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Country guide · Australia
Living and working in Australia
A guide for international candidates
Unless you're an Australian or New Zealand citizen or already hold a visa with work rights, you'll need a visa that lets you work. The main employer-sponsored route is the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, the Core Skills stream needs pay of at least A$79,423 and the Specialist Skills stream at least A$146,576.
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Australian dollar
Currency
A$, AUD · source
Canberra
Capital
Three main zones
Time zone
AWST (UTC+8), ACST (UTC+9:30) and AEST (UTC+10) · source
000
Emergency number
Triple Zero · source
Type I
Plug
230 V (Australian standard AS/NZS 3112) · source
Last checked 13 October 2026. Estimates are labelled.
Where the jobs are
All regions lets you pick a place and see rent, jobs and the sectors in this guide. Choose a sector to see that industry in every place.
Cyan is the region you picked. Navy is everywhere else.
Region
New South Wales
Average full-time pay A$109,658 a year (A$2,108.80 a week).
- People in work
- 4.5m
- Share of Australia
- 30.7%
- Strongest sector
- Finance
- Population
- 8.7m
Finance is 5.5% of jobs here, 1.46 times its share across Australia.
Sector strength vs average for Australia
- Finance1.46×5.5%
- Tech1.30×1.6%
- Hospitality0.97×6.3%
- Healthcare0.94×15.2%
- Engineering0.94×5.5%
- Mining0.40×0.8%
Job links open all Australia roles for now.
Bars show each sector's share of jobs here against its share across the country. Tech means information and communication, engineering means manufacturing and hospitality means hotels, restaurants and cafes. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, average of May 2025 to February 2026.
View the map as a table
| State or territory | Population, 31 Mar 2026 | Employed (thousands) | Average full-time weekly earnings, May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 8,670,105 | 4,499 | A$2,108.80 |
| Victoria | 7,154,221 | 3,814 | A$2,041.10 |
| Queensland | 5,739,461 | 3,008 | A$2,039.70 |
| South Australia | 1,916,836 | 988 | A$1,970.20 |
| Western Australia | 3,096,222 | 1,661 | A$2,227.40 |
| Tasmania | 580,691 | 284 | A$1,846.30 |
| Northern Territory | 268,899 | 145 | A$1,984.10 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 489,668 | 273 | A$2,290.20 |
| Region | People in work | Tech | Healthcare | Engineering | Finance | Hospitality | Mining |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 4,499,200 | 1.6% (1.30×) | 15.2% (0.94×) | 5.5% (0.94×) | 5.5% (1.46×) | 6.3% (0.97×) | 0.8% (0.40×) |
| Victoria | 3,814,100 | 1.5% (1.23×) | 16.3% (1.01×) | 6.8% (1.15×) | 4.3% (1.13×) | 6.5% (0.99×) | 0.3% (0.16×) |
| Queensland | 3,008,100 | 0.7% (0.59×) | 17.6% (1.08×) | 5.6% (0.96×) | 2.6% (0.69×) | 7.2% (1.10×) | 2.7% (1.32×) |
| South Australia | 987,900 | 0.8% (0.61×) | 19.3% (1.19×) | 6.8% (1.16×) | 2.7% (0.71×) | 6.4% (0.98×) | 1.8% (0.86×) |
| Western Australia | 1,660,800 | 0.8% (0.67×) | 14.5% (0.89×) | 5.6% (0.95×) | 1.7% (0.45×) | 6.3% (0.96×) | 8.7% (4.25×) |
| Tasmania | 284,400 | 0.9% (0.77×) | 17.6% (1.08×) | 6.6% (1.12×) | 1.7% (0.45×) | 6.9% (1.05×) | 1.3% (0.62×) |
| Northern Territory | 145,100 | 0.8% (0.67×) | 18.8% (1.16×) | 2.1% (0.35×) | 0.9% (0.24×) | 6.3% (0.97×) | 3.0% (1.45×) |
| Australian Capital Territory | 273,000 | 1.4% (1.15×) | 13.6% (0.84×) | 1.3% (0.22×) | 1.4% (0.37×) | 5.8% (0.88×) | 0.1% (0.05×) |
| Australia | 14,672,600 | 1.2% | 16.2% | 5.9% | 3.7% | 6.5% | 2.0% |
Australian Bureau of Statistics: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, March 2026, Table 05: Employed persons by State, Territory and Industry division of main job. Average of May 2025 to February 2026. Employed people by the state they live in. Industry codes: ANZSIC 2006. View the source
Cities
Pay, rent and the share of pay that rent takes. Estimates stay labelled.
Australia
Sydney
- Rent
- A$800 a week
- Pay
- A$109,658 a year (A$2,108.80 a week)
- Rent share
- out38
January 27.7°C, July 17.7°C; 993 mm rain; about 2,640 sunshine hours a year (Sydney Airport)
See jobs in SydneyAustralia
Melbourne
- Rent
- A$600 a week
- Pay
- A$106,137 a year (A$2,041.10 a week)
- Rent share
- out29
January 27.0°C, July 13.4°C; 516 mm rain; about 2,380 sunshine hours a year
See jobs in MelbourneAustralia
Brisbane
- Rent
- A$700 a week
Cost of living by city
Numbeo, accessed 13 October 2026 · Estimate
Crowd-sourced estimates for budgeting; official city-card figures take priority where available.
| City | 1-bed flat, city centre | 3-bed flat, city centre | Utilities, 85 m² flat | Broadband | Gym a month | Full-day private nursery a month | Cheap restaurant meal | Average net pay a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | A$3,615.59 | A$7,085.33 | A$316.40 | A$80.74 | A$108.12 | A$3,153.67 | A$25.00 | A$5,915.33 |
| Melbourne | A$2,479.19 |
Money from gross to net
Pay and tax rates
Official figures, checked 13 October 2026. Open a card for the full rate detail.
Rate 01Resident income tax
Nil to A$18,200; 15% on A$18,201 to A$45,000; A$4,020 plus 30% on A$45,001 to A$135,000; A$31,020 plus 37% on A$135,001 to A$190,000; A$51,370 plus 45% over A$190,000 ((2026 to 2027 table; 15% rate cut from 16% from 1 July 2026))
Weather through the year
Climate
Monthly temperature and rainfall patterns for a representative city, with local snapshots from this guide.
- SydneyJanuary 27.7°C, July 17.7°C; 993 mm rain; about 2,640 sunshine hours a year (Sydney Airport)
- MelbourneJanuary 27.0°C, July 13.4°C; 516 mm rain; about 2,380 sunshine hours a year
- Brisbane
Tools
Step 1 of 2
Visa route finder
A route to read about, not a decision on your application. Figures are the ones in this guide.
Rent and pay
The pay and rent figures already in this guide. This is not a tax calculation.
Rent a week in Sydney
A$800 a week
- Pay
- A$109,658 a year (A$2,108.80 a week)
- Rent share of pay
- out38
Take-home pay
The Australian Taxation Office works out the tax withheld from a pay packet. This guide does not.
Open the tax withheld calculatorVisa routes to read about
- Source
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Core Skills stream
Workers sponsored by an approved employer, in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List. Pay at least A$79,423 (CSIT) and at least the annual market salary rate, nominations lodged from 1 July 2026. The visa application charge is A$4,015 for the main applicant and each adult, and A$1,005 for each child under 18 (applications from 1 July 2026).
- Source
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Specialist Skills stream
Highly paid specialists sponsored by an approved employer; no occupation list, but trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers are excluded (excludes ANZSCO Major Groups 3, 7 and 8: Technicians and Trades Workers, Machinery Operators and Drivers, and Labourers; Migration Amendment (2024 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2024, explanatory statement, official).
- Source
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Labour Agreement stream
Workers sponsored under a labour agreement between an employer and the government. Terms set by the agreement.
Little-known facts
Daily life
- Schooldistances between cities, strong sun and sun safety, seasons the other way round, barbecues and outdoor sport, superannuation on top of pay, different rules in each state (renting, driving, schools).
Moving with family
Partners and children
Family members on a subclass 482 visa can work and study in Australia.
Official sourceSchool
Public schools are run by each state and territory; some charge fees to children of temporary visa holders (see School fees below).
Official sourceChildcare
The Child Care Subsidy is paid through Services Australia to eligible families; visa type affects eligibility.
Official sourceMedicare
Only some visa holders can enrol, including people from countries with a reciprocal health care agreement.
Official source
Your first 30 days
1
Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN)
Apply online once you arrive; without one, tax is taken at the top rate.
Official source2
Choose a super fund
Your employer pays super into the fund you choose, or a default one.
Official source3
Check Medicare or arrange health insurance
482 visas carry a health insurance condition unless you can enrol in Medicare.
Official source4
Open a bank account
Banks ask for ID and your TFN for interest tax.
Official source
From job offer to settled in
1
employer sponsorship and nomination, visa grant
Travel, Tax File Number, bank account, super fund, Medicare (if eligible), rental bond, driver licence, schools
2
passport, visa grant notice
Qualifications and references, driving record, prescriptions, plug adaptors (Type I)
3
Tax File Number from the ATO
, bank account, super fund choice (the employer pays 12% on top)
Source
Avoiding scams
Only registered migration agents or Australian legal practitioners can be paid to give immigration assistance. Check the register.
Home Affairs never asks for payment by gift card or to a personal account; read its visa scams page.
Fake job offers that ask for "sponsorship fees": under Australian law, sponsors must not seek payment from workers for sponsorship. Source: Home Affairs, Cost of sponsoring, (official).
Report scams to Scamwatch.
Questions
Is the Skills in Demand visa the same as the TSS visa?
The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. It keeps the subclass number 482 but has new streams (Core Skills, Specialist Skills and Labour Agreement) and income thresholds. Start date 7 December 2024: Migration Amendment (2024 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2024, explanatory statement, F2024L01620 (official).
How much does my employer need to pay me?
For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026, at least A$79,423 a year in the Core Skills stream and at least A$146,576 in the Specialist Skills stream, and never less than an Australian worker would get for the same job in the same place (the annual market salary rate). The thresholds rise each 1 July.
Can I bring my family?
Partners and dependent children can usually be included in a 482 application as secondary applicants, with their own charges. A registered migration agent can look at your family's situation; find one in /specialists.
Do I get Medicare?
Medicare is mainly for citizens and permanent residents. People from countries with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement get some cover, and 482 visa holders must keep adequate health insurance. Check Services Australia before you arrive.
How much tax will I pay?
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