Working in Australia: Your Complete Job Guide for Migrants

Most people who move to Australia for work or study have the same experience in their first few weeks: they know they need a job, they have no idea where the line is between what they are allowed to do and what they are not, and nobody around them seems to know either. One person tells you that you can work anywhere on your student visa. Another says you can only work 20 hours a week. A third says you need an ABN for everything. Most of it is wrong.

The reality is straightforward once you understand the rules that apply to your specific visa. And beyond the rules, there is a whole world of flexible, accessible, and genuinely well-paying work that most migrants never find out about, because nobody tells them. Platforms like Amazon Flex and Airtasker, for example, pay more per hour than many entry-level office roles and are open to most visa holders within days of arriving.

This guide, put together by SettleMate, covers everything in the right order. Start with your visa work rights, get your admin sorted, then explore your options, both the immediate income options and the longer-term career path.

🪪 STEP 1: What You Can Actually Do on Your Visa

The most expensive mistake you can make at the start of your Australian working life is assuming someone else knows your visa conditions. Your employer does not. Your friend does not. Your migration agent knew when they lodged your application, but they are not watching your timesheet now. Understanding your own conditions takes about ten minutes and protects everything else that follows.

Check your conditions at any time for free using VEVO at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Your employer can also verify your work rights with your permission.

Student Visa (Subclass 500)

Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. Students who have started a master's degree by research or doctoral degree have no work hour limits.

A few things that often catch students out:

A fortnight means any 14-day period starting on a Monday. The 48-hour limit applies across all employers combined — if you work 30 hours in the first week, you can only work 18 hours in the following week to stay within the limit.

During official semester breaks and course holidays, you can work unlimited hours. Before your course starts, you generally cannot work unless you held a different visa with work rights when you applied for your student visa.

Gig work counts toward your limit the same as employed work. An Uber Eats shift is work. A day on Airtasker is work. Track everything in one place.

The consequences of getting this wrong are serious. Working over the 48-hour limit is a direct breach of your visa conditions. If this is discovered, your student visa could be cancelled. A history of visa non-compliance can permanently affect your ability to apply for future visas to Australia, including post-study work visas or permanent residency.

Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

Your visa is tied to a specific sponsor and a nominated occupation. You must work in the role and for the employer listed on your visa under Condition 8607. You cannot simply change employers without approval.

Since 1 July 2024, if your employment with your sponsor ends, you have up to 180 consecutive days to find a new sponsor, with a maximum of 365 days total across the life of your visa. During this grace period, you hold full work rights and can be employed by any company in any occupation. This is a significant improvement from the previous 60-day window and gives you genuine time to make a good decision rather than a desperate one.

If you want to work for a different employer while still employed, that new employer must be approved as a sponsor and have a nomination approved. You must not start work with a new employer until their nomination is approved.

Your employer is also legally required to pay you on the same terms as an equivalent Australian employee. If you believe your conditions are less favourable than those of local colleagues, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

Unlimited work rights. Any hours, any industry, any employer — no restrictions at all. The 485 is one of the most flexible work visas in Australia. Use it fully. This is the window to build real Australian work experience in your field before your next visa decision.

Working Holiday (Subclass 417 and 462)

No hour restrictions. Work for any employer, in any industry. One rule that many people overlook: you can only work for the same employer for a maximum of six months within a single visa period. After six months with the same employer, you need Department of Home Affairs permission to continue.

The other major opportunity: completing 88 days of specified regional work — in agriculture, construction, mining, or certain other industries — makes you eligible to apply for a second-year visa. A further six months of specified regional work on the second year qualifies you for a third year.

Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801)

Full, unrestricted work rights from the date your visa is granted. Any hours, any job, any employer.

Permanent Resident

Identical work rights to an Australian citizen for all practical purposes. Every Fair Work entitlement applies.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate recommends checking your visa conditions on VEVO before accepting any job — not after you have started. Your conditions are recorded against your passport number and can be checked in under two minutes. If an employer asks you to work more hours than your visa allows, the risk is entirely yours, not theirs. Fifteen minutes of reading now saves months of immigration trouble later.

🧾 STEP 2: Get Your TFN and ABN Sorted Before Your First Pay

Two numbers you need before you start earning in Australia. One is essential for everyone. The other becomes essential the moment you do any gig or freelance work.

Your Tax File Number (TFN)

From 1 July 2025 the National Minimum Wage is $24.95 per hour or $948.00 per week before tax. Without a TFN on file, your employer must withhold 47% from your wages — more than double what most people should actually be paying. The same applies to bank interest: no TFN means 47% withheld automatically.

Apply at ato.gov.au. It is free. It takes about twenty minutes and your TFN arrives by post within 28 days. You can start working while the application is being processed — just tell your employer you have applied and will provide the number when it arrives.

Apply the day you arrive, or the day after. The 28-day clock starts only when you submit the application. Delaying by two weeks means waiting six weeks total, and every pay during that period is being withheld at 47%.

Your ABN (Australian Business Number)

If you plan to do any gig work through platforms like Airtasker, Amazon Flex, or similar, you are operating as a self-employed contractor and you need an ABN. Applications are free at abr.gov.au and most are approved the same day.

One thing to be aware of: some employers ask workers to sign on as ABN contractors to avoid paying award rates, leave entitlements, and superannuation. This is called sham contracting and it is illegal. If someone is controlling your hours, telling you where to show up, and setting your pay rate — but wants you on an ABN — get advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au before you agree to anything.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate recommends applying for your TFN on your first or second day in Australia — not after you find a job. The 28-day wait is unavoidable no matter when you apply. The difference between applying on Day 1 and applying after your first week of job searching could be the difference between your TFN arriving before your first pay cheque or after it. Apply now, wait in parallel with everything else you are doing.

🛵 STEP 3: Gig and Flexible Work

This is the section most migrants wish someone had told them about on Day 1. While most people are searching job boards and waiting for callbacks, there is a completely separate world of flexible, accessible, and genuinely well-paying work available through apps and platforms. Most of it requires nothing more than a valid work visa, a bank account, and in some cases a car or bicycle.

DELIVERY PLATFORMS

Uber Eats — Sign up at uber.com/au/en/deliver. You need a valid work visa, a TFN, a bank account, and a bike, scooter, or car. The application is done entirely online and most people are approved within a few days. You choose your own hours — open the app when you want, close it when you want. Earnings are highest during dinner hours and weekends in inner-city suburbs.

DoorDash — Functionally similar to Uber Eats. Worth joining both platforms simultaneously because you can accept orders from whichever has demand in your area at any given time. Sign up at doordash.com/au.

Amazon Flex — This is the one that surprises most migrants. Amazon Flex pays a fixed rate per delivery block, currently $28 to $35 per hour depending on your city and block type. Unlike food delivery where you wait for orders to come in, Amazon Flex works differently: you book delivery blocks in advance through the app, pick up a batch of parcels from an Amazon delivery station, complete your route, and get paid for the block. You know exactly what you will earn before you start the shift. You need a car (not a bike), a valid work visa, and an ABN. Apply at flex.amazon.com.au.

Airtasker — Very few newly arrived migrants know about this and it is genuinely one of the most useful platforms available. Airtasker is a marketplace where people and businesses post tasks they need done — furniture assembly, cleaning, gardening, helping someone move house, painting a room, driving someone to the airport, data entry, graphic design, translation work — and you bid on the ones you want at the price you want to charge.

What makes Airtasker valuable for migrants is that it rewards skills you already have right now. Speak a second language? Offer translation tasks. Have a car and know the city? Take driving and transport tasks. Good with flat-pack furniture? List yourself as a furniture assembly person and have people in your suburb booking you regularly. Airtasker takes a service fee of 10% to 20% depending on your tier, so factor that in when pricing your bids. You need an ABN. Sign up at airtasker.com/au.

Sidekicker — A platform most migrants have never heard of but that is worth knowing about. Sidekicker connects businesses in hospitality, events, and warehousing with casual workers for specific shifts. You are engaged as a casual employee (not a contractor), which means correct award rates are applied automatically. Think of it as an on-demand shift app for structured industries. Sign up at sidekicker.com.au.

RIDESHARE

Uber (Driver) — To drive for Uber you need a full Australian driver's licence (an overseas licence alone is not sufficient), a registered and roadworthy vehicle, and commercial passenger vehicle accreditation in your state, which varies in cost and process. If you already hold an Australian licence, check state requirements at uber.com/au/en/drive. DiDi operates on similar terms and is worth running simultaneously with Uber for additional trip availability.

THE PRACTICAL REALITY OF GIG WORK AND TAX

Gig work through platforms like these counts as self-employment for tax purposes. You are responsible for setting aside your own income tax — roughly 20% to 30% of earnings depending on your total income — because no one withholds it for you. You must declare all gig income in your annual tax return. Keep a simple record of what you earn from each platform: date, platform name, and amount. The ATO receives income data from gig platforms, and unreported income is taken seriously.

Superannuation is not automatically paid by gig platforms under current rules, though some platforms have voluntarily introduced contributions. Do not assume super is being paid — check with each platform directly.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate's advice on gig work is not to think of it as a last resort. Amazon Flex pays $28 to $35 per hour — more than many junior office roles. Airtasker lets you use skills you already have and build a local reputation within your own suburb. For migrants in their first months, gig work removes the financial pressure that causes people to accept underpaying jobs out of desperation. Run gig work and a proper job search simultaneously. The income buys you time to find the right role rather than the first available one.

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💼 STEP 4: Where to Search for Jobs in Australia

THE MAIN PLATFORMS

SEEK (seek.com.au) is the largest job board in Australia by a significant margin — over 90,000 active listings at any given time. If you use one platform, use this one. Create a complete profile, upload your resume, and set up email alerts for your target role and location.

Indeed (au.indeed.com) is the second largest and works differently from SEEK — it scrapes listings from company websites and other boards, so you often find roles that do not appear on SEEK. Use both simultaneously.

LinkedIn (linkedin.com) matters enormously for professional and white-collar roles. More than 15 million Australians use it. A strong LinkedIn profile often matters as much as a resume in knowledge-economy fields. Turn on the Open to Work signal, connect with people in your industry, and follow companies you want to work for.

Jora (au.jora.com) aggregates listings from across the web into one clean interface and is particularly useful for casual, part-time, and entry-level roles.

Backpacker Job Board (backpackerjobboard.com.au) is specifically designed for Working Holiday Makers — farm work, harvest, hospitality, tourism, and regional jobs including specified regional work that qualifies for visa extensions.

Workforce Australia (workforceaustralia.gov.au) is the government's official job platform. Worth using particularly for government-adjacent roles and access to free employment support services.

STRATEGIES THAT ACTUALLY WORK

The Australian job market rewards speed and directness. Most migrants apply online and wait. That is the slowest path.

Apply directly on company websites. Many mid-size Australian companies post roles on their own careers pages before or instead of SEEK. Make a list of twenty companies you want to work for and check their careers pages every week.

Format your resume for Australia. Australian resumes do not include photos, date of birth, nationality, or marital status. Keep it to two pages, use clear headings, and quantify your achievements with numbers wherever possible. "Managed a team" becomes "Managed a team of 8 and reduced customer wait time by 30%."

Walk in. In hospitality and retail, walking into a venue with a printed resume still works. It shows initiative and confidence in a way that an online application cannot replicate.

Follow up after applying. A short, professional email to the hiring manager two or three days after submitting — confirming your application and expressing continued interest — is completely normal and often makes the difference. Most applicants never do it.

Use recruitment agencies. Agencies know about roles before they are publicly advertised and can put your profile in front of hiring managers directly. Hays, Robert Half, and Michael Page for professional services. Adecco and Randstad for office and industrial work. DFP Recruitment for government roles.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate's most practical job-search advice: combine online applications with direct outreach. A short LinkedIn message to a hiring manager — "I recently applied for [role] and wanted to introduce myself. I have [X] years of experience in [relevant area] and I am genuinely interested in this company" — takes five minutes and puts you ahead of the majority of applicants who never do it. Australians respond well to confident, polite directness. Most migrants are more capable than their lack of Australian experience suggests, and a direct message is often the fastest way to demonstrate that.

🏥 STEP 5: Industries Actively Hiring Migrants Right Now

Australia has a real and documented skills shortage across multiple industries. For migrants, this is genuinely good news — employers in these sectors are actively looking for people and many are willing to sponsor.

HEALTHCARE AND AGED CARE

Healthcare is the single largest source of shortage occupations in Australia. Registered nurses, GPs, allied health professionals, mental health practitioners, and aged care workers are all in sustained demand driven by an ageing population and ongoing workforce gaps. Salary ranges: Registered Nurses earn $65,000 to $120,000. GPs earn $180,000 to $250,000.

Even without a clinical qualification, entry-level aged care support work has a low barrier to entry. Certificate III in Individual Support can be completed in a few months and opens doors to consistent employment with a clear pathway into the broader healthcare sector.

TECHNOLOGY AND IT

Software engineers, cybersecurity specialists, ICT business analysts, and data professionals remain in strong demand. The sector is highly international by nature — tech employers are among the most experienced at hiring migrants and the most likely to sponsor. Salaries for Software Engineers run from $104,000 to $154,000. Cybersecurity specialists earn $110,000 to $140,000.

CONSTRUCTION AND TRADES

Major infrastructure investment, housing construction demand, and the build-up toward the 2032 Brisbane Olympics are all driving strong demand for civil engineers, project managers, and tradespersons including electricians and plumbers. Electricians face particularly deep shortages. Experienced tradespersons in regional areas regularly earn $100,000 or more including allowances.

If you hold a trade qualification from overseas, getting it recognised in Australia takes time but the career outcome is strong. Research the Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) process at dewr.gov.au.

HOSPITALITY

The most accessible industry for migrants across almost every visa type. No degree required, experience anywhere in the world is relevant, and cafes, restaurants, hotels, and event venues across all five major cities hire casually with flexible hours. Casual employees entitled to the National Minimum Wage must receive at least $31.19 per hour, which includes the 25% casual loading. Many hospitality industry award rates are higher than this, particularly for evening and weekend work.

EDUCATION

Primary school teachers, early childhood educators, and special education teachers are in shortage across most states. If you are a qualified teacher from overseas, your qualifications will likely need assessment by the relevant state authority before you can teach in an Australian classroom. The process takes time but the job market at the end is strong. IELTS requirements apply in most states.

AGRICULTURE AND REGIONAL WORK

For Working Holiday Makers especially, agricultural and regional work is both an income source and a pathway to a second or third year visa. Fruit picking, farming, and harvest labour are the main options. Pay is set under the Horticulture Award with rates varying by task. Regional areas in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia have ongoing seasonal demand — check harvesttrail.gov.au for current opportunities.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate recommends that every migrant with professional qualifications in healthcare, teaching, engineering, or a trade spend one afternoon researching the Australian recognition process for their occupation before assuming it is too complicated. The process has steps and takes time — but the job market on the other side of it is strong, pays well, and in many cases offers a direct pathway to permanent residency. Skills recognition is not a barrier. It is a one-time process that opens a long career.

⚖️ STEP 6: Your Rights at Work — What Every Migrant Needs to Know

Migrants are disproportionately affected by wage theft and workplace exploitation in Australia. This happens mainly because people do not know their rights and fear that asserting them will have immigration consequences. Neither of those things needs to be true.

YOUR PAY RATE

From 1 July 2025 the National Minimum Wage is $24.95 per hour or $948.00 per week before tax. Casual employees covered by the National Minimum Wage also get a 25% casual loading. That makes the minimum casual rate $31.19 per hour. Many industry awards pay higher rates than the national minimum. Check the Fair Work Pay Calculator at fairwork.gov.au to find the exact rate for your industry, role, and age.

YOUR PAYSLIP

Your employer must give you a payslip within one working day of being paid. The payslip must show your pay rate, hours worked, tax withheld, and super contributions. If an employer refuses to provide payslips, that is a breach of the Fair Work Act.

YOUR SUPERANNUATION

From 1 July 2025, your employer must contribute 12% of your ordinary time earnings into a super fund on top of your salary. Super is not deducted from your wages — it is paid on top. Check ATO Online Services through myGov three months after starting any new job to confirm your employer is reporting contributions correctly. Around $5 billion in super goes unreported every year in Australia.

PENALTY RATES

You are entitled to penalty rates for work on evenings, weekends, and public holidays. The rates vary by industry award. Check fairwork.gov.au for the specific rates in your industry. If you work a public holiday and your payslip shows the same rate as a weekday, something is wrong.

IF SOMETHING IS WRONG

The Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au handles complaints about underpayment, unpaid leave, and workplace exploitation. Complaints can be made anonymously. You can also call 13 13 94.

Critically: your visa status does not reduce your right to make a complaint. The Fair Work Ombudsman has stated clearly and repeatedly that visa holders who come forward about wage theft will not be referred to the Department of Home Affairs. Reporting underpayment is protected. Your visa is not at risk for asserting your legal entitlements.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate has one message on workplace rights: you do not have to accept being underpaid because you are on a visa. Every worker in Australia — regardless of immigration status — has the same minimum entitlements under the Fair Work Act. Employers who exploit migrants are breaking the law. If your pay does not seem right, check it at the Fair Work Pay Calculator. If there is a gap, report it. Your visa is not at risk for standing up for pay that is already legally yours.

🚀 STEP 7: Building Your Career in Australia — The Longer View

The first job in Australia is rarely the last. Most migrants spend their first year learning how the Australian workplace operates, building a local track record, and figuring out which direction they want their career to go. That is completely normal and part of the process.

A few things that genuinely make a difference over the medium term:

Volunteer or take on unpaid projects in your field while working a different role for income. This builds portfolio, references, and connections. It is common and accepted in Australia, and it gives you something to point to when you tell a hiring manager you have Australian experience.

Get professionally registered if your field requires it. Nursing, teaching, engineering, and trades all have registration bodies in Australia. Being registered opens roles that being qualified alone does not.

Build a network deliberately and with intention. Australians hire people they know, or people someone they trust can vouch for. Attend industry events, join professional associations, and connect with people in your field on LinkedIn. One genuine conversation at an industry event has launched more careers than most people would admit.

Think about regional opportunities. Regional areas consistently have less competition, stronger employer demand, and often higher salaries and relocation packages. For migrants on 491 visas or building toward permanent residency, regional work can mean faster pathways and stronger application points.

For Graduate 485 visa holders specifically: Every role you take during your 485 should ideally connect to your field, your local network, or the experience that will strengthen a future employer sponsorship application. Two to four years moves fast. Use it with intention.

SettleMate's Tip: SettleMate's career advice for migrants is simple: your first job in Australia does not define your Australian career. The people who progress fastest are usually not the ones who found the best first role — they are the ones who stayed consistent, built real relationships, and took each step without waiting for the perfect opportunity to appear first. One step taken is worth ten opportunities considered. Start where you can, and move from there.

📌 Official and Trusted Resources

This guide is informed by:

• Department of Home Affairs — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au (visa work conditions, VEVO, WHM regional work)
• Fair Work Ombudsman — fairwork.gov.au (minimum wage, casual loading, workplace rights, pay calculator)
• Australian Taxation Office — ato.gov.au (TFN application, ABN, tax rates)
• Jobs and Skills Australia — jobsandskills.gov.au (Occupation Shortage List)
• Services Australia — servicesaustralia.gov.au
• Harvest Trail — harvesttrail.gov.au (regional and agricultural work)
• Amazon Flex Australia — flex.amazon.com.au
• Airtasker — airtasker.com.au
• Sidekicker — sidekicker.com.au

Disclaimer

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only. While SettleMate strives to keep all information accurate and up to date, visa conditions, workplace laws, minimum wage rates, and platform terms change regularly and vary by individual circumstances. This content does not constitute legal, migration, tax, or financial advice. SettleMate is not a registered migration agent or registered tax agent. Always verify your specific visa work conditions through the Department of Home Affairs at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, check your current pay entitlements at fairwork.gov.au, and seek advice from a registered migration agent (MARA agent) for your individual situation.

Sharing & Usage

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