cover title: author: publisher: isbn10 | asin: print isbn13: ebook isbn13: language: subject publication date: lcc: ddc: subject: next page > Getting a Job in Australia : How to Discover Well Paid Work and a Great New Lifestyle Vandome, Nick How To Books, Ltd 1857032802 9781857032802 9780585241647 English Job hunting Australia, British Employment Australia 1997 HF5382.75.A8.V36 1997eb 650.140994 Job hunting Australia, British Employment Australia cover next page > < previous page page_1 next page > Page Getting a Job in Australia < previous page page_1 next page > cover title: author: publisher: isbn10 | asin: print isbn13: ebook isbn13: language: subject publication date: lcc: ddc: subject: next page > Getting a Job in Australia : How to Discover Well Paid Work and a Great New Lifestyle Vandome, Nick How To Books, Ltd 1857032802 9781857032802 9780585241647 English Job hunting Australia, British Employment Australia 1997 HF5382.75.A8.V36 1997eb 650.140994 Job hunting Australia, British Employment Australia cover next page > page_2 < previous page next page > Page A selection of other How To Books Applying for a Job Passing that Interview Choosing a Package Holiday Planning Your Gap Year Doing Business Abroad Retire Abroad Doing Voluntary Work Abroad Spending a Year Abroad Emigrate Study Abroad Find Temporary Work Abroad Teach Abroad Find a Job in New Zealand Travel Round the World Finding Work Overseas Using the Internet Get a Job Abroad Working Abroad Getting a Job in Travel & Tourism Working as an Au Pair Living & Working in Australia Working on Contract Worldwide Obtaining Visas & Work Permits Other titles in preparation The How to Series now contains more than 200 titles in the following categories: Business & Management Personal Finance Computer Basics Self-Development General Reference Small Business Jobs & Careers Student Handbooks Living & Working Abroad Successful Writing Please send for a free copy of the latest catalogue for full details (see back cover for address) < previous page page_2 next page > < previous page page_3 next page > Page Getting a Job in Australia How to discover Well Paid Work and a Great New Lifestyle Nick Vandome 3rd edition How To Books < previous page page_3 next page > < previous page page_4 next page > Page Acknowledgement Commonwealth data included in this publication is copyright and reproduced by permission Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government Publishing Service Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Manager, Commonwealth Information Services, Australian Government Publishing Service, GPO Box 84, Canberra, ACT 2610 Note Readers are advised to seek professional advice before making important personal or financial decisions and this book is not in any way to be considered a substitute for such advice Readers are reminded that law and regulations are liable to change British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library © 1997 Nick Vandome Cartoons by Mike Flanagan Published by How To Books Ltd, Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE, United Kingdom Tel: (01865) 793806 Fax: (01865) 248780 email: info@howtobooks.co.uk www.howtobooks.co.uk All rights reserved No part of this work may be reproduced or stored in an information retrieval system (other than for the purposes of review) without the express permission of the Publisher in writing First edition 1992 Second edition (revised) 1995 Third edition (revised) 1997 Fourth impression 1999 Produced for How To Books by Deer Park Productions Typeset by Concept Communications (Design & Print) Ltd, Crayford, Kent Printed and bound by The Cromwell Press Ltd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire < previous page page_4 next page > < previous page page_5 next page > Page Preface Australia has attracted the interest of vast numbers of people worldwide in the last fifty years: since the end of World War Two over five million migrants have settled there The British, as much as any other nation, are fascinated with Australia and all things Australian At the beginning of the 1990s this interest remained undiminished, despite an economic recession in Australia that led to higher unemployment and calls for curbs on migration However, 1997 saw a continuation of the economic revival that began three or four years ago Unemployment is below 9% and falling, inflation is under control at below 3% and economic growth is steady Despite these healthy economic indicators the Australian Government, headed by the recently elected John Howard, is keeping a firm grip on immigration quotas; the 1997/98 figure of 68,000 is the lowest this decade However, skilled workers and successful business people are still in high demand, which is good news for most prospective migrants Despite the upturn in the Australian economy and the job market, the situation is still a far cry from the halcyon days of the 1960s Prospective migrants and workers should not be lulled into a false sense of optimism There are jobs available, but what is needed when looking for a job is careful thought and a certain amount of research This book does not promise to land you a top post with a multi-national company, but it will arm you with all the relevant information that you need to tackle the job scene in Australia I am indebted to various people who helped me in gathering much of the factual information for the third edition of this book This includes a number of unnamed officials in both Australia and Britain If migrants and job hunters enjoy the same excellent service then they will be well on their way to a successfull life in Australia I hope this book will be of some use to people heading off to forge a living Down Under If readers notice any errors or omissions, please contact the author c/o How To Books NICK VANDOME < previous page page_5 next page > < previous page page_7 next page > Page Contents Preface List of Illustrations 10 Economic Overview 11 11 Economic Roots 12 General Economic Conditions 16 The Current Situation Entry Requirements 18 18 General 19 Independent Migration 20 Concessional Family Migration 21 Fees 22 Business Migration Programme (BMP) 22 The Business Migration Points Test 24 Holiday Working Visas 25 Application Points Employment Law and Conditions 26 26 Pay 27 Holidays 27 Working Hours 28 Trade Unions 29 Sick Leave 29 Superannuation 31 Fringe Benefits 31 Workers' Compensation 31 Contracts of Employment Problems in the Workplace 34 34 Sickness 35 Sexual Harassment < previous page page_7 next page > < previous page page_8 next page > Page 37 Racial Discrimination 37 Redundancy 39 Strikes and Industrial Disputes 39 Working Illegally Finance 41 41 Tax 52 Social Security 56 Other Financial Matters The Official Recruitment Network 58 58 Commonwealth Employment Services (CES) 58 Youth Officers 58 Career Reference Centres (CRC) 59 Work Information Centres (WIC) 66 Vocational Services Branches The General Recruitment Network 68 68 < previous page page_184 next page > Page 184 Flat-out-like-a-lizard-drinking Someone working their socks off Flexitime An arrangement where workers can start and leave work at earlier or later times to normal Debits or credits of working hours can be built up within specified limits enabling a 'flex day' to be taken off on occasions Flexitime conditions vary from company to company and depend on the relevant award for that industry Flexitime is most common in the public service Full-time employment Any job where you work more than 30 hours a week Group certificate A yearly statement of earnings issued by the employer and used by the employee to prepare the dreaded tax return Gun The best, and fastest, worker Frequently applied in industries such as fruit-picking or anything where you have to produce a certain amount a day Hard yakka Hard workdefinitely not done by a bludger Job sharing As employment rises, more and more people are embracing the concept of job sharing, whereby two or more people share the duties and responsibilities of one job The hours and conditions are arranged to suit the employees Leave loading This is a particularly Australian concept which allows for an extra 17.5 per cent to be added to workers' annual holiday pay An extremely civilised arrangement Long service leave Three months paid leave usually granted after either 10 or 15 years of continuous employment with one firm Medicare The system of national health care Provides for free hospital treatment and 85 per cent of general practitioners' fees A tax of 1.7 per cent is levied on all wage earners in order to finance Medicare O A suffix used with a variety of occupations, such as journo, milko, garbo (garbage collector), muso, and so on Offsider An assistant Overtime Any hours worked in excess of regular full-time hours Overtime rates are usually at time-and-a-half or double-time Part-time work (also called casual employment) Any job where you work less than 30 hours a week You not always have the same rights as full-time workers but awards for part-time work usually contain sufficient provisions to protect workers Penalty rates Due to the accord and award agreements, workers are paid at higher rates if they work at weekends, at night or on shift work Workers are often happy to work at unsociable hours because of penalty rates Piece work Work where you are paid on how much you produce < previous page page_184 next page > < previous page page_185 next page > Page 185 Severance pay Compensation paid by a firm to an employee whose services are no longer required because of technological changes or other factors Shift work Most shift work is divided into three sectionsday, afternoon, and night shift All shifts are usually eligible for penalty rates but night shift attracts the highest rate Sickie An unscheduled day off when you not feel like going to work because of a hangover, the sun is shining or you just not feel like working An increasing problem in the Australian workforce, since some workers believe that it is their right to take a certain number of sickies a year Sick leave Paid leave when you are suffering from the sickle malaise It also applies when you are genuinely sick although there is a limit to how many sick days you can have a year Smoko A tea breaksome industries would be brought to a halt if its workers were not allowed their smoko Smoking is not obligatory Special leave This is extra leave which is granted in exceptional circumstances, such as the death of a close relative, attendance at jury service, or private study Superannuation A scheme financed by either employers, or employers and employees, which assures the employee an income after retirement TAFE: Technical and Further Education colleges This is the main vocational education body in Australia It covers a wide range of professions and has a large number of colleges in all states Tax agent Someone to fill in your tax form Although they charge a fee it is usually well worth it, not only for the time they can save you but also because of the refund which they may be able to calculate TFN: Tax File Number A number which you must have if you intend to work in Australia It can be obtained by filling in a form from any tax office in Australia < previous page page_185 next page > < previous page page_186 next page > Page 186 Useful Addresses Australian Bureau of Statistics, PO Box 10, Belconnen, ACT 2616 Tel: 06 252 6112 Australian High Commission, Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA Tel: 0171 379 4334 Australian Consulate, Chatsworth House, Lever Street, Manchester Ml 2DL Tel: 0161 228 1344 Australian Department of Employment, Education and Training, PO Box 9880, Canberra, ACT 2601 Tel: 06 837008 Department of Industrial Relations, GPO Box 9879, Canberra, ACT 2601 Tel: 06 243 7333 Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs, Central Office, Benjamin Offices, Chan Street, Belconnen, ACT 2617 Tel: 06 574111 Department of Social Security, Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA Department of Social Security, Juliana House, Bowes Street, Philip, ACT 2606 Tel: 06 891444 Department of Trade, Edmund Barton Building, Kings Avenue, Barton, ACT 2600 Tel: 062 723911 Financial and Migrant Information Service, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Kingsway, London WC2 Tel: 0171 379 0955 National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), GPO Box 1407, Canberra City, ACT Tel: 06 276 7636 Trade Agent-General for New South Wales, New South Wales House, 66 Strand, London WC2N 5LZ Tel: 0171 839 6651 Agent-General for Victoria, Victoria House, Melbourne Place, Strand, London WC2B 4LG Tel: 0171 836 2656 Agent-General for Queensland, Queensland House, 392393 Strand, London WC2R 0LZ Tel: 0171 836 1333 < previous page page_186 next page > < previous page page_187 next page > Page 187 Agent-General for Western Australia, Western Australia House, 115116 Strand, London WC2R 0AJ Tel: 0171 240 2881 Australian Trade Commission (AUSTRADE), Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA Tel: 0171 887 5326 < previous page page_187 next page > < previous page page_188 next page > Page 188 Further Reading Magazines and Newspapers Australian News, Outbound Newspapers Limited, Commercial Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3XQ Tel: 01323 412001 Australian Outlook, Buckhurst Road, Town Hall Square, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1QF Tel: 01424 223111 Brisbane Courier-Mail, Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, Brisbane The Adelaide Advertiser, 121 King William Street, Adelaide The Melbourne Age, 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne The Sydney Morning Herald, 235 Jones Street, Broadway, NSW 2007 The West Australian, 219 St George's Terrace, Perth 6000 Books Australian Careers Guide, David Royce Publishing, 44 Regent Street, Redfern, NSW Living & Working in Australia by Laura Veltman, How To Books, Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PZ 6th edition How to Get a Job Abroad by Roger Jones, How To Books (as above) Spending a Year Abroad by Nick Vandome, How To Books (as above) How to Study Abroad, Teresa Tinsley, How To Books (as above) How to Teach Abroad, Roger Jones, How To Books (as above) Cost of Living and Housing Survey, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Telecom National Business Directory, Telecom Australia (available from most large libraries) Jobsons Year Book of Public Companies, Dun and Bradstreet (Publications), 24 Albert Street, South Melbourne, Victoria 3205 Smart Start, Hobsons Press (Australia), 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 What Job Suits You?, Hobsons Press (Australia), 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 < previous page page_188 next page > < previous page page_189 next page > Page 189 Job ProspectsAustralia, Hobsons Press (Australia), 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 What Jobs Pay, Hobsons Press (Australia), 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 The Job BookLife After School, Hobsons Press (Australia), 270 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Business Destination Australia/New Zealand, Business Migration Program, Australian Consulates, Embassies and Commissions < previous page page_189 next page > < previous page page_190 next page > Page 190 Index A Accommodation, 173-174 Accord, 15, 26 Accounting, 77, 125-126 Actuary, 77-78 Advertising, 78 Agriculture, 79 Ambulance service, 79-80 Announcer, 80 Apprenticeship, 149-150 Architect, 81, 126-127 Art and design, 81 Art restorer, 87 Air traffic control, 81-82 Australian Capital Territory, 68-69, 145 Award rates, 26 B Banking, 82-83 Beauty therapy, 83 Bricklayer, 83 Building, 83 Business Migration Program (BMP), 18, 21-23 C Cabinet-maker, 83-84 Career Reference Centre (CRC), 58-59 Carpenter, 84 Child care, 85 Chiropractor, 86 Compensation, 31 Computing, 86, 127-128 Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 56-57 Commonwealth Employment Service (CES), 56-57, 156, 157 Concessional Family Migration, 18, 20-21 Contracts, 31-33 Community arts, 87 Cook/chef, 88 Costello, Peter, 17 D Dance, 88 Defence forces, 89 Dentistry, 89, 128 Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA), 143 Dietetics, 128 Discrimination, 39 Drafting, 89-90 Drama, 90 E Economist, 90-91 Economy, 11-17 Electronics, 91 Employment agencies, 68-73 Engineering, 91-93 Entry requirements, 18-25 F Fashion, 92 Fees, 21 Film and television, 92 Fishing, 93 Food technology, 93 Forestry, 93 Fringe Benefits Tax, 31 Fruit picking, 158, 164 G Gardening, 94 Geology, 94 Gemmology, 99 Glazier, 94-95 Graphic designer, 95 < previous page page_190 next page > < previous page page_191 next page > Page 191 H Hairdressing, 95 Hand, Gerry, 17, 40 Harassment, 35-37 Hawke, Bob, 16, 155 Health, 34-35 Health surveyor, 96 History, 11-12 Holiday Working Visa, 18, 23-25 Holidays, 27 Hospital administrator, 96 Home economics, 96-97 Horticulture, 97 Hotel and catering, 97-98, 164-166 Howard, John, 5, 16 I Income tax, 41-51 Independent Migration, 18, 19-20 Industrial design, 98 Industrial relations, 39 Industries Commission, 15 Insurance, 98-99 Interior design, 99 J Jewellery, 99 Job Search 148-149 Job Search Allowance, 55-56 Job Start, 147 Journalism, 100 K Keating, Paul, 16, 17 L Law, 100 Leave Loading, 27 Librarian, 100-101 Locksmith, 101 'Lucky Country', 12, 16, 17 M Mechanics, 91-92, 116 Medicare, 34 Medicine, 101 Metal trades, 101-102 Migration, 18-25 Mining, 102, 167 Mothercraft, 102 Motor trade, 102-103 Music, 103 N National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), 124-137 New South Wales, 69-70, 145, 158-159 Newspapers, 73-74 Newstart, 56 Natural therapy, 103 Northern Territory, 146 Nursing, 104, 129 O Occupational therapy, 104-105 Oil driller, 105 Optometrist, 105-106 Orthopist, 106 Optical, 106-107 Organisation and Methods, 107 P Painter, 84 Patternmaking, 107 Pay, 26 Penalty rates, 26 Pensions, 52-55 Personnel, 108 Pharmacist, 108, 129-130 Photographer, 108-109 Physical fitness, 109 Physiotherapist, 109-110, 130-131 Plasterer, 84 Plumber, 84 Podiatrist, 110, 131-132 Police, 110-111 Pool system, 18 Prices Surveillance Authority, 15 Printing, 111 Prison officer, 111-112 Psychologist, 112 Public relations, 112-113 Public Services, 113 Q Quantity surveyor, 113-114 Queensland, 70, 145-146, 160-161 R Radiographer, 114, 132-133 Radio/TV repair, 114 Ranger, 115 Receptionist, 115 Recreation officers, 115-116 Recruitment, 65-76, 156-157 Recruitment agencies, 68-73 Real estate, 116 Redundancy, 37-39 < previous page page_191 next page > < previous page page_192 Page 192 Relocation, 169-175 Removal, 170-172 Retailing, 117 Ruddock, Philip, 17 S Secretarial, 117-118 Sickies, 153 Social security, 52-56 Social Welfare, 133-134 Social work, 118 South Australia, 70, 161 Stock and station agent, 119 Stock exchange, 119 Strikes, 41 Superannuation, 29-30 T Tasmania, 146, 161-162 Tax, 41-52 Tax File Number, 41 Tax Pack, 42 Teacher, 119-120, 134, 135 Technical and Further Education (TAFE), 143-147 Technicians, 135-136 Textile design, 120 Town planner, 120 Trade test, 138-140 Trade unions, 28-29 Trades, 140-142 Train driver, 121 Traineeships, 149 Travel, 172-174 Travel consultant, 120 V Valuer, 121-122 Veterinary science, 136-137 Victoria, 71-72, 145, 159-160 Visual merchandiser, 122 Vocational Services, 66-67 W Western Australia, 72-73, 146, 162-163 Wine maker, 122 Wool classer, 122-123 Work Information Centres (WIC), 59-65 Working hours, 28 Y Youth officers, 58 Z Zoology, 123 < previous page page_192 ... Job Abroad Working Abroad Getting a Job in Travel & Tourism Working as an Au Pair Living & Working in Australia Working on Contract Worldwide Obtaining Visas & Work Permits Other titles in preparation... Work Abroad Spending a Year Abroad Emigrate Study Abroad Find Temporary Work Abroad Teach Abroad Find a Job in New Zealand Travel Round the World Finding Work Overseas Using the Internet Get a Job. .. State, February 1997 NSW New South Wales, VIC Victoria, QLD Queensland, SA South Australia, WA Western Australia, TAS Tasmania, NT Northern Territory, ACT Australian Capital Territory, AUS Australian