Jobs in Australia for Travellers

Going to Australia on a working holiday visa will be one of the most amazing experiences of your life. Working and travelling around Australia gives you the chance to save money (so you can see more of this amazing country) have fun, make new friends and get to see the ‘real’ Australia. Some jobs will even allow you to extend your stay in Australia by a whole year!

You needn’t worry about finding work in Australia. Tons of backpacker jobs exist and they are relatively easy to get into. As long as you have an open mind and are willing to try new things, and there loads of exciting opportunities to seize!

While many backpacker jobs are easy to get, some jobs will require having previous experience, while others may require training (usually an online course you can complete within a matter of hours; for example, to serve alcohol, you will need to do an RSA course.)

However, many require no previous experience at all!

Many backpackers also start a travel blog which can be an awesome way to earn money in its own right but also to learn about social media, how to build a website and marketing all of which are incredibly valuable skills.

Check out our Ultimate Jobs for Backpackers List below and see what jobs would suit you. There are plenty to choose from and the opportunities are endless!

Ultimate Jobs for Backpackers List

Seasonal Jobs – Get Your Second Year Visa

Get off the beaten backpacking trail and have a real Aussie adventure working on farms in regional Australia! While you’re at it, you can also get your second year working holiday visa with these jobs:

Harvest Work:

Involves working with grain crops (wheat is the most popular grain crop in Australia); cotton; and all kinds of vegetables. Work in this sector includes tractor driving, header (combine harvester) driving and driving chaser bins. If you have no experience driving tractors, a lot of these farms look for people to move augers, refuel headers and cook meals.

Fruit-picking and packing:

This is probably the most popular job among backpackers, and this is mostly down to the fact that the only requirement is that you be reasonably fit to do it.

The best things about this job are: it’s easy to get into, you’ll make a ton of friends and have a great time (even if the work quite tiring) and you can get your second year visa out of it, as long as you meet certain requirements.

Tip: "Grape picking is one of the easiest fruit-picking jobs, because the vines are the right height as not to hurt your back bending down and you need to need to climb a ladder." - Lilian, 26, Ireland.

Crop Maintenance

Work in crop maintenance can include anything from spraying crops to pruning trees and vines. Vine pruning is one of the easiest crop maintenance jobs to get into; and the work, although very monotonous, is very easy to do.

Pearling:

Pearling can be hard work, but if you enjoy the sea and don’t mind getting dirty then you should enjoy pearling.

The best thing about this job: you will get the opportunity to see an amazing and diverse array of Australian marine life. Check out this page to find out more about pearling and how to find a pearling job.

Fun/ Social Jobs - make friends, have fun and earn good money

There are tons of backpacker jobs in Australia that offer you the chance to have fun and earn money, as well as make friends.

Tourism:

Imagine getting paid to sail around Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands…well, you can! There are tour companies right across Australia aimed at backpackers and they often look for backpackers to work for them. Sometimes these jobs offer commission, as well an hourly wages.

The best thing about tourism jobs: you get to go on tours and travel for free!

Hospitality:

Entry-level hospitality jobs are very easy to get into and work includes: bar work; barista; kitchen-hand; dishwashing; and waiting tables. Hospitality work can also tie in with working in tourism, as there are plenty of hospitality jobs available on holiday resorts.

The best thing about hospitality work: It’s easy to get into and there may be opportunities to earn tips.

Remember: you will need to complete your online RSA certification to work in restaurants or bars.

Tip: "Working in hospitality is always a good start, especially if you want to get better with the English language." - Susan, 27, from Germany (taken from our Backpackers' Jobs Report; see below.)

Jobs That Save You on Food and/or Accommodation

Australia can be expensive to travel around, and to keep costs low it could be a good idea to work for free in exchange for meals and accommodation.

WWOOFing and HelpXing:

Both Wwoofing and HelpXing are great ways to cut down on costs while travelling around Australia. WWOOF stands for “Willing Workers on Organic Farms” and basically involves working on farms for free, in exchange for meals, accommodation and a unique cultural experience. HelpXing, short for “Help Exchange”, works in mostly the same way as Wwoofing. The best part about Wwoofing and HelpXing: It allows you to get off the beaten backpacker trail and experience “real” Australian life.

Tip: "There is such a huge variety of work available (HelpXing) such as farm work, construction projects and gardening. This is a great experience and a great way to save money whilst looking for paid work." - Mark, 26, from the UK.

Volunteering:

There are plenty of opportunities, from working with wildlife to helping with disaster relief. Visit our Volunteering page to learn more about how you give back and volunteer in Australia.

Working in a Backpackers Hostel:

Many backpacker hostels around Australia offer backpackers the chance to work for a few hours a week, (mostly cleaning and reception work) in exchange for accommodation. Most will want you to stay for at least 2 months. Some hostels do offer full-time paid jobs too.

The best thing about working in a backpacker hostel: You get to work in a fun environment with meet other backpackers from around the globe!

Live-in Nanny or Au-Pair:

Working as a live-in nanny or as an au-pair in Australia can help you save heaps of money as accommodation and meals are provided. Many families will also provide free WI-FI and use of a car.

Serious Money Saving Jobs

Most jobs in regional Australia and in the outback will allow you to save some serious money as there won’t be many places where you can spend your money!

Outback Roadhouse:

There are quite a lot of roadhouses in regional Australia that hire backpackers. The money is usually quite good and because roadhouses are usually isolated you can end up saving a lot of money fast. Roadhouse work includes: cashier, cleaning, cooking and yard work. However, keep in mind that some roadhouses operate 24/7 and these roadhouses mainly hire backpackers to work night shifts and weekends.

Mining:

Unless you have a degree in engineering, geology or construction, mining is notoriously difficult to get into, but there are backpackers that have gotten into it. Mining jobs in Australia also pay extremely well, so it is worth checking out, especially if you have a trade such as welding or electrician.

Tip: "Trades people like fitters, welders, boilermakers and electricians still have a fairly good chance of picking up work on mining sites. If you don't have a trade, doing a rigging or scaffolding course would give you a good chance at getting a job." - Alan, 33, from Ireland.

Cattle Station:

Become a Jack(or Jill!)-aroo and work on an outback cattle station. Life on a cattle station is never dull and it is a truly unique experience that you will remember for years to come. Working on a station will also give you the opportunity to save a lot of money, as they are usually very isolated with nowhere to spend your hard earned cash; plus food and accomodation are provided!

Jobs That Are Easy To Get

Sometimes, you just want to get any job that’s available, just to tide you over until you get a better job or go travelling. Hostel notice boards and Gumtree are usually the best places to find these types of jobs:

Sales:

Sales jobs are very easy to get into, even at entry level, and with some offering an hourly rate plus commission, you could end up earning good money.

Tip: It's worth researching the advertised companies before you apply for them. If they are any good, they will have lots of information on their website, including awards and stories about their employees. If you can't find much about them, then move on and look for another company." - Molly, 24, from the UK (taken from our Backpackers' Jobs Report; see below.)

Charity Fundraising:

Charity fundraising is great for those who are outgoing and like to socialise. It’s also a great opportunity for solo travellers to meet people. Work in charity fundraising includes: call-centre work, face-to-face street team fundraising and being a brand ambassador at events.

The best thing about working in charity fundraising: A lot of these companies offer sponsorship.

Call-centre:

Call-centre work (i.e. customer enquiries, sales) is super easy to get, so long as you have a reasonable grasp of the English language. There are plenty of entry-level jobs in call-centres and training is usually provided in the first week or two.

Working at Events:

There are tons of temporary/casual jobs available working at events in Australia’s major cities. Work includes: packing up after trade fairs; serving at conferences and big events; and setting up stages and marques for major events.

Jobs That Plentiful - some experience required

The popular backpacker jobs are fairly easy to get into once you have some training and/or experience; however experience isn’t always necessary for these jobs either.

Retail:

There are plenty of opportunities to work in retail in Australia’s major cities. Even though the work isn’t that difficult, most employers (particularly big chain-stores) prefer that you have some experience in retail or sales, but it isn’t always a requirement.

Tip: "If you happen to be travelling at Christmas time, retailers do take on staff for 3 months, and so they will be open to those applicants on a WHV" - Renata, 26, UK (taken from our Backpackers Jobs Report; see below.)

Temporary Administration:

Again, you can get temporary admin jobs without previous experience, but it is much easier to get into if you have some previous experience and skills. Work includes: receptionist, filing, data-entry and general office work.

The best thing about temporary admin jobs: You work on short-term contracts. This allows you to work and save for a period of time without worrying about having to quit a job so that you can travel.

Labouring and Construction:

You can get entry-level work as a general labourer, but the pay isn’t as good and the work is definitely more physically demanding than if you were a skilled labourer with experience. However, wages are better for general labour if you to decide work in regional parts of Australia.

The best thing about working in labouring and construction: You can get your second year working holiday visa if you meet certain requirements.

Important Tip to Remember!

Being on a working holiday visa doesn’t necessarily mean you are limited to backpacker jobs either and there is plenty of work for professionals too, as well as the chance of getting sponsored. However, we do advise that you don’t get stuck in a rut during your stay in Australia. We encourage you to get out there and experience what this amazing country has to offer. There’s so much to see and do, and working in backpacker jobs is one of the best ways to see and do things regular tourists wouldn’t get a chance to!

Still worried about finding work in Australia?

Check out our Essentials to Employment page for everything you need to help you find your perfect Aussie job.

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