The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is an Australian government agency, known as the national workplace regulator. It provides workplace advice, education and assistance to employees, employers and organisations for free. The FWO has resources available to help you prepare for working in Australia.
Free online course
Take the FWO’s free Starting a new job course to learn about your rights, the questions you should ask when starting a new job, and the types of behaviour expected from you in the workplace.
The course takes approximately 30 minutes and covers workplace topics such as:
- What to wear
- Talking to your boss and
- Getting paid.
You can also download a copy of the FWO’s ‘A guide to staring a new job’ for more information.
Help for international students
It’s important to remember that all employees, including international students have rights and entitlements at work which are protected by laws.
The FWO has many resources to help international students understand their rights in the workplace, including:
- The FWO’s internationals student factsheet.
- A dedicated visa holders and migrants page, containing information on visa protections.
- A language help page, to access the FWO’s information in your language.
To find out more about your rights and entitlements at work or report a workplace issue, register for an online account with the FWO at www.fairwork.gov.au/register or speak with an advisor on 13 13 94. You can also report a workplace issue anonymously at www.fairwork.gov.au/tipoff.
Staying up to date
Workplace laws in Australia can change but there are ways you can stay up to date:
