Newcastle is home to breathtaking beaches, a welcoming community and a diverse population. Known affectionately as ‘Newy’ by locals, the second most populous city in New South Wales offers a great place to live, study and work.
For international students, finding a part-time or casual job while studying is a fantastic way to earn money, meet new people and gain valuable real-world experiences.
To help you navigate employment in Australia, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to finding jobs in Newcastle.
Understand your working rights
Before you start searching for international student jobs in Newcastle, it’s important to understand your rights.
The Australian Government recently increased the working hour cap for student visa holders, which means you can now work up to 48 hours per fortnight. This cap is lifted during study breaks, so you can work unlimited hours over the holidays.
While employed, you’ll need to ensure you adhere to the conditions of your visa. This includes:
- Maintaining your enrolment,
- Attending your classes, and
- Making good progress in your course.
Part-time and casual employees have the same rights as any other worker in Australia. Make sure you do your research and understand your rights to ensure you’re being treated fairly.
When it’s time to graduate, there are also a number of benefits to staying on and starting your career in Newcastle.
Because this city is classed as a regional area by the Department of Home Affairs, graduates who pursue a Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV) are eligible to stay even longer. Once your first TGV is over, you can apply to the Second Post-Study Work Stream, granting you even more time to enjoy everything Newcastle has to offer.
Popular student jobs in Newcastle
Newcastle boasts a wide range of part-time and casual roles in a variety of exciting fields. In particular, the city is home to a number of growing industries, including:
- Healthcare and social assistance
- Accommodation and food services
- Construction
- Retail
- Transport, post and warehousing
Popular roles for international students in these sectors include:
- Retail assistant
- Construction labourer
- Cashier
- Waiter
- Barista
- Warehouse team member
- Aged care worker
- Medical receptionist
- Parcel sorter
How to find jobs in Newcastle
Ready to jump into the workforce? There are a number of different ways international students can find a job in Newcastle. These can include:
Networking and word-of-mouth
Networking is a great way to find a role. Meeting and connecting with people through your studies, social groups or professional networking events can build lasting relationships, and might even help you find out about job opportunities you may not otherwise have heard of.
Online job boards
Websites such as Seek, Indeed and LinkedIn are excellent places to explore many different employment possibilities.
Facebook pages such as Jobs in Newcastle and Jobs in NSW – Newcastle Central Coast Maitland & Hunter are fantastic for spotting casual and part-time job opportunities in the area. To keep things safe, make sure to double-check the legitimacy of job postings and tweak your Facebook privacy settings. Also, always reach out to employers through official channels and stay alert for offers that seem too good to be true, like high pay for little work.
These websites allow you to view lots of available job listings, which usually include a description of the role. They also make it easy to apply through the use of an online application form.
Internships and work placements
If you’re looking for part-time or casual employment that will also boost your future career, you may be interested in seeking paid internships and work placements.
These opportunities grant you first-hand experience in your chosen field and can give you an important competitive advantage when graduation rolls around, and it’s time to begin your career.
For example, the University of Newcastle’s career-ready placement program offers students the chance to gain vital hands-on workplace experience. Participants get to engage in activities, experiences and projects in a real-life workplace, gaining valuable insight into their future industry.
Employment support services in Newcastle
When you’re looking for jobs, don’t forget to take advantage of the support on offer through your education provider. For instance, the University of Newcastle has a number of resources to help international students find and land employment both during their studies and after graduation.
This includes CareerHub, the university’s own online job board, where you can explore current listings. You can also visit Jobs on Campus to find opportunities on-site at the University of Newcastle.
The University of Newcastle also offers the Finding Work in Australia program, designed to help international students navigate and understand the Australian workplace. This program provides valuable resources and support to enhance your job search and employment experience.
If you need more advice, the Careers Service offers free support to current and past students, including one-on-one career counselling sessions, assistance with job applications, interview preparations and more.
