For many young people around the world, the idea of leaving home and working for a year in a foreign city is an attractive one.
Many find themselves planning a trip to Australia, both for its range of attractions and its enviable climate. If you’re planning on taking advantage of a working holiday visa in Australia and doing some backpacking while you’re here, there are a few ways in which you can make it easier for yourself finding temporary work once you arrive. For many, Sydney is the first port of call, and being a vibrant and beautiful city, it is the place where a lot of backpackers choose to settle for a while. Here. We’ve create a list of tips for those looking to find work in the harbour city—from checking with Sydney hostels to which industries best suit your travel plans. Good luck, and enjoy!
Decide What You Want to Do
Your travel plans will impact on the type of work you’re looking for, as well as your plans for how you’d like to spend your time in Sydney. Perhaps you want to make the most of the Aussie weather and choose a job where you can spend time outdoors? Maybe you want to build on your skills in the hospitality industry and want to find bar work or a job in a restaurant? You might want to make sure your weekends are free for exploring, in which case an office job would probably be best suited to you. Some backpackers arrive and decide they want to work in their area of expertise, others take it as an opportunity to do something completely different and outside of their comfort zone—it’s really up to you.
Finding Temporary Positions
One thing that you can do in order to find work in Sydney is to check with local hostels. Not only are there frequently jobs on offer at the hostels themselves, but they also usually have jobs boards on which they advertise short term positions. Another way to find quick work is to register with some local recruitment agencies, many of which specialise in placing travelers for temporary roles.
Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
If you’re unsure of things like minimum wage, superannuation, taxation or your rights in the workplace, the Australian government has a good website called Your Rights at Work which is great for brushing up on the laws around employment in Australia. Employers are generally quite fair, but it is always best to protect yourself.
Along with finding good, reliable work when you move to Sydney, make sure you are properly protected with good travel insurance before you leave.
