Australia is one of the greatest places to live on Earth–as long as you can find employment, right? You’ll be relieved to know that finding a job in Australia simply requires the same planning, determination and a little lady luck needed to land a good job anywhere else. The best way to start your job search is to update your C.V. and apply for a “permanent residency” visa if possible. Employers want workers who plan to stay on the job for a long time so having your immigration status changed to permanent status will let you place your foot squarely in the door so a potential employer can’t shut it all they way!
Before moving to Australia, start searching Australa’s job websites for promising leads and email or snail mail your C.V. to any employer you consider promising. Make sure you describe your visa status in your cover letter and don’t forget to put an Australian postal and email address in the letter.
If you don’t have Skype, sign up for one so that you an offer face-to-face interviews with employers who are interested in hiring you. If at all possible, hook, reel in and catch that dream job before you even move to Australia. The authorities will love you and it will definitely streamline all that boring immigration paperwork.
Networking is an extremely popular method of discovering job opportunities you might not find on job sites. Search Facebook or LinkedIn for expat groups from the UK to assist your job search. Also, don’t forget that to work legally in Australia, you will need an Australian Tax File Number. You can get one of these by applying online at the Australian Taxation Office website.
Keep in mind this is Australia–the land of billabongs, lolly water and skippies–and they do things a little different than other Western countries! Stay flexible, learn the lingo and don’t be disappointed about the wages offered by employees. Australia’s cost of living and tax rates are lower than most European countries so when you consider what you’ll be living on, it’s your net income that’s important, not your gross income.
Cheers!
