How to get a job in Australia from the UK (2026)

Which visas let a British citizen work in Australia?

You need permission to work before an Australian employer can take you on, and most will not interview seriously until they know which route you are on. These are the main routes for UK citizens, with the conditions we confirmed on official sources on 3 October 2026. Thresholds and lists change, so check the official page before you apply.

What does the Skills in Demand visa need from you?

The Skills in Demand visa replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024. The employer sponsors and nominates you; you cannot apply for it alone. The Specialist Skills stream started at a salary of $135,000 or more and is closed to trades, machinery operators and labourers. The Core Skills stream started at $73,150 for occupations on the Core Skills Occupation List. Both thresholds are indexed every 1 July in line with average earnings, and the 2025 indexation took them to $141,210 and $76,515. Check the current figure on the Home Affairs salary requirements page rather than relying on any of these numbers.

Two points help UK applicants. Citizens holding a valid UK passport are exempt from the English test in the Specialist Skills and Core Skills streams. And time with any sponsoring employer counts towards permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme, so you are not locked to one company for the long term.

The Innovation and Early Careers Skills Exchange Pilot is another outcome of the UK trade deal, aimed at UK citizens early in their careers. DFAT describes it as a capped pilot that opened in September 2023, so check Home Affairs for whether a round is open before planning around it.

How does hiring work in Australia?

Most professional hiring runs through online applications, either direct to the employer or through a recruitment agency. Expect a screening call, one or two interviews, often by video for overseas candidates, and reference checks before an offer. Recruiters screen on work rights first, so a strong candidate with an unclear visa position often loses to a weaker one who can start.

Public sector hiring is more formal. The Australian Public Service Commission says your CV alone will rarely be enough: expect a written pitch or responses to selection criteria, then an interview or other assessment. Citizenship is the default for Australian Public Service jobs. An agency head can waive it, and anyone who is not a citizen must still hold a valid work visa, so a working holiday maker will find federal roles hard to land.

Where are jobs in Australia advertised?

Start with the big private boards and recruiters, then add the official portals for public sector work. Set your location on each profile to the city you are moving to, not your UK town, or you may not appear in recruiter searches.

• SEEK, which describes itself as Australia's number one jobs site, carries most agency and corporate roles.
• LinkedIn and specialist recruitment agencies in your sector.
• APSjobs: the APSC says all Australian Public Service vacancies of more than 18 months are advertised there.
• State government portals, such as Careers Vic for the Victorian public sector. Each state runs its own.
• Workforce Australia: the federal government's job search service.
• Employer careers pages, especially hospitals, universities, councils and large contractors.

Can you apply for Australian jobs from the UK?

Yes, but you have to make it easy. Put your visa position and arrival month in the first lines of your resume and cover letter. A recruiter will not chase a UK applicant to find out whether they can start.

Mind the clock. Sydney and Melbourne are between 9 and 11 hours ahead of the UK depending on the time of year, and Perth 7 or 8 hours. Offer interview slots that work for them, which usually means early morning or late evening UK time, and say in your cover letter that you can interview by video at their convenience.

Be specific about relocation. Interested in opportunities in Australia sounds like a maybe. Relocating to Brisbane in March 2027 on a Working Holiday visa sounds like a plan. If you need sponsorship, say so and target employers in Core Skills Occupation List occupations, where sponsorship is most likely to make sense to them.

Are UK qualifications recognised in Australia?

For employers, a UK degree explained clearly is usually enough. For visas and regulated work, recognition is formal. Skilled visas often need a skills assessment from the authority named for your occupation in Australian law, for example VETASSESS for many management roles, Engineers Australia for civil engineers, the Australian Computer Society for software engineers, ANMAC for registered nurses, AITSL for secondary teachers and Trades Recognition Australia for electricians.

Health professions are regulated nationally. The National Registration and Accreditation Scheme covers 16 professions, each with a national board that registers practitioners, and Ahpra administers it. Start registration early: it is often the longest step, and an employer will want to see it under way.

How long does it take to get a job in Australia from the UK?

Plan in months, not weeks. The steps below are a realistic order for a professional moving from the UK. Visa processing times change, so check the current figures on Home Affairs.

• Month one: confirm your route on Home Affairs. If you need a skills assessment or professional registration, apply now.
• Month one to two: rebuild your resume for Australia, update LinkedIn to your target city and line up two referees.
• Month two to four: apply, speak to recruiters in your sector and take video interviews.
• Offer stage: for sponsorship, the employer lodges its nomination and you lodge the visa application. Do not resign until the visa is granted.
• Before you fly: book short-term housing and plan to apply for a tax file number once you arrive.
• First weeks: the ATO says a tax file number usually arrives within 28 days of a complete application. Give your employer your super fund details.

Which sectors have shortages in Australia?

The official measure is the Occupation Shortage List from Jobs and Skills Australia. The 2025 list, published on 15 October 2025, found 29% of occupations in shortage, down from 36% in 2023 and 33% in 2024. Nearly half of trade roles and two in five professional occupations were still in shortage, particularly in health, education and construction.

For sponsored jobs, the list that matters is the Core Skills Occupation List, which sets which occupations qualify for the Core Skills stream. Jobs and Skills Australia advises on it and the Minister decides it, so check the current version on Home Affairs before you rely on your occupation being there.

Who can give you advice on Australian visas?

We are recruiters and CV writers, not migration advisers, and nothing on this page is immigration advice. Read the Home Affairs page for your visa first. If you want help with an application, use a registered migration agent and check their registration with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority before you pay anything.