you need to be prepared yourself for it. Follow the tips below to get a job under an Australian employer comfortably. 

• Brush on your soft skills Soft skills like communication, interpersonal skills, planning & organizing, problem solving, and teamwork are considered first most by the employers. 
• Write an eye catching application letter – When you are writing an application letter for a job in an Australian company, be positive, precise and honest. The first paragraph should catch the eye of your employer. As you are a foreign candidate, do make a point of stressing on how you can add value at the workplace and in the economy.
• Improve your English proficiency skills – As the primary business language of Australia is English, you must have a proficiency in it before applying for a job. 

If you plan to stay and work in Australia, you are required to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN). This is a personal reference number which is used in the tax and super systems. If you do not have one, 45% of your salary will be withheld as tax. 

Also, though all skilled people get a job sooner or later, some courses do better than others. In other words, the planning for a career has to start from the time of joining a course of study. You need to choose the right and an in-demand course for your career to take the right shape. As per a survey done in 2018, the top 5 fields of study for full-time employment are:

1. Pharmacy 
2. Medicine 
3. Rehabilitation 
4. Dentistry 
5. Veterinary Science 

In contrast to the above, the bottom 5 fields of study in 2018 were:

1. Creative Arts 
2. Tourism, Hospitality, Sports 
3. Communications 
4. Humanities, Culture and Social Sciences 
5. Psychology 

We would like to stress on the factor that in the end, your skills and attitude are the most that matter. While studying, you will have ample opportunities to sharpen the valuable skills which employers seek. 

Job Opportunities in Australia – FAQs

Q. How can I find a job in Australia?

A. Top tips to find jobs in Australia are:

• Have your visa sorted out first.  You should have the working rights to enter into an employment agreemeent. You may need help from migration agents in your own country.
• Choose a location that suits your needs.
• Pay a close attention to key employers in your field as well as their geographic location relative to your accommodation.
• Try to know about culture and langauge of the place where you intend to study.

Q. What occupations are in demand in Australia?

A. Based on SBS, the following occupations are projected to hire more employees by 2022:

• Aged and Disabled Carers
• Registered Nurses
• Child Carers
• General Sales Assistants
• General Clerks
• Education Aides
• Truck Drivers
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers
• General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers