Finding a Job and Somewhere to Live in Australia

There’s not much that can rival the excitement of arriving in a new country for the very first time. Having stepped off the plane, you navigate your double luggage allowance through to customs who confirm your residency status and waive you through.

Yes, you’ve finally arrived in Australia to start your new life. So much to see, to do, and discover. At this point a couple of things might be nagging away in the back of your mind though.

You are homeless and you’re out of work.

This may sound slightly dramatic, but for many people who arrive here it can be the reality. Not everybody has a friend or relative to meet them or help them out when they get here, they have to fend for themselves and hit the ground running.

Where to live and how to earn money will probably be your first big challenges, so how do you overcome them?

Finding somewhere to stay in Australia

At the moment I’m not talking about the long-term solution or whether you should buy or rent, I’m talking about loading up your luggage into a taxi at the airport, giving the driver an address and him taking you to somewhere where you’ll have a roof over your head immediately.

gumtreeGumtree was established in Australia in 2007 and since then has become a household name, a treasure trove of stuff, not just here, but in many other countries including the UK. Check out their Real Estate section and you will find thousands and thousands of adverts most of which are offering rooms to share in houses all over Australia.

The few houses you might find available for rent on Gumtree are probably being rented out privately, that is without a rental agency. On that basis you may be able to negotiate a six-month term instead of the normal minimum 12 months, which will help you settle down until you know where you want to live more permanently.

This is the kind of property you want to be looking for if you are a family with children.

But mostly on Gumtree you will find that it is rooms to rent or house sharing. This may not be something you would normally consider, but when you’ve just arrived fresh in a new country with no contacts, I think this kind of accommodation could be perfect. People who rent out rooms in their houses are often friendly, talkative and helpful by nature and that’s just the type of person you need right now.

You can often tie up six-month contracts or less with these kinds of arrangements and that gives you enough time to settle in. During this period you can find your job, decide which suburb you would really like to live in and when you know exactly where you want to live you can think about more permanent accommodation.

House sharing and rooms to rent are the perfect solution if you have come here on your own or as a couple. Of course, you’ll need to secure your house share before you arrive here. I suggest you email, telephone, send photographs of yourselves, be chatty and friendly and offer to do a video Skype call or similar in order to tie up the deal.

Airbnb is also worth a look, and again, to keep the costs down I would be looking to share a house with someone for the same reasons I’ve given above. Within the menu you can select how many of you are coming split by adults and children, and then select the Private Room option. This will keep the costs down.

Homestay is another option, and again, worth a look.

Once you have been here a while, settled in and know exactly where you want to live, then realestate.com.au would be a better place to search, whether you want to buy or rent.

Finding a job in Australia

It’s amazing how quickly your money gets sucked out of you when you have no job. Expenses without income is bad, very bad. You may well have arrived with some good qualifications, skills and experience, but sometimes getting that perfect job takes a while.

Gumtree also has a jobs section, as does Trading Post who at the time of writing have been going for almost 50 years…

Trading PostBetween them they have thousands of job listings, whether they be full-time, casual, part-time or contract. The kind of jobs that take one interview rather than 3 to secure. Labourers, hairdressers, cleaners, chefs, drivers, salespeople, I could make an endless list here, it’s much easier if you go over and check out the listings for yourself.

If you want to start earning money now, rather than in three or four month’s time, then Google both these publications and check out their job sections.

It is worth remembering though that both Gumtree and Trading Post are community websites and most adverts are placed by private individuals. So never send anybody any money in advance for anything and be wary of anyone who asks, or you could up selling fake tans or useless health pills to your family and friends at parties.

And nobody wants that.

If you have come here though as a highly skilled person and need to stick to your career path, I suggest you check out my page called Getting a Job Sponsorships in Australia and Finding Work for those kind of options.

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{ 39 comments… add one }
  • Janes waka January 12, 2020, 3:34 am |

    I would like to relocate to Australia,I am skilled in as a plant operator specialized in excavator,grader,backhoe ,roller and dump truck with a valid driving licence. I can also drive.
    I am also skilled in electrical installation diploma. what can I do to make it there ,I am a Kenyan citizen.

  • Nancy Pandan January 15, 2019, 3:23 pm |

    Sir,
    I am Nancy Pandan, a single parent from Papua New Guinea would like to work and live in Australia for the rest of my life.
    I have experience in Logistics and office administration and have a diploma in Business Management and I can do other general jobs that are available.

    Please help me how to get that job and live there as I have been trying to get a job in Australia all this time but do not know how and I am so very happy to have come across your page.

    Thank you so much and await your reply sooner or later.
    Best regards,
    Nancy

  • Maxwell smith November 20, 2017, 4:28 am |

    Labourers or hotel work

    • Ishan fernando November 20, 2017, 11:38 pm |

      Hai sir,Maxwell smith.i like to work australia..please help me to find commis chef job vacancy sir.

  • Rakesh Roshan September 27, 2017, 5:58 pm |

    Hey Bob
    I am planning to settle in Australia with my family and want to get job in Australia.
    I am betch mechanical engineer .
    Please help me how I get rental house and job in Australia.

  • ishan fernondo September 23, 2017, 1:56 am |

    i find commis chef job in Australia

    • ishan fernondo September 23, 2017, 2:12 am |

      i find commis chef job in Australia.if any one sponsor me plz contact my email resh.shan1987@gmail.com

  • blessed September 18, 2017, 6:19 am |

    hey bob, i relocating to Australia precisely Sydney, i have a degree in Business Administration.
    how can i get a job there?

  • Sonali Bhattacharjee February 26, 2017, 3:36 pm |

    Hello

    How do I move to Australia when I am disabled
    I wanna work with RSPCA Queensland

    • BobinOz February 28, 2017, 12:29 am |

      The process would be the same as it is for anyone, apply for a visa that allows you to live and work in Australia and then seek work in your chosen field. The following pages will help…

      Visas

      Getting a Job or a Sponsorship

  • Ray January 13, 2017, 12:50 am |

    Bob, hope everything is doing great for you. Happy 2017! I am an avid follower of your site, could you comment on how are the jobs flowing so far? We are to move this April in Adelaide.

    Thank you as always!

    • BobinOz January 13, 2017, 4:24 pm |

      Well, the last time I looked at this was in April 2015, jobs were not flowing very well at that time, see…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17033/whats-it-really-like-trying-to-find-a-job-in-australia-2015/

      Whilst the post itself might be a couple years old now, some of the more recent comments are very fresh and it seems to me that things have not got any better since then. If you take a look at the comments on my main page about Adelaide, you will see that the biggest gripe people have in that city seems to be that jobs are very hard to find.

      So I would say that, unfortunately, the job market in Australia at the moment isn’t great, although Sydney and Melbourne do not seem to be suffering as much as elsewhere. That, of course, won’t be much help to you.

      Good luck though, Bob

  • Joshua October 2, 2016, 9:04 pm |

    Bob hi and how’s life over there? Bob can you get me people who can help me for l have two children whom am paying fees for and any willing sponsor is welcome. thx +256774427135
    joshkajubi@gmail.com

  • JATIN JANGRA June 12, 2016, 9:10 pm |

    Hey Bob!
    I’m doing my graduation in B.Com Honours from SRCC DU, and I m planning to come to Australia after graduation, can you please assist me with the jobs I can get there.

    Jatin

  • Ahmed May 17, 2016, 7:06 am |

    Hello Bob, We have granted our permanent visa this year as a skilled migrant for the occupation of Construction Project Manager. I have a BsC in Architecture and over 15 years in Construction Management with top Developers in Dubai. How difficult or easy to find a job; and do I require any licensing to practice as a Construction PM! Tnx

    • BobinOz May 17, 2016, 8:02 pm |

      Well, I can never predict how easy or hard it might be for anybody to find a job when they get here, it’s just impossible. All I can tell you is that at the moment these are not the best of times to find employment in Australia. Please read…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17033/whats-it-really-like-trying-to-find-a-job-in-australia-2015/

      I can’t even help you with the regulations, but I’m sure you could well need some kind of certificate or license to practice here in Australia, most professions do. Good luck though, Bob

  • Christy April 7, 2016, 12:47 am |

    Dear Bob, my family & I are returning home to Australia after almost 9 years oversees. We are moving to Canberra and are currently searching for work. As of now, it looks like we may need to apply for a rental home before a job is secured. Is there much of a chance that we’d even be able to sign a lease? We are both professionals but I realize we can be seen as a risk without current income.
    Thanks for any advice or direction.

    • BobinOz April 7, 2016, 8:10 pm |

      It’s hard to say Christy, much depends on your potential to get employment and also if you can prove ability to pay without yet securing a job. Rental agencies are used to people turning up without employment lined up, but they all have their different ways of dealing with it.

      At the end of the day though, it is usually the landlord, owner of the property, who has the final say on whether to accept an applicant or not. My understanding is that it is illegal for a rental company to ask you for more rent in advance than is legally required, but it is not illegal for you to offer it.

      If you have the money available, doing that may help you secure a rental.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Kieren Bushnell February 20, 2016, 2:00 am |

    Hi Bob. I’m to marry my Australian fiance next year and am initially coming to Australia on a Prospective Marriage Visa before applying for full partner visa. I have no degree but am an experienced (20 years) journalist.
    Do you know what the prospects would be in such a role? We are happy to live where the work is but journalism is my profession, my career.
    I have been made aware by my agent that it would be unlikely for me to find a company willing to give me a journalist position on a temporary visa and so I’m happy to take any work initially but what are the prospects of my find a position in my profession?

  • Dudley day January 19, 2016, 4:35 am |

    What kind of job in austra and how do theya make per hr

  • Alexander A. Brosius September 16, 2015, 8:14 am |

    Can I remain in Liberia and get job at Gumtree?

    • BobinOz September 16, 2015, 11:53 pm |

      Gumtree themselves don’t have any jobs, it is just the paper that advertises things. Is not easy to get a job in Australia when you’re not already in Australia. And then of course, you will need a visa.

  • Anna August 29, 2015, 4:56 am |

    hello Bob. I finish my degree and training in physiotherapy next year and i would love to move out and live in Oz ! i really dont know what city to look at though! i love beaches and parks and im not to much into cites, but i will live near one or in one if that is easier work wise! i would like to get a house or rent an apartment for some time? is there anywhere in Oz that you could recommed me reaserching some more into?! where are you living? and what are the job like at the moment in australia!! thank you so much! sorry!

    Anna 🙂

    • BobinOz August 29, 2015, 6:56 pm |

      Please take a good look around this website Anna, I have loads and loads of pages on these subjects, you’ll find a lot of useful information.

  • Pedro Pereira May 30, 2015, 12:22 am |

    I have eard that the Australia goverment is making imigration alot harder. Is that true? Hows the situacion at the moment?

    Thanks!

    • BobinOz June 1, 2015, 3:09 pm |

      The government changes the rules on a regular basis and sometimes this makes it harder for certain people, sometimes easier. You would need to consult with a MARA registered migration agent to find out how easy or hard it would be for you to get a visa based on your circumstances.

  • manish gupta January 17, 2015, 8:07 am |

    me n my wife are planning to shift australia from india…i hav done graduation in commerce n my wife has masters in arts…what jobs can we get over there??how much can we expect to earn over there….what is average monthly spending for a family of 3….we both r ready to live a low decent life for 4 to 5 years n thn slightly chnge our standard of living…so please guide with some nearly exact income we can earn with our qualifications n spendings…

  • Cham January 3, 2015, 1:29 pm |

    Thanks for the article; relocating to Brisbane on the 13th of Jan and well; its scary now that the day is almost here.

    • BobinOz January 5, 2015, 2:21 pm |

      Scary AND exciting, hope it all works out well.

  • Pali December 26, 2014, 8:57 pm |

    Good article. This encourage to us to come to AUS. Thanks a lot and keep writting good articles…

  • chris December 14, 2014, 9:21 pm |

    Bob I hope you haven’t sold out your blog to advertising!

    • BobinOz December 15, 2014, 5:13 pm |

      No, I haven’t, but I’m open to offers; my daughter needs new shoes 🙂

  • Kamma December 12, 2014, 4:57 am |

    Basically, Gumtree cover all your needs?

    • BobinOz December 12, 2014, 5:28 pm |

      No, I wouldn’t use them for your weekly grocery shopping 🙂

      • Kamma December 13, 2014, 4:23 am |

        Darn. Well, I suppose Coles and Woolworths need something to do, too. 😉

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