Getting a Job in Australia For Foreigners: An Ultimate Guide

Going abroad may entail you’re relocating to for retirement, to rejoin family members, or because you’re looking for work.

Job searches can be challenging especially if there are many industries to choose from. Which sites are the best job portals to go to? What skills are in demand? Are there ongoing projects to be part of. Read on to find out.

Why is Australia the best country in the world to work in?

Australia is one of the best countries to live and find work in because of its excellent quality of life covering safety and security, travel and transportation, health and well-being, leisure, top education, a good job market, and job, and a better work-personal life balance.

Melbourne and Sydney, two of Australia’s major cities, not only offer excellent education in its top universities, but the opportunities to find work after graduation are endless.

Australia offers opportunities to everyone who’d want to improve knowledge in their profession by furthering their education as well as offering opportunities to practice and master skills learned.

How easy is it to find work in Australia?

It isn’t easy. You’d have to be very patient in finding work because for one, whatever degree you have, experience you’ve had, rank you’ve had with your previous company, and regardless of what part of the world you’ve worked in, it may or may not be recognized, and you’d need to start from ground zero in Australia. But hear us out. Just because past experience isn’t recognized, it doesn’t mean that you won’t find a job you want. You’ll have to wait for the right time. Your new job will not come to you so, what can you do while waiting?

Get local experience

Most recruiters look for your experience working with a local company or with an Australian client. The experience gives the recruiter an idea of your immersion experience into Australia culture.

With these in mind, how do you apply for a job in Australia?

Submit a letter of intent for a visa

This is done online through Skillselect which is the visa portal of Australia’s Department of Home Affairs after which you may be invited to apply for a visa. While your letter of intent or what’s called an Expression of Interest (EOI) isn’t an application for a visa, it could be brought to the attention of potential employers who may support your visa application.

Check the requirements

First, if English isn’t your first language, it’ll be good to take a proficiency test and acquire a certificate attesting to your mastery level. Many jobs will require at least basic mastery of English.
The longer you live and work in Australia, the better you get at the English language.

Second, another requirement is for you to take a health certification. This will show prospective employers that you are fit to work.

Third, cross reference your current skill set to see if they’re up to par with Australia’s skill equivalents. You can do this by going to the Australian Skills Recognition Information website. Some skills would require additional study to bridge knowledge gaps.

Start your job search

You have the option of selecting free job posting sites so, be on the lookout for job openings you’re interested in. One of the most beneficial features that some of these sites have is their automated emails notifying you of new posts.

The problem with companies having their information on the internet is that it could get overwhelming for the job seeker. Luckily enough, there are…

Free Guides to a Shorter and Smarter Job Search

Looking for a job could be a job in itself. Just like any 9 to 5 job, you could spend a majority of your waking hours searching for the right one. Mind you, it doesn’t get easier as you get older even with your years of experience. So, how do some people do it? Is it just luck?!
Remember, your detailed resume will only be part of your application. Chances are, most can land an interview but not a job. So, what should you be doing differently?

Learn to sell yourself

This means that when you’re talking about yourself and your experiences, you should know YOU. Many applicants face interviewers talking about themselves but sound unsure. It’s ironic though because you’re the only person who knows YOU best.

Learn to tell a story

And I don’t mean this in a literal sense. Just like attentively listening to a story that’s interestingly told, hold your interviewer’s interest through your tone of voice. Sound like you are excited about the job. Ask questions about it when necessary. Be yourself. Learn to add details when necessary and don’t wait for the interviewer to ask follow-up questions.

Do your research

It helps when you know a little about the company you’re applying to. What industries do they cater to? What type of culture do they have? What are its employees saying about them? [read businessinsider]

Aside from these, there are several guides you can utilize to help you with your job search such as:

• How to create successful resumes
• How to find jobs online
• how to use personal SEO
• How to be found on LinkedIn
• Searching for jobs on social media
• How to use personal branding
• Guides to Working from Home
• How to successfully ace your interviews
• Guide to working with recruiters
• Guides on what to avoid while searching for jobs

Your best bet in doing a job search is by searching the internet. And we’re helping you narrow your search down with the top sites.

1. LinkedIn

Summary: It’s a social and professional network that’s used network people interested in certain industries. It also focuses on career development. So whether you’re a job seeker or are on the lookout for people to hire, this would be the very first place you could go to.
Website: au.linkedin.com

2. AllJobs Australia

Summary: This site is straightforward in that it will allow you to enter keywords related to the industry you’re interested in applying. You can also do a search by location. Once the right search parameters are entered, you can filter the information further by location, specific role types, as well as a list of companies hiring for a specific position.

Website: www.alljobs.com.au

3. APS Jobs

Summary: This is the official job portal for the executive and statutory departments of the Australian government such as the Department of Finance, the Australian Tax Office, Food Standards Australia, and Australian Law Reform Commission, to name a few.
Website: www.apsjobs.gov.au

4. Jobs Active

Summary: This is a portal that’s supervised by the Australia government that offers over a thousand jobs on a free website. It allows prospective applicants to select from a list of employment providers, look for jobs, apply for them, search for internships. The site is user-friendly in that it allows the job seeker to find a job that matches his skills.
Website: jobsearch.gov.au

5. ArtsHub

Summary: This is Australia’s independent portal for those with creative spirits by offering jobs related to the arts, film, and television.
Website: www.artshub.com.au

6. Careerjet

Summary: This is a site that compiles jobs by scanning the internet for job postings from recruitment agencies and other job boards from all over Australia, leading job seekers to the actual job sites. In short, it works just like Google.

Website: www.careerjet.com.au

7. Careerone

Summary: This is a site that has combined jobs from newsprint and uses the technology used by global company, Monster Worldwide, Inc.to post jobs available in at least 40 countries across the world and from different industries. It also allows companies to search for applicants based on skills that match their requirements.
Website: www.careerone.com.au

8. Glassdoor

Summary: Allows job seekers to view anonymous reviews from current and former employees across different company departments, search and apply for jobs, awards received, as well view salaries ranges.
Website: www.glassdoor.com.au/index.htm

9. Grad Connection

Summary: Primarily caters to jobs for students and new graduates, offering student jobs, part-time jobs, summer jobs, entry-level jobs, and internships for on-the-job training phase of their studies.
Website: au.gradconnection.com

10. Gumtree

Summary: Work isn’t just composed of desk jobs. There are other jobs offered that allow you to manage your time. Gumtree is a site that allows you to do just that. It offers buy and sell opportunities and allows users to post ads for free. It’s also a site that offers jobs for different industries such as education, construction, farming, veterinary practice, and retail to name a few.
Website: www.gumtree.com.au/jobs

So, what’s the catch?

Here are the successful steps to get hire if you’re one of the Filipinos who want to work abroad in Australia and take a leap to see what’s in store for them in the progressive country.

1. What are the popular jobs in Australia?

2. What are the requirements to be able to work in Australia?

The basic requirements that you should know if you’re interested to work in Australia are as follows;

1. They accept applicants under 50 years of age.
2. English language – Most Australian employers require their applicants to have a sufficient and competent skills with the English language. Tests like International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are one of the exams they use to determine the English ability of these applicants.
3. Nominated Occupation – Your qualifications and experiences should also match your preferred job and this field should also be one of the jobs the Australian employers need to have in their country.
4. Skills Assessment – An Australian assessing authority will assess your skills and determine if these skills are legitimate enough to be listed as one of the fit applicant for the job vacancies in Australia.
5. Health Assessment – You will be asked to undergo various medical assessments to attest that you’re a healthy and fit applicant for the job. Most foreign employers, aside from Australia, are really strict with their health requirements since this will determine if the applicant can do long work hours and be productive in the field they chose to take.
6. Character Assessment – There will also be checking of any criminal record for any applicant to ensure there would be no issue or delay in the process of employment of an applicant in case he/she is chosen for a specific job position.
7. Applying for Visa to Australia – There are different types of work permit in Australia;

8. TYPE	DESCRIPTION
   Skilled Nominated Visa	A type of permanent work visa is issued to those individuals who’ll have a big role in the improvement of the Australian economy, like State authority or Business. Applicants fit for this type of visa should be sponsored by the employer.
   Skilled Independent Visa	This work permit is issued to all hopeful who possess the necessary skills and qualifications required by for a specific occupation that has been listed under the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). This work permit do not require an employer to sponsor the employee in any way that makes this visa the best for people looking for immigrating to Australia.
   457 (Temporary Business) Visa	A temporary work visa issued to those overseas workers who are sponsored by their employers. Workers can be issued visa up to 4 years.
   Employer Nomination Scheme	A work visa issued to overseas workers who are sponsored by their employers. This is issued to increase competitiveness globally as well as filling up the skills shortages in different fields.
   Working Holiday Visa	For individuals from age group of 18-30 that came from reciprocating countries to take up a short-term employment while vacationing in Australia. The visa expires after 12 months and the candidate needs to undergo health assessment for his/her visa to be renewed.

   3. How to get a direct hire from Australia?

   Fortunately, becauseof the internet you can find legitimate websites online that offer direct hiring for all job vacancies in Australia. Some of these are Indeed, Apply Direct, and Work Abroad that’s also accredited by POEA.

   Surely, Filipinos moving from Philippines to Australia goes to show how the manpower produced by our country is surely one of the trusted and well-known work force across the world.

   List of Job Portals in Australia

   • www.seek.com.au
   • au.jobsdb.com
   • www.gumtree.com.au
   • jobsearch.gov.au
   • www.adzuna.com.au
   • au.jora.com
   • www.simplyhired.com.au
   • au.indeed.com
   • au.linkedin.com
   • jobs.com.au

   How much can I earn in Australia?

   How much you earn in your job will depend on many factors such as the industry you are working in, your qualifications and experience in that field and when and where you are working.

   Bartending/waiting tables:	$15 – $25 per hour (casual)
   Chef:	$700 – $800 per week (full time)
   Retail sales assistant:	$15 – $25 per hour (casual)
   Check out operators and cashiers:	$500 – $700 per week (full time)
   Building/labouring:	$650 – $850 per week (full time)
   Engineering:	$800 – $1500 per week (full time)
   Hairdressing:	$530 – $650 per week (full time)
   Secretarial/administration:	$600 – $700 per week (full time)
   Child care:	$18 – $20 per hour (casual)

   Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.