WORK IN AUSTRALIA

You may be considering an overseas work experience for many reasons:
An adventure, a chance to gain in-depth knowledge of another culture and an inexpensive way to improve foreign language proficiency experience which "looks good" on a resume when applying for jobs or graduate school preparation for an international career.

One of the major obstacles to working abroad is the law. Work permit visas are normally available only through application by an employer who has offered you a job. The employer must prove that you have unique skills and abilities not possessed by local citizens. They also must have gone through a process nation wide advertising etc. in order to get the approval to employ a foreign resident. This is expensive and time-consuming, so most employers will not offer a job to a foreigner who does not already possess a work permit.

Student work exchange programs are one of the few legal ways to work in Australia. For short time employment the most common visa is the 417 working visa. Valid for one year, it allows you to take temporary jobs for a maximum of three months at a time. This is the most commonly used work VISA for travellers wishing to earn some money while travelling.

It's basically up to you to make sure you comply with the restrictions to your visa, so make sure you do the right thing. If you don't, it can have an affect on you if you later apply for residency in Australia, as many backpackers do. To help you understand Australian Immigration regulations and your obligations see "visa"

You apply for your Australian working VISA through your local Australian Embassy. 

Job Links:

• Seek - Search among thounds of jobs
• About.com - General Job search engine   

Government Links:

• Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs