Jobs for Canadians in Australia

Working in Australia as a Canadian

Australia is a bit like Canada’s really cool and wild cousin in the great big Commonwealth family. What does that mean? Canadians have a bunch of work visas to choose from to enjoy a slice of life down in Oz.

The easiest way for young Canadians to enjoy all that Australia has to offer is the Working Holiday Visa. This visa allows you to work and play in Australia for one amazing year.

The Australian Working Holiday Visa comes with a couple of restrictions. Most importantly, the visa is only available to Canadian citizens between 18 and 35 with a valid passport. Check out our guide to moving to Australia from Canada on a working holiday visa for all the details.

An important point to cover is that as a working holiday visa holder, you can only work for an employer for a maximum of six months. This makes finding an office job a bit trickier. But let’s be honest, you’re not taking the trip of a lifetime to sit in an office all day. Use this as a chance to try out a totally new job. Plus, after the six months is up, you can move and experience another area of the country!

It is possible to extend your stay beyond one year if you do some specified work. This includes farming, fishing, mining, bushfire recovery, and construction. If you really aren’t ready to come home, the fun’s not over. There are over 30 countries where Canadians can live abroad on working holidays. The closest one, New Zealand, is just a short flight away!

What Jobs Can Canadians Work in Oz?

Canadians working in Australia are, more often than not, casual workers. What does that mean? Travellers tend to get positions that are a bit more temporary – which makes plenty of sense since you’ll be leaving the job after six months! Here is a breakdown of the types of jobs Canadians can get in Australia:

Working in the service industry

The service industry refers to any role related to food and beverage service. Create beautiful latte art in one of the many hip coffee shops in Melbourne. Or serve up cute cocktails on a rooftop on the sunny Gold Coast. Maybe you’ll work at a restaurant seating tourists from all over the world. A quick tip: if you want to work in the service industry in Australia, you’ll have to get an RSA certification.

Customer service always wins

Getting a job in the customer service industry is probably your safest and easiest bet as there are always openings. You can work in an adorable boutique, a supermarket (I recommend Woolies), a bottle-o, a call center – the possibilities are endless. If you’re worried about paying rent on a customer service gig – don’t! The minimum wage in Australia is far higher than in Canada. Plus, wages usually increase on weekends and holidays!

Tourism while travelling

The tourism industry is great in Australia – it’s probably part of the reason you’re reading this right now! You can find work in a hostel or hotel at the front desk or in housekeeping. Travel and tour companies are usually looking to hire like-minded travel-junkies. Imagine crewing a dive boat on the Great Barrier Reef – sounds like a dream right?

Farm work makes the dream work

Canadians are eligible for a second (even a third) working holiday visa. If you think you might want to stay longer in Australia, doing some farm work might be a good idea! Rounding up cattle in the outback or picking mangoes in Darwin might not be easy work, but it sure is rewarding! When else would you have a job like that? Most of the people working on fruit-picking farms are fellow holiday-makers so it’s a great place to meet people. And believe me, you’ll become close friends very quickly! Make sure to look up the Harvest Trail before picking your next gig.

Miscellaneous jobs

With its beautiful weather, Australia is home to quite a few festivals and markets. If you’re lucky enough, you might just manage to grab some jobs at some cool events. You aren’t stuck in one specific city in Australia. Live the nomad life and jump from event to event!

If you have relevant experience, you could find work as a tradie. Tradie is Australian slang for tradesmen or tradesperson.

What about my career?

There are obviously plenty of jobs for Canadians in Australia, but keep in mind that employers know you can only stay with them for six months. Your chances of getting an office job or a job that requires specific (and lengthy) training, are slim. Use this opportunity to round out your professional skillset with sales experience, customer service, or learn a new skill altogether!

Finding Work in Australia

Jobs for Canadians in Australia aren’t too hard to come by. We do have a great reputation on the international scene — but there are a few steps to the process that you should know.

How to Get Started

1. Start by revising your resume to Australia-ize it. Your good ol’ regular Canadian resume won’t cut it here.
2. Get yourself a Tax File Number, the Australian equivalent to your SIN.
   Open an Aussie bank account for all your future paychecks.
3. Hunt those jobs down! Backpacker job boards, job search sites, and recruitment agencies are all good places to start.

There’s help!
Our job support in Australia will make the transition easier. We know all the ins and outs and can walk you through the entire process. Check out our programs for Canadians:

Make your experience starting your Australia working holiday unforgettable

Whether you want to go to Melbourne or Sydney our Discovery Programs make the plunge super easy.

Once you land in Australia, jump on your pre-arranged airport transportation and check into your accommodation. Rest up before meeting with our local employment expert for personalized support to get the ball rolling. You’ll also receive some great extras and have opportunities to meet other travellers who, like you, have just arrived!

Are you a bit more adventurous? Want to start your working holiday with a bang? Our Adventure Program includes all the great working holiday stuff that makes your life easier – and some really good times. For a flavour of what to expect, check out the videos below and decide whether you’re Team Melbourne or Sydney.

Want to add surfing to all that? We’ve got you covered.