Best backpacker jobs in Australia
From organising tours to working on a pearling vessel, you can gain skills in a variety of industries on your OE in Australia.
An overseas experience in Australia offers adventure, freedom and an exhilarating change of scenery. But it also gives you the opportunity to travel and work in Australia as you learn new skills. Jobs in retail, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and more are readily available for backpackers and working holiday makers, allowing you to make extra cash and gain real-world experience as you roam a country teeming with striking destinations and inspiring adventures.
Here are some of the most popular industries to consider during your Australian OE.
Know your rights
All workers in Australia are entitled to rights and protection in the workplace. Find out more on the Fair Work website.
Farm work
Dalby, Toowoomba, Queensland © Matthew Taylor, Tourism and Events Queensland
Essentials
You can follow different harvest seasons all around Australia. Check out the Harvest Trail's interactive map to see when and where different crops are harvested.
Major regions: Cairns, Wide Bay, South-east South Australia, Shepparton, North-west Victoria, Coffs Harbour, Grafton and the New South Wales Murray region
Season: year-round, with different harvest seasons throughout
You don’t need any experience to snag a job on Australia's beautiful farms; all you need is a good attitude and a sense of adventure. Apart from working in picturesque regional areas, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn money per bin of produce rather than per hour.
Farm work is available year-round across the country, with different harvest seasons filling up the Aussie calendar. In Queensland, you can help harvest bananas in December and January, citrus from April to June or cotton from November to March. New South Wales has several harvest seasons in full swing from February to April, with apples, grapes and pears being picked during this time. If you want to work on a winery, try securing a harvest job in Tasmania’s Huon Valley or South Australia’s Barossa Valley from February through April. Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region harvests their grapes from January through March.
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Retail
Major regions: Australia-wide
Season: year-round, with additional jobs available before the Christmas holidays
Retail is a popular industry among backpackers, encompassing everything from shop cashiers to on-the-floor sales associates. With so many different shopping districts and boutiques, you could find yourself handling everything from designer dresses to electronics.
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Hospitality
Limes Hotel, Fortitude Valley, Queensland © Anwyn Howarth
Major regions: tourist centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Darwin, etc.
Season: year-round, with additional jobs available during popular travel times like Christmas and New Year
The hospitality industry is diverse and incredibly accessible for backpackers and working holiday makers. Hospitality jobs include baristas, bartenders and waiters as well as hotel managers and housekeepers. Because Australia is a popular destination for both domestic and international travellers, there are plenty of hospitality jobs to go around even if you don’t have any previous experience.
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Tourism
Cradle Mountain Canyons, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania © Off the Path
Major regions: tourist centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Darwin, etc.
Season: year-round depending on the activity
With so many different destinations to discover, visitors from all over the world come to Australia each year, which offers working holiday makers the chance to work in the tourism industry. Jobs in the tourism industry might include things like taking bookings for a tour company in Port Douglas, driving customers to and from meeting points or even leading a tour yourself.
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Reception and administration
Major regions: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Brisbane
Season: year-round
If you’re friendly, organised and able to multitask, a job as a receptionist or administrative assistant could be a great fit. Working holiday makers often enjoy the perks of reception and administration, like standard working hours and year-round availability.
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Construction and labour
Major regions: Australia-wide, more common in metropolitan areas
Season: year-round, though more common in the summer months in southern Australia
Australia’s cities are always growing, giving working holiday makers ample opportunity to work in the construction industry. While construction jobs typically require some experience, general labour roles are open to anyone. These jobs can range from landscaping to site cleaning and often pay above minimum wage.
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Fishing and pearling
Stanley wharf, Stanley, Tasmania © Tourism Tasmania, Rob Burnett
Major regions: coastal for fishing, Broome and Tropical North Queensland for pearling
Season: year-round for fishing, April to October for pearling
If you’d rather be on the open ocean as you complete your specified work, then a job in the fishing or pearling industry might be perfect for you. You’ll find fishing jobs off the coast of almost every Australian state, and you don’t need any special skills to apply. Because Australia harvests a huge variety of seafood like prawns, fish, and scallops, you’re likely to find fishing boats operating year-round in different areas of the country.
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Childcare
Major regions: Australia-wide
Season: year-round
Some jobs, like bartending, allow you to revel in the hustle and bustle of city life. Other industries, like childcare, offer an avenue into local life. Being an au pair or nanny in Australia not only means you’ll join an Aussie family on their day-to-day adventures, but you’ll also be immersed in the Australian way of life.
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Note: Tourism Australia is not the Australian government visa granting authority. The visa granting authority is the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. For up-to-date information, please refer to their website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder.
The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with an Australian qualified immigration lawyer or migration agent if you are seeking legal advice.
