Working in Australia on a Visa — Job Search Guide

Australia welcomes skilled migrants and visa holders into its workforce — but navigating the job market as a non-citizen requires understanding what to disclose, how to frame your visa status, and which employers are open to or required to sponsor workers.

Work rights — what to include on your resume

If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, include your work rights clearly on your resume. Australian employers need to know this upfront — they cannot legally employ someone without checking work rights, and they want to understand your status before investing time in interviewing you.

State your work rights in the contact block at the top of your resume as a single line:

• "Full working rights — Australian Permanent Resident"
• "Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa — Subclass 482 — valid through March 2028"
• "Graduate visa — Subclass 485 — valid through June 2027 — full working rights"
• "Working Holiday visa — Subclass 417 — full working rights until November 2026"
• "Open Work Permit" (for partners of certain visa holders)

Be specific about your visa subclass and validity date. This allows employers to assess whether there is sufficient time remaining on your visa for a standard employment arrangement.

Visa types commonly seen in Australian employment

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) — Subclass 482

The primary employer-sponsored work visa in Australia. Allows skilled workers to work in Australia for up to 4 years (for medium-term stream occupations) for an approved sponsor employer. Employers must be approved sponsors and the occupation must be on the relevant skills list. From your resume and cover letter perspective: state the subclass and the expiry date. You do not need to explain the sponsorship mechanics — employers in high-demand occupations understand this well.

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) — Subclass 186

A permanent visa requiring employer nomination. Leads to Australian permanent residence. If you hold a 482 visa and your employer is nominating you for a 186, you may mention you are "transitioning to permanent residence through ENS sponsorship."

Temporary Graduate — Subclass 485

For recent graduates from Australian universities. Full working rights. Duration depends on qualification level — typically 2 to 4 years for bachelor and master graduates, up to 5 years for regional and STEM graduates. State the expiry clearly — employers value knowing how much time remains.

Working Holiday — Subclass 417 and 462

For applicants aged 18 to 30 (or 35 for some countries) from eligible countries. Full working rights but with a restriction of 6 months with any one employer (note: this restriction was temporarily lifted for certain sectors post-COVID and has been subject to ongoing policy changes — verify the current rule with the Department of Home Affairs at the time of applying). Working Holiday visa holders are commonly employed in hospitality, agriculture, tourism, and some skilled trades.

Skilled Independent — Subclass 189 and Skilled Nominated — Subclass 190

Points-tested permanent visas. If you hold a 189 or 190, you have full and permanent work rights — equivalent to permanent residence. State "Australian Permanent Resident" on your resume.

Do employers sponsor work visas?

Employer sponsorship requires significant commitment from the employer — they must be an approved sponsor, pay a Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, and document that they cannot fill the role with a local worker. As a result:

• Large corporations, multinationals, government contractors, and healthcare employers are the most likely to sponsor
• Small and medium businesses are less likely to sponsor unless the skill is genuinely scarce
• Occupations on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or Medium-Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) are most sponsorable — check the Department of Home Affairs website for the current lists

If you need sponsorship, it is worth targeting employers who have a history of sponsoring — many large employers list this in their job advertisements ("we welcome applications from visa holders requiring sponsorship").

The Fair Consideration Framework

Australian employers advertising skilled positions must first advertise on Workforce Australia for at least 28 days before sponsoring an overseas worker under the TSS visa. This is the Labour Market Testing requirement. As a job seeker, this means the role has already been advertised locally — your application competes with local applicants. A strong, well-tailored resume and cover letter is essential.

Referees and work history from overseas

International referees are acceptable for Australian employers — particularly if your work history was primarily overseas. Provide full contact details including country code for phone numbers and a professional email address. Note any time zone differences to help employers coordinate contact.

If your overseas qualifications are in a regulated profession (medicine, nursing, engineering, accounting, law), you will need to have your credentials assessed by the relevant Australian body before you can practise. Include the status of any credential assessment on your resume.