Guide
Finding work in Australia
Most working holiday makers mix a few of these routes. What works fastest depends on where you are, what you want to do, and whether you need to clock days toward a second-year visa.
Gig work
Food delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Menulog) is the fastest way to earn with no interview and no waiting for an employer to call back. Sign up online, complete the identity check, and you can be out on your first delivery within a few days.
Tax note: gig platforms treat you as a contractor, not an employee. No employer withholding tax, which means you are responsible for setting aside money for your tax bill when you lodge your return. You also need an ABN (Australian Business Number), free from the ABR website and takes minutes to get. Without one the platform must withhold 47% of your earnings.
Most platforms run driver-referral schemes where new drivers who sign up with a referral link get a bonus after completing a set number of deliveries. Look for a current code from a driver in a Facebook group before you register.
Hostel volunteering
Many hostels offer a few hours of work per day (cleaning, reception, bar shifts) in exchange for free accommodation. It is a common way to stretch a tight budget, meet people, and get your bearings in a new city while you look for paid work.
Hostel volunteer work does not count toward the 88 days of specified work required for a second-year visa. If farm or agricultural work is part of your plan, hostel volunteering will not get you there, even if it is in a regional area. The 88-day count is strict about which industries and roles qualify.
Job boards
SEEK is the dominant job board in Australia for most industries. Indeed and Jora are worth checking too, particularly for casual hospitality roles that sometimes only appear there.
When applying, include your visa type (Working Holiday, subclass 417 or 462) and your work rights expiry in your cover letter. Many employers assume they cannot hire short-term travellers. Being upfront removes the uncertainty and gets more responses than leaving it vague.
LinkedIn is taken seriously by Australian recruiters, particularly for office, professional, and tech roles. Update your location to your Australian city before applying. Applications from an overseas location get filtered out before a human sees them.
Connect with local recruiters in your industry. A short note when connecting (two or three sentences, not a generic request) gets a much higher response rate. Mention you have Australian work rights and your expected time in-country.
Facebook groups and word of mouth
A lot of casual, backpacker, and hospitality jobs never get posted on a job board. Facebook groups are where much of this informal hiring happens. Search for groups like "Backpacker Jobs Sydney" (or your city), "Working Holiday Australia", and any group attached to your hostel.
Word of mouth is real. Ask hostel staff what is hiring locally. Long-term residents know exactly which pubs and cafes are looking for staff, who pays properly, and who to avoid. That kind of local knowledge does not appear on any job board.
Farm and regional work
If a second-year Working Holiday visa is part of your plan, 88 days of specified work in eligible industries and postcodes is the standard route. Farm work (fruit picking, planting, harvest, packing) is the most common way people clock those days.
The National Harvest Labour Information Service (Harvest Trail) maintains a public map of what crops are being harvested, where, and when. It is government-run and free to use.
Job scams are common in this space. Never pay a placement fee or registration fee to any agency claiming to find you farm work. Legitimate employers do not charge workers to apply. Be cautious of any arrangement where accommodation is offered as payment for work: unpaid and work-for-accommodation arrangements do not count toward 88 days, and some are illegal. Check that the postcode and industry of your specific job qualifies before you commit. Keep every payslip as your evidence.