How to get a professional job in Australia for foreigners

Australia has one of the strongest economies in the world. Its economy is dynamic and the country continues to grow and present many opportunities of employment. Even if the Australian job market for foreigners can be quite competitive, it is not impossible to get a qualified job in Australia. Here’s all our advice and useful information on working in Australia, but above all finding a “skilled” job in Australia. And even if every profile is different, it’s important to know certain basics to make a success of your expatriation.

Is it Easy to Find a Job in Australia? 

Finding a job in Australia can be both challenging and rewarding, depending on your industry, skills, and visa type. Competition remains high, and not all jobs are equally accessible to foreigners.

Currently, sectors such as hospitality, construction, healthcare, and education are experiencing high demand, making it easier to secure employment. But with the right approach, you can land a job in other industries too!

💡 Tips to Improve Your Job Search

✅ Understand the Job Market
Research the industries hiring in Australia and identify where your skills are most in demand. Checking government skill shortage lists can be a great start.

✅ Check Your Visa Options
You must have a valid work visa to be legally employed. The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is a great option for young travellers, while skilled professionals can explore sponsorship or skilled migration visas.

✅ Prepare an Australian-Style Resume & Cover Letter
Australian employers expect detailed CVs with clear formatting. Highlight your experience, skills, and certifications relevant to the role.

Jobs in High Demand in Australia in 2025

Healthcare & Medical Professions

With an aging population, Australia faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals. The demand is particularly high in rural and remote areas.

📌 Key roles in demand:
✅ Registered nurses & midwives
✅ Aged care workers & disability support workers
✅ General practitioners & medical specialists
✅ Allied health professionals (physiotherapists, radiologists, pharmacists, etc.)

💡 Sponsorship opportunities are often available for healthcare professionals under the Skilled Visa Program (Subclass 482 or 186).

Construction & Skilled Trades

The construction industry is booming, with high demand for skilled workers to support urban expansion and major infrastructure projects.

📌 Most in-demand jobs:
✅ Carpenters & joiners
✅ Electricians
✅ Plumbers & gas fitters
✅ Bricklayers & tilers
✅ Civil engineers & architects

💡 The Australian government offers fast-track visa pathways for trade professionals under the Skilled Migration Program (Subclass 189, 190 & 491 visas).

Education & Teaching

There is a huge demand for teachers, particularly in STEM subjects and special education. Regional and rural areas struggle to attract qualified educators, making it easier to secure jobs with sponsorship options.

📌 High-demand teaching positions:
✅ Math & Science teachers
✅ Special education teachers
✅ Early childhood educators
✅ English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers

IT & Tech Sector

As technology advances, Australia is facing a shortage of IT professionals, particularly in cybersecurity, AI, and software development.

📌 Most in-demand IT jobs:
✅ Software engineers & developers
✅ Data analysts & data scientists
✅ Cybersecurity specialists
✅ Cloud computing & AI engineers
✅ IT project managers & network administrators

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Engineering & Mining

Australia’s resources and mining industry continues to be a major economic driver, with high demand for engineers in various sectors.

📌 Top engineering fields in demand:
✅ Mining & petroleum engineers
✅ Civil & structural engineers
✅ Electrical & mechanical engineers
✅ Agricultural & environmental engineers

💡 Mining towns in Western Australia and Queensland offer higher wages.

The job market is dynamic and can change over time.To keep up to date with this information, job platforms such as Indeed or Seek often publish articles on in-demand jobs and include salary information.

Visa Options for Working in Australia

Australia offers several types of visas for those looking to work legally in the country. The right visa for you will depend on factors such as your age, qualifications, work experience, and long-term goals. Here are the main options available:

• Working Holiday Visa or Work and Holiday Visa (subclasses 417 & 462) allows people aged between 18 and 30/35 (depending on your nationality) to stay up to 3 years in Australia. Flexible employment across any industry, anywhere in the country.

• Student visa (subclass 500) :One of the easiest visas to obtain, very popular with backpackers as a continuation of the working holiday visa. But its biggest constraint is that it does not authorise you to work more than 24 hours a week (which can limit full-time job opportunities).
  
• Graduate Visa (subclass 485): for international students who have recently graduated and who have skills and qualifications relevant to Australia’s needs. This visa allows you to work full-time for 18 months.

• Sponsorship: Skills In Demand visa (subclass 482): the most common way to stay for four years. This visa is directly linked to the company that employs you.

• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186): a company nominates you directly. You must have 3 years’ experience in the sector. You also need to provide a great deal of evidence of your previous work experience (which justifies in detail the skills inherent in the visa and the specific job you will be required to do). Once obtained, it gives you access to permanent residence. It usually follows a TSS visa.

• The skilled visa (subclass 189 or 190): This is a points-based visa system. Once obtained, it gives you access to permanent residence. It can be independent (visa 189) or sponsored by a state or territory (visa 190).

• Partner visa or de Facto visa: You join your partner’s visa. Your partner must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or visa holder with work rights

There are several other less known visas on the Australian Immigration Department website.

Requirements for working in Australia

To work in Australia, you need a valid work visa, health insurance, a Tax File Number (TFN) and recognition of your professional qualifications. Requirements may vary depending on the type of work you wish to do and your country of origin. Finally, you will also need to have an Australian bank account to receive your wages.

Job search in Australia

From Europe to Australia

Most of us think that they can find a job from their hometown. However, most of the time, you will realise that despite having a good or excellent level of English, a good resume and experience in your field, it can be quite difficult. The best is therefore to be in Australia to give it a go.

Start with compiling a list of contacts, including headhunters, who will include you in their database. The decisive factor is that you have already gained professional experience in the desired industry back home. Plus, it’s even better if you’ve worked in Australia, even if it was in a different industry. They also often ask you for references (contact details of your former employer/manager).

Prepare your Resume and Cover Letter

In order to find a qualified job, it is necessary to tailor your resume and cover letter to the company’s needs.

In all cases, you should always adjust your resume to Australian standards. Keep the design of your resume simple, don’t include your age, marital status or a photo of you.

Writing a Resume for the Australian Market

Do you want to maximise your chances of finding a job in Australia? Follow our guide to adapting your CV to the Australian market.

Read More

How to Apply for a Job Effectively?

Job pages like Seek and Indeed as well as LinkedIn Jobs can be quite helpful. There are two scenarios:

1 – The recruiting company has published an ad online

• You send your resume and cover letter to a “real person”, either the HR manager or your potential supervisor. This is personal and you can customize your application to the person.
• The ad takes you to the official website of the company and asks you to create a profile and complete your application.
• You automatically apply by clicking on the job offers page.

2 – A Recruitment Company (or Headhunter) has created the job ad for their customer (the company that is hiring)

• This is ideal because you enter your information in the database of the recruiting company. Based on your details, they will contact you in the future if they have a suitable job. You do not need to pay for this service, which is a common misconception.

Recruitment companies all compete for the same vacancies, with the goal of “placing” you in a company to earn a commission. They usually negotiate a better salary and also value building a long-term relationship with you.

To maximize feedback positive responses, we recommend you to apply for several job offers that are more or less in line with your profile. You can lose track very quickly. So create an excel spreadsheet with all job offers, links to ads, dates of your applications and reminder emails.

You can also spontaneously contact people on LinkedIn whose profiles interested you. This will allow you to ask people directly for advice or learn about the company.

If you resume is selected, interviews will be quickly initiated. They will take place first at the recruitment agency and then directly at the companies.

Successful Interviews

There is no recipe! If you aren’t an English native speaker, it is increasingly difficult to hold a job interview in a foreign language. Take a look at the branch-specific vocabulary before you go to the interview. You often realise that you don’t know certain technical terms, and therefore you can’t express yourself as well as in your native tongue.

These two questions certainly come in a job interview: “Why did you leave your home country?” And “Why did you choose Australia?“

In general, job interviews are less formal in Australia than in other countries. While in many European countries the focus is often on the education and the degree, recruitment agents in Australia put more emphasis on the personality of the candidate.

The good thing is that headhunters / recruiters have no time to lose and come straight to the point. They ask specific questions to learn more about your personality and your professional experience so they can quickly get an idea of ​​your profile and see if it matches the position.

If it is an employee of the company in question (the future manager, an employee, or the HR manager), the conversation may take more than an hour.

How do I find Skilled Jobs in Australia?

There are several ways to find skilled jobs in Australia, including using professional job boards. These include Seek, Indeed, CareerOne and LinkedIn. You can search for jobs by keyword, location, salary and sector.

You can also search for jobs on the websites of companies that interest you. Often, companies post jobs on their own websites before publishing them on third-party job boards.

Recruitment agencies are also a common way to find skilled jobs in Australia. Recruitment agencies can help you find jobs that match your skills and experience, and can also give you advice on writing CVs and preparing for interviews.

Networking is also an effective way to find skilled jobs in Australia. You can attend professional networking events, join professional groups on LinkedIn and meet professionals in your industry.

You can also send unsolicited applications to companies that interest you. This involves sending a CV and covering letter directly to the company without a job offer being advertised. This can work if you have specific skills that the company is looking for or if you are particularly interested in that company.

Fitting into the Workplace Culture in Australia

Adapting to work life in Australia can be a surprising experience, especially if you’re coming from a country with a different work culture. While Australia shares many similarities with Western countries, the Anglo-Saxon work ethic and company culture may feel different from what you’re used to.

Workplace Culture: What to Expect?

• Minimal Breaks & Focused Work Hours
  Australian office environments tend to have fewer breaks throughout the day. Unlike in some European countries where coffee breaks are a social activity, in Australia, breaks are often short and taken alone. Even lunch breaks (if taken at all) are frequently spent at the desk to maximise productivity and finish early.

• Early Start, Early Finish
  Australians are early risers, and the workday often starts around 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM. Finishing at 5:00 PM or even earlier is completely normal, and leaving on time is encouraged. Unlike in some cultures, staying late is not necessarily a sign of dedication—it’s more about efficiency during working hours.

• Casual & Friendly Atmosphere
  While professional, Australian workplaces are relatively relaxed. Hierarchies are less rigid, and it’s common to be on a first-name basis with managers and colleagues. However, work-life balance is highly valued, so don’t expect to see employees working overtime unless absolutely necessary.

• Social Events & Team Bonding
  Many companies, particularly younger and more modern workplaces, organise after-work drinks, team lunches, or company events. Attending these can be a great way to integrate into the team and form connections. While participation isn’t mandatory, engaging in these events helps you build relationships and feel more included.

Staying Long-Term: How to Secure Your Place?

• The WHV as a Trial Period
  A Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is often seen as a trial period by employers. Since it’s easy to obtain, companies are more open to hiring WHV holders for short-term contracts. This is a great opportunity to prove your skills, adaptability, and reliability.

• Challenges of Staying Beyond WHV
  While the WHV is a stepping stone into the workforce, some employers may hesitate to invest in training you if they know your stay is temporary. If you’re looking for long-term opportunities, you’ll need to show commitment and discuss potential visa options (such as sponsorship or a skilled visa) early on.

• Making a Strong Impression
  To increase your chances of securing a long-term position, focus on:
  ✔️ Delivering quality work and showing initiative
  ✔️ Building strong professional relationships
  ✔️ Understanding your visa options and discussing them with your employer

The most common option is to apply for a sponsorship visa (known as a Skills in Demand visa – Subclass 482). To be sponsored, the company hiring you must be willing and able to do so. The process takes time, energy and will cost the company money (normally you won’t have to pay anything on your side). Your company will usually call on an immigration agent to put together the application. You must be able to provide a large number of officially translated (if applicable) and certified documents. Above all, your job needs to be on a list of jobs eligible for sponsorship.

Since January 2024, working holiday visa makers can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission to the government if your work is:

• in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months
• in plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia
• in certain industries (aged care and disability services, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction and mining, in northern Australia only)
• natural disaster recovery work
• in critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care and childcare, anywhere in Australia
• in the critical sector of tourism and hospitality anywhere in Australia.

 For any other situations not covered above, you must ask for permission to work longer than 6 months with one employer.