Work for students studying abroad in Australia can be easy or hard to find. Most international students get jobs after spending some time learning English a bit better. Students, who already know how to speak English well, obviously have more opportunities. There are cases where in three weeks the person is already employed, but other cases can reach 8 months of waiting, and there are even those who have never gotten any work.
The three most frequently asked questions about work for students in Australia are:
- Will I get a job easily?
- How much will I be paid?
- Can I keep this work while studying abroad?
There is no simple answer. Everything depends on many factors. One thing is certain; it is very hard for someone to get a part time job as a student and save a lot of money to take back to their country. Only immigrants get full time jobs. The math is simple: the hours students are allowed to work are 20 hours a week, and the average fee is 15 AUSD, this can make a total of 350 AUSD. However, if you account for all the expenses it means it is impossible. As you can see, the permission of the Government of Australia to allow students to work 20 hours a week is for financed studies, as it does not provide enough to survive financially depending on other resources.
Many people coming to study in Australia have the illusion that they will earn more money than this. This can happen, but usually only for a few people. The numbers are real and students must be prepared for this reality.
The most common jobs for international students are in the tourism and hospitality industry such as restaurants and hotels. Working hours for qualified students are the same as hours of study, or work hours are the same as those of courses. This is the reason why many engineers, systems analysts etc., work as cleaners or waiters. The most common jobs offered in the hospitality sector are: dishwasher, kitchen help, waiters and general cleaning. There are some opportunities in shops such as a seller and Pizza delivery but you may need your own vehicle. Of course you can get other work, but these are the easiest to find. For those students eager to work on farms during school holidays, there are magazines with lists of places in every state of Australia.
The procedure for obtaining the Working Visa is, after starting the course in Australia; go to DIMIA (Department of Immigration) in your city, have with you a school letter attesting to your enrolment and attendance over the passport and you get the seal that allows you to work 20 hours a week.