VIP DESTINATION: FINDING A JOB DOWNUNDER

So you want a job downunder and don't know where to start. Well you've come to the right place. VIP Backpackers is not just about giving you accommodation and tours, but pointing you in the right direction to make the most of your experience in Australia. Backpackers are part of the travel and local industry in many places around the country and this short summary should help you get started.

The working holiday program

In 2009-09 187,000 travellers joined this program. Most were from the UK (40,000) and Korea (39,000) while the rest came from Germany, Ireland, Japan, France and Canada. But there are plenty of other countries that can also apply. The visa allows you to stay in Australia for 12 months and work up to six months with each employer. This means you can supplement your travel funds while you're over here, have an enriched experience as a community member, and extend your time downunder. You can also leave and re-enter Australia while the visa is valid. Click here for details.

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Requirements

You can apply for the Working Holiday visa online or by filling out an application form. The basic requirements are:
- be aged 18-30 years
- hold a passport issued by an eligible country or region (Belgium, Canada, the Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom).
- not have accompanying dependent children
- meet health, character and financial requirements
- not have previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (unless applying for a second visa)
- be outside Australia when applying and when the visa is granted. A second visa is different
- apply within 12 months of intended travel to Australia.

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Top 5 jobs to look for

In our recent blog we actually nominated five kinds of jobs you should look for when you get here. We recommend you check the blog for more details.

Fruitpicking: Seasonal workers are required on farms around the country to pick fruit and vegetables. You can ring the National Harvest Information Service on the freecall number 1800 062 332 for information. You could also try The Harvest Trail, the official government job search website. It provides details of the season work in regional areas around Australia.

Here's some of the current fruitpicking jobs:
* Bowen, Queensland - packhouse and common farmhand work available (not far from our VIP hostels in Airlie Beach)
* Bundaberg, Queensland - tomato pickers required
* Dalby, Queensland - cottonpicker
* Gunnedah / Brewarrina / Gurley, New South Wales - cotton picking
* McLaren Vale, South Australia - vineyard pruners
* Paringa / Murtho - citrus packing and sorting

Alternatively check the site by month for what kind of work is available and where. It's a fantastic resource. Our Kununurra hostel feature in this month's newsletter actively places working holiday visa holders in farm and fruit picking jobs. Our Mildura based hostel, Murray River hostel, also has a work registry.

Capital cities: Waitress/ barrister / chef / work in one of Australia's capital cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. It's a great place to be part of city life while saving for your next trip. Plenty of agencies are set up to assist with this. Ask at your VIP hostel for work, they often are contacted by people looking for workers.

VIP Backpackers also has a starter pack that can help you find work. This pack contains a list of up to 1000 agencies, tips and advice, resume and cover letter examples, listings for local builders and landscaper etc.

Tourism areas: Seasonally busy places during the summer on the coast or skiing areas in winter are often in need of extra staff for a few months. Places to look would include Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Cairns and Airlie Beach on the east coast. Winter locations would include Falls Creek, Jindabyne and Mount Buller where you could do anything from shuttle bus driving, resort work and ski slope instructing.

The Red Centre: Alice Springs is often in need of seasonal workers to fill its hostels, cafes, restaurants and tourism operatives. While it's located quite remotely in Australia, time in Alice is very rewarding. There's a vibrant arts scene, plenty to see/explore and a wonderful chance to learn about Australian Aboriginal people. Check in with your VIP hostel first to see what work might be available.

Outback Australia: If you want to be the next McLeod's Daughter, you could take up a role on a cattle station who often need extra hands. We have a number of hostels in outback areas like Kununnura (WA), Broome (WA), Tennant Creek (NT), Mildura (VIC) and Alice Springs (NT) who might be able to give you some advice. Check out backpacker magazines and the links on our blog.

See our blog for more details on all these job ideas with more links to search for work.

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Other useful details about Australia

- the national language is Australian (a version of English)
- there are 22 million people in Australia, 23 percent were born overseas (mostly from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam and China)
- it is 873km from Sydney to Melbourne, about 10 driving hours despite how close they look on the map!
- Sydney is Australia's largest city but Canberra is the capital
- if you're coming get familiar with the games of rugby league and Australian football

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