Tips for finding study programs, work and long-term accomodation.
Living semi-permanently in Oceania studying
or working is often a good way to really
experience local culture. However we do
encourage all travellers to consider whether
the job they require would be of more benefit
to a local person particularly in areas
of high unemployment. If you have advice
or a job placement, please e-mail us with
your information at oceania@backpackglobe.com
AUSTRALIA
Working in Australia can be a good way to
fund further travels, stay longer in the
country and improve your experience of Aussie
culture. It is always best to get the legal
working permits. See our visa pages for
details on applying for work permits. However
backpackers can get cash in hand jobs however
these are more and more rare. All people
entering Australia need a visa unless they
are Australian citizens or a New Zealand
passport holder. For work you need a work
permit. UK passport holders may work for
one year in Australia before they turn 30
years of age but appropriate documentation
is still required before arrival.
Work Holiday Visas
You can enter Australia for a working holiday
or scholarship if you are from Canada, Cyprus,
Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong SAR,
Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands,
Norway, South Korea, Swiden and the Unted
Kingdom. If you are a citizen of one of
these countries, aged 18-30 years with no
dependent children you may spend up to 12
months in Australia in casual or temporary
work. You may not work at one job for longer
than 3 months and it must not be more than
casual/part-time or temporary.
This visa must be obtained before entering
Australia. Citizens of Canada, Denmark,
Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway,
Sweden and the United Kingom can apply at
an Australian consulate, embassy or high
commission outside Australia but the other
countries citizens must apply in their home
country.
Applications can be made online at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/visit.htm
Please note that only a certain number of
Working Holiday Viasa are issued each year.
Also you may be denied the visa if you can't
produce bank statements totally at least
A$5000, an onward airfare or for other reasons.
The visa is valid from the date of entry
in Australia.
Work Exchange for US citizens
US citizens should consult the Center for
International Business and Travel (CIBT,
tel. 800 929 2428) which secures visas for
travel to most countries. Alternatively
email customerservice@cibt.com
US citizens can also consult www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/travel/foreign/foreignentryreqs.html
The CIEE website http://us.councilexchanges.org
also can arrange four month long visas for
work in Australia for adults between 18-30
years. You must be in the US at the time
of the application and the programs costs
US $475 plus US$40 per month for insurance.
You must also show you have at least US
$1500 to support yourself before you first
Australian pay. It takes about four weeks
to porcess applications, then you must apply
for your work visa with the Australian Embassy
and pay US$110 plus any shipping costs.
Expect another three week delay.
Job ideas
Seasonal work in tourist centres like Alice
Springs, Cairns, the Queensland coast, the
ski fields in Victoria and New South Wales
are good prospects but limited to peak holiday
seasons. Other ideas for casual work include
factories, bar work, waiting on tables,
washing dishes, domestic chores, nannying,
fruit picking, station hands and collecting
for charities. If you have secretarial skills
or nurse qualifications there should be
ample opportunities in major cities. Generally
finding work in capital cities or major
regional centres should not be a problem.
In cities you could register with a temp
agency or scan the papers and advertisements
for other jobs. The Saturday and Wednesday
editions list jobs.
Seasonal work is a good way to move around
and see some of the country. It tends to
be low paid but you should get free food
and accomodation. Consult the Employment
National website for harvest work - www.employmentnational.com.au/go_harvest.htm
If you want free accommodation and are not
in a hurry you can try the organization
WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms).
Most places require a minimum stay of a
couple of days but you may also be able
to stay just one night. If you work well
you may even be able to stay several months.
The idea is that you do a few hours work
each day in return for bed and board. Most
participants in the scheme are concerned
with alternative lifestyles. To join or
contact WWOOF costs $20, contact http://www.earthink.com.au/wwoof
You can also consult backpacker magazines
like TNT
or go to local hostels for job advertisements.
Tax
If you work in Australia you have to pay
tax on your income from the first dollar
that you earn. There are thresholds for
tax payers so the more you earn the higher
percentage of tax you pay. However to reduce
the amount of tax you should apply for a
Tax File Number which is usually a requirement
to work anyway. Apply for a Tax File Number
Online at www.ato.gov.au
Before you go home or before 30 June each
year you must complete a tax return. You
can be fined $550 if you do not lodge a
return. If you are on a Working Holiday
Visa you can not get a tax refund.
NEW ZEALAND
All people entering New Zealand need a visa
unless they are New Zealand citizens or
an Australian passport holder. For work
you need a work permit, visitor or student
permit that allows work (possible with the
above documents). People in New Zealand
on a Working Holiday Scheme Permit are not
permitted to take up permanent employment.
UK passport holders may work for one year
before they turn 30 years of age but appropriate
documentation is still required before arrival.
See www.immigration.govt.nz
for more details.
When
you arrive in New Zealand you need to
get a tax number (IRD
number) and with your work permit
you will be able to work in New Zealand
legally.
Job
Ideas
In the main cities it should be relatively
easy to find work as unemployment in New
Zealand is relatively low. Temp agencies,
bars, restaurants etc are good places
to start. There is also a lot of seasonal
work in New Zealand. The pay rates aren't
high but you can get free accomodation
and it's a good way to stay in the country
and see different areas. Here are some
harvest details:
Kerikeri (Kiwi Fruit) April-May
Napier and Hastings (Apples) Feb-May
Nelson and Motueka (Apples thining) Nov
Central Otago (Apricots, nectarines, peaches)
Jan-March
Mandarins are harvested April-June, Stone
fruits Dec-Feb, Cheries Nov-Dec
Volunteer
Work
WWOOF'ing
is the best place to go for volunteer
work. It stands for Willing Workers on
Organic Farms adn there are 100s of farms
around New Zealand where you work for
a few hours per day for food adn accomodation.
Another option is The
Department of Conservation who have
a list of current volunteer jobs posted
on their site. Other sites include Conservationvolunteers
and Forest-bird.org.nz
LONG-TERM ACCOMODATION
Housing prices in Australia have increased
somewhat astronomically recently in Sydney,
Melbourne and also Brisbane. However the
best places to look for shared accomodation
notices are university noticeboards, English
colleges, shopping centres, cafes, hostels
and street newspapers. Hostels may also
advertise.
Here are some hints:
- budget enough money to stay in a hostel
for 1-2 weeks if you don't find anything
more permanent sooner.
- add to your budget that you may need
bond money once you find a place.
- check university bulletin boards and
newsletters that may feature cheap student
accommodation, shared housing etc
- see advertisements in local newspapers
- walk the streets and talk to people.
Let it be known what you are looking for.
- some boarding schools offer accommodation
in return or a few hours helping out at
the school either in the dorm or elsewhere.
This may limit your night hours however.
- look into exchanging housing. There
are web sites and agencies that help organise
this. Search our bulletin boards or leaving
your own posting.
- some hostels may discount your lodging
for long term stays or you may be able
to work for your accommodation. Other
hostels refuse stays of longer than several
days. Check our discussion boards and
job pages for listings.
- some cities have cheap workers dorms
- go to the local housing agency
- join a house sitting organisation or
check our bulletin boards for house sitting
opportunities. There are usually requirements
to fill, age is a big one.
STUDYING
There are many opportunities for studying
English in Australia and you can even stay
with families in a homestay situation. These
are very popular with Asians, Brazilians
and some of the northern European countries.
Usually American undergraduates enroll in
university courses through programs sponsored
by their home universities. This is more
expensive but usually a better way of getting
academic credit and housing. If you want
tertiary entry there are fairly strict requirements
and you need to contact the universities
directly for information. All require a
study visa.
Study
Abroad programs start from high school
cultural exchanges to college-level classes.
In programs with large groups of students
of the same language or nationality you
may not meet as many locals or other students.
For programs in Australia see www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
which is a website of the Australian government.
