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working holiday

Australian Backpackers Work & Travel Program

WORKING HOLIDAY MAKERS

The Working Holiday Program provides opportunities for people between 18 and 30 to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment. The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia.You are allowed to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature, but work for more than six months with any one employer is not permitted.

Together with our working partner Travellers Contact Point, we offer overseas travellers a unique service of employment, travel, mail holding and fowarding, free internet, training and skill assesment and many other services to make work and travel in Australia a unique and enjoyable experience.

Australia offers a diverse range of job opportunities for working holiday travellers.Depending on your previous work experience and level of education you might find yourself working as a deckhand on the Great Barrier Reef, working as a Jackaroo on an Outback farm or catching the ferry across Sydney Harbour to work.

From 1 November 2005, Working Holiday Makers who have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first working holiday visa, will be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa and stay for a further 12 months. Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday maker arrangements in effect with the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, and Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan. The documents below give more information about the Working Holiday Scheme.Working holiday visas can be obtained by making an application on the Internet - See: Online Services - Visiting Australia or by lodging a written application at an overseas visa office. See: Form 1263 - Working Holiday Visa: Employment Verification Other acceptable evidence of seasonal work for working holiday makers who undertake seasonal work in Australia, may be payslips, group certificates, tax returns, and employer references.

Information about harvest work opportunities in regional Australia can be found at the Harvest Trail Website. If you intend to apply for a second Working Holiday visa, you will need to provide evidence that you have worked for a minimum of three months as a seasonal worker in regional Australia while on your first working holiday visa. Before commencing seasonal work in a regional area, you should obtain a copy of the employment verification form from your nearest DIMIA office, or from the forms section of the DIMIA website - Somebody who is well prepared has the best chances to find a suitable job.

So consider thoroughly while packing your backpack and leave some space for copies of your certificates and references, do not forget your current CV, and get all your documents translated into English as a precaution and pack some presentable clothing. Of course it is nonsense to show up in a suit for fruit picking or on a farm. For jobs in restaurants or hotels, in offices or as a shop assistant it is important not to turn up in too casual clothes.

In Sydney's Travellers Contact Point, with whom we have a close working relationship and you'll be taken to their head office as a part of your Sydney orientation, there are a total of seven branches of employment service, each with its own counter and own staff members! That means: You can receive a new list with current jobs every day. Besides that there are "Travellers Notice Boards", a kind of notice-board with current ads from the relevant area. The TCPs (Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Darwin, Perth, Auckland, Adelaide, Airlie Beach and Townsville) are the best and most informative contact point for our job-seeking backpackers. There you can receive information about current job offers as well as working in general.

The most common jobs are:

HOTELS AND HOSPITALITY

Several languages desirable and all major cities have plenty of these positions available. From waiteressing\waitoring to barwork to reception duties. (AU $15-25)

TOURISM

Particularly in Queensland , major cities, on the islands around the Great arrier Reef and along the whole East Coast there are a lot of hotels and resorts. Several languages are an advantage! Some states require courses done before starting work. These are available at TCP. (AU $15-25)

TECHNICAL & MECHANICAL PROFESSIONS

Good technicians are extremely in demand! (AU $15-25)

COMPUTER INDUSTRY

Where in the world are computer freaks not needed? If you are exactly what they are looking for, you can earn a small fortune.
(AU $20-100)

BUILDING INDUSTRY

Particularly in the big cities and surroundings there is a lot of building and renovations going on. (AU $18-60)

FARM WORK

Jackaroo , Jillaroo and farm-hand work mainly. Most with salary but some with free accommodation and food, no salary! A unique opportunity, to work on a real Australian farm with horses and cows you get an experience of a lifetime!

RETAIL / MARKETING/ TELEMARKETING

Somebody with an outgoing personality and good English can earn pretty well in this sector. Telemarketing is very popular with backpackers at the moment as a way of earning extra cash. (AU $12-45)

AU-PAIR

Inclusive free accommodation and food. (AU $120-300 per week)

ADMINISTRATION , BANKING & FINANCE

Mainly in the major cities. (AU $15-40)

FRUIT PICKING

Workers are needed all year round. The work is tiring but pleasant. Some farms do not pay per hour, but depending on the quantity picked. Employment National is an organisation subsidised by the government with more than 100 branches ('job agencies') all over Australia. They guarantee jobs in the fruit and vegetable field all year round. In most of the branches there are electronic 'job noticeboards' where you can find a clear overview of current jobs in this sector. (AU $10-18)

W.O.O.F.

Is short for 'Willing Workers On Organic Farms'. After you paid AU$35, you will receive a summary of the farms' addresses where you can work for free accommodation and food, mostly out in the fresh air. Thus you will not receive a normal salary!