Australia

Australia is always popular with gappers and it’s a great place to combine paid work and travel. Oyster offers guaranteed work in Australia for up to a year. Your hard work will be rewarded with earnings of around £180 per week (A$400) as well as free food and accommodation. You’ll be in safe hands, trained for the job and fixed up with an employer for up to six months initially. After that, if you’d like more work, we’ll arrange it up to the 12 month point. Alternatively, you can travel for a bit and have the option of work at a later stage.

People love this placement because it’s very flexible and gives you the chance to earn some travel money or simply to finance your trip. You’ll be expected to work hard, but in return you’ll receive a decent wage, food and accommodation.

You can choose to do hospitality work in a restaurant or pub, work on a cattle farm or help teach children. However if you have particular skills there are numerous other possibilities including working with polo ponies, tractor driving, veterinary work, building work and more.

You will be met on arrival in Brisbane and, once you’ve got through all the essential paperwork, you’ll be able to relax for three days on the beach. You’ll then spend five days on a farm undergoing a special training course and being interviewed for jobs. The course is highly regarded by employers and will give you the confidence to get off to a good start.

Oyster will interview you and brief you carefully as well as booking your flights. You will receive support from our UK office before and after your departure.

For more information and costs please read the other sections on our Australia section. To apply please fill in our Australia application form click here.

Where?

Your job and training course will be based in rural and outback Australia. Most jobs are in Queensland state, but you might choose to work further afield.

You’ll get the true Oz experience in the Outback, with its incredible space and enormous star lit skies. Communities are small and you’ll get to know everyone fast, sitting out in the evenings with cans of beer. Your social life will be centred quite a lot on the workplace and your colleagues. It’s easy, cheap (save your money for travelling) and authentically Australian. (top)

What will I do?

During the initial five day training course our Australian partners will be arranging paid work for you in your chosen sector (farm, hospitality or teaching).

You might work on a cattle farm, rounding up and dealing with the animals or helping with vital jobs such as fencing. Horse riding skills are particularly useful, but you could also work on quadbikes or tractors. If you prefer crops to livestock, there is work on fruit farms or vineyards.

Those preferring the indoors could work in hotels, pubs and restaurants. Tasks include cleaning, serving or cooking. Australians expect friendly service, so you’ll need to be cheerful and hard working.

If you like children and have relevant skills you could help with teaching or childcare work. It’s quite common for children in remote areas to be home-schooled and you might be able to supervise and teach children from special home-schooling material. (top)

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided every stage. On your first night you will stay in a comfortable backpacker hostel in central Brisbane (complete with pool). The next day we will send you to another hostel on Rainbow Beach for three days of rest and relaxation. There is plenty to do, including surfing and paragliding.

Your training place takes place on a beautiful farm in Queensland with full accommodation and food. You’ll be looked after well while all the arrangements are made to place you in a paid job.

All jobs come with accommodation and food. The accommodation is basic, but comfortable. Expect to share a room. You will have access to TV/DVD, internet and telephone. (top)

Support

Oyster prides itself on excellent support. We like to get to know you at an early stage and invite you to meet us at an informal interview and briefing session before deciding whether to commit. We will then help you prepare for the trip and be available to give advice whenever needed.

Thoughout your 12 month stay you will have the support of our experienced partners in Australia as well as 24 hour help from Oyster in the UK if you need it. You will be met at Brisbane airport and helped you with every stage of settling in – including visa forms, job applications and training.

While you are on your training course you will live with the family that run the farm. They will ensure that you are fixed up with a job and will co-ordinate travel arrangements to your future workplace.

When you have finished your first job (normally 6 months) you might wish to spend your hard earned cash or you might want to ask for help finding another job. In this case your details will be given to over 1200 employers and another job arranged for you. Remember you will be even more attractive to employers once you have 6 months experience under your belt.

UK citizens and others have access to free healthcare in Australia under a reciprocal arrangement. This will be explained you and you will be guided through the documentation. (top)

Cost and Eligibility

£995 for 3 to 12 months in a guaranteed job earning around £180 per week including food and accommodation and a well regarded job training course. Budget around £900 for flights to Brisbane that Oyster can book for you.

To be eligible need to aged 18-30 be capable of working hard in a rural
environment and have a passport from one of over 20 nationalities including UK and most European countries. (top)

What is provided?

  • One-to-one interview and informal briefing
  • Advice on obtaining a working visa
  • Finding a competitive and suitable return flight to Brisbane (cost around £900)
  • Full financial protection through our ATOL bond if Oyster book your flights
  • Guaranteed paid work as required for the duration of your working visa
  • Help and advice from our UK office before departure and whilst in Australia
  • Comprehensive support and advice in-country
  • 1 night’s accommodation in Brisbane
  • 3 night’s accommodation at Rainbow Beach
  • 5 night’s residential training course
  • Food and accommodation at each stage
  • Travel (by bus) to Rainbow Beach and the training centre

What do I need?

  • A passport valid for 6 months beyond the end of your placement
  • You must be eligible for an Australian working holiday visa (UK and 18 other nationalities)
  • Hold a credit card, drivers licence and birth certificate
  • Insurance – we can recommend you a policy
  • Cost of flight to Brisbane (we can book for you) – approx £900
  • Cost of changing your flight if you need to – approx £30
  • All UK travel costs (to interview and airport)
  • Cost of travel from training centre to job (budget for up to £250)
  • Independent travel cost
  • A small budget for food and drinks during the first four days
  • Appropriate clothing (we will advise)

Departures

All year round, leaving on Thursday.

Availability

Full availability year round for anyone capable of working hard.

Find out more

Contact: Call Roger on 01892 770771 or email roger@oysterworldwide.com (top)

 

Please note that some of these details do change from time to time