17th February 2010 | The Urbanest Team | Comments [0]
Working on a Student Visa
The Australian government has changed the way international students apply for work visas, making it easier for students. Now, when you apply for a student visa, you will receive a work visa automatically.
When you apply for jobs in Australia, you have to tell the employer the conditions of your student and work visas. As an international student studying in Australia, you can only work once your course has actually begun.
Under a student visa, you are limited to 20 hours of work per week while your course is in session. You can work unlimited hours during the official breaks from the university (the vacation times).
To find work that suits your student visa conditions, you may have to work on weekends or evenings. Some of the places that regularly hire international students are supermarkets (stacking shelves at night), restaurants, and catering facilities who need waiters for special events, such as weddings.
If you have skills or training in a particular field, you will be able to get better jobs. Some international students can find work through the temping agencies for work as secretaries, typists, data entry operators, and personal assistants.
When you arrive in Australia, submit your resume to several of the agencies that provide temporary workers to businesses in the city. You will often need to attend an interview and application process that may include tests of your computer skills to register with the agencies. The agencies will then call you whenever a job comes up that matches your skill set.
If you speak two languages, as many international students who come to Australia do, you can often get higher paying work as a translator. Ask at your local embassy for information on translator jobs. You can also pick up translation work from job adverts and even classifieds.
Check out the free website Gumtree classifieds for Australian jobs in the city where you are studying. People will often advertise there for adhoc workers and jobs that suit the conditions of international student visas. You may pick up babysitting, carwash, writing, labourers, or typing jobs through this website. You may find seasonal jobs such as fruit picking during the holiday periods.
Think about what skills you have and can use to get a good job while you study. Remember to inform your employer that you only able to work 20 hours per week, and will not be available for overtime beyond that point.
You will also need to complete a tax form each financial year you work in Australia, so make sure your work does not violate your visa conditions, or you may lose your visa.
The Australian government makes it easy for international students to work up 20 hours per week and unlimited hours during the holidays from the course.
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