Working in Australia

• Applying for permission to work
• Tax File Number (TFN)
• Finding a job

You must have sufficient funds to cover all expenses before you leave your home country. You cannot rely on working in Australia to cover your tuition fees or living costs. Although working part-time can provide an avenue for meeting new people and some extra spending money, it should never be considered more than an ‘added bonus’.

If you are an AusAID student you will need approval to undertake part-time work.

Applying for permission to work

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) now issues student visas with work rights attached automatically.

The work conditions of the visa are:

• Students and their dependants cannot work until the student has started studying in Australia.
• Students cannot work more than 20 hours a week while their course is in session (excluding work done as a registered component of the course).
• Dependants cannot work more than 20 hours a week, except for dependants of students who have started a Masters or Doctorate course.

These dependants will be able to work unlimited hours. The student visa application charge is now AUD$450 as at 26 April 2008.

Visit Visas & Immigration: Working While Studying for more information.

Tax File Number (TFN)

If you decide to work, you will be required to pay tax on your earnings in Australia. The amount you will pay is determined by how much money you earn during the financial year (1 July to 30 June) and the applicable rate of tax rate set by the Australian Government.

You will need to apply for a tax file number (TFN) after the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has granted you permission to work. This is a unique number issued to each taxpayer by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Your Australian bank and employer will ask you to provide them with your tax file number when you open a new account or start a new job. If you do not provide them with this number, your bank will be required to tax your interest at almost 50% and your employer will be required to take almost 50% of your wages in tax.

A TFN will assist you when you: 

• Work in Australia
• Lodge a tax return
• Apply for certain income assistance or support payments (such as pensions or benefits from either Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs)
• Make or receive payments under the pay as you go system 
• Have savings accounts or investments that earn income – for example, interest or dividends

For further information about paying taxes in Australia and to apply for a TFN, visit the Australian Taxation Office website.

Finding a job

While it is possible for students to find part-time work in Wollongong, this is not always an easy process. Competition for jobs is high in Wollongong and you will need to balance any part-time work with your studies and manage your time effectively. You should also be flexible in the types of jobs you are prepared to do. Typical part-time jobs taken by students are in the retail, services and hospitality sectors, for example in restaurants, shops and supermarkets, sales, call centres, deliveries etc. Rates of pay vary, however you could expect to earn around $12 to $20 per hour (before tax). Students should seek assistance in developing skills such as resumé writing and interview technique.

You may find that the styles and techniques expected by employers in Australia are very different than in your own country, and this applies even to part-time jobs. The UOW Careers Service conducts regular workshops on developing job-seeking skills and writing resumés.

Some resources for finding a part-time job are listed below:

• UOW Careers Service
  
  Location: Lower ground floor, UniCentre (Building 17)
  
  The UOW Careers Service offers advice on job hunting and maintains an online ‘Job Board’ of employment vacancies. You can also register with the ‘My JobAlert’ service to receive regular notices about job opportunities as they arise. Resources to help you prepare job applications that will meet the expectations of Australian employers are also provided. 
  
  Visit the Careers Service online.  
  
• Newspaper Advertisements
  
  Many employers in Wollongong advertise job vacancies in the classifieds section of the local ‘Illawarra Mercury’ newspaper. Sydney-based positions are usually advertised in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ or ‘Daily Telegraph’. Most job advertisements are placed in the Saturday edition of each newspaper.
  
  You may also find job advertisements in newspapers designed for visitors/local residents from your home country (e.g. the ‘Thai Press’, ‘Singtao Chinese Newspaper’ or ‘Australian Chinese Newspaper’ )
  
• Online Listings
  
  Visit www.mycareer.com.au and www.careerone.com.au to access online listings of vacancies advertised in major newspapers in Wollongong and Sydney.

Last reviewed: 14 May, 2008