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.

You’ll gain more than just customer service skills in a retail job; you’ll also earn between AUD $19 and $25 an hour depending on experience. However, you don’t need any previous experience in retail to be hired. Often, you’ll receive on-the-job training on the policies of the store.

While working holiday makers can find retail jobs available year-round, there are a higher number of roles available before the Christmas holidays, when stores are gearing up for the gift-buying rush. Increase your chances of securing employment by applying for retail jobs between September and November.

Hospitality

Major regions: tourist centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, 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.

Entry-level hospitality roles like waiters or check-in staff at a hotel tend to earn about AUD $19 per hour, but wages increase if you have more experience or if you work overtime. Experienced bartenders and waiters can earn upwards of AUD $25 an hour.

In addition to working in stunning destinations and meeting other travellers, one of the perks of roles in hospitality is that they’re available all year round. Busy bars, restaurants and hotels need staff no matter the time of year, but some destinations offer an increased number of jobs during their high season.

If you’re looking to travel to a seasonal hotspot like the snowfields of New South Wales and Victoria, which are most popular during the winter months (June to August), consider applying for hospitality roles before the busy season begins. For seasonal destinations, arrive a few months before the high season starts to put yourself in the best position for a job.

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.

While you don’t need any previous experience to score a job in reception or administration, it will be seen as a plus by potential employers. If you don’t have previous experience, consider adding a few skills to your CV, like PowerPoint and Excel.

Don’t forget that visitors on the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462) can only work for a single employer for six months, so it’s best to look for short-term and contract roles.

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 around AUD $20 per hour.

Construction and labour jobs can be found year-round, particularly in cities with mild winters, like Perth and Brisbane. Australia’s bigger cities, like Sydney and Melbourne, boast the highest number of construction jobs, but you’ll see open positions in suburban and regional areas as well.

Farm work

Major regions: Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia and northern Queensland as well as regional areas of Victoria and New South Wales
Season: year-round, with different harvest seasons throughout

If you’ve come to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa  (Subclass 417) or Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462), you might discover that one year just isn’t enough. Completing specified work in certain areas of the country enables you to apply for an additional year in Australia, which is why farm work, fruit picking and agricultural roles are so popular among backpackers.

You don’t need any experience to snag a job in these industries; all you need is a good attitude and a sense of adventure. Apart from working in beautiful regional areas, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn money per bin of produce rather than per hour. If you work fast, you can receive around AUD $250 per day.

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 or South Australia’s Barossa Valley from February through April. Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region harvests their grapes from January through March.

If you're interested in working with Australia's fresh seafood, consider a job on a different kind of farm. At oyster farms in South Australia's Coffin Bay, you can help harvest and shuck the state's premium oysters.

Fishing and pearling

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.

Australia’s pearling industry is most active in Western Australia’s Broome, but the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland boast pearls as well. Although you may come across casual pearling jobs throughout the year, you’ll find many companies hiring additional help before and during harvest season, which runs from April to October.

Expect to earn between AUD $19 and $24 per hour and be prepared for irregular working hours. Some roles may require you to live aboard the boat, but you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to spot incredible marine life and meet other travellers along the way.

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.

Although you can get a job in child care without previous experience, most jobs will require you to have a Working With Children Check and current first aid training. These qualifications might cost you around AUD $250 depending on your location, but you’ll be able to quickly cover your investment when you start your new role.

Au pairs and nannies typically earn between AUD $200 and $275 per week, and you’ll likely have free room and board in your host family’s home

Tourism

Major regions: tourist centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, 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.

For an entry-level role with a tour company, expect to earn around AUD $20 per hour as you learn valuable skills like customer service and administration. Depending on the job, you might even get to tag along on tours.

The availability of these jobs depends on the activity and the time of year. Jobs in the snowfields of Victoria are available in the lead-up to winter and throughout the colder months, while tours along the Great Ocean Road are more popular in the warmer months. Other tours, like day trips from Sydney and street art tours of Melbourne, operate year-round.

For the most up to date information on working holiday visas, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.