Job hunting
Updated 22 July 2026
Fees, phone numbers and eligibility change. Always confirm details on the official website before you rely on them.
Overview
This covers how to look for and apply for work in Australia using Workforce Australia, the Australian Government's free employment service, and how to have overseas qualifications and trade skills formally assessed and recognised (for example through VETASSESS or Trades Recognition Australia). It is for newly-arrived migrants who want to find a job or keep working in their profession or trade in Australia. Private job boards such as Seek and LinkedIn can be used to search, but the official process and any eligibility rules come from government sources.
Step by step
Step 1: Create a free Workforce Australia account through myGov to access job search tools, and to search and apply for jobs advertised on the site.
Step 2: Prepare a resume of about 2 pages with sections for your skills, work experience or employment history, and referee contact details; add your name, phone number and a professional email address on the first page.
Step 3: Write a cover letter tailored to each job you apply for.
Step 4: Search and apply for jobs on Workforce Australia and on job boards such as Seek and LinkedIn.
Step 5: If your job requires your overseas qualifications to be recognised, check whether your occupation needs a skills assessment and which assessing authority applies to it.
Step 6: For professional or general occupations, apply for a skills assessment with VETASSESS; for trade occupations, use the VETASSESS trades assessment or Trades Recognition Australia.
Step 7: If you already hold a current Australian or New Zealand occupational registration or licence, check whether mutual recognition lets you have it recognised in Victoria.
Step 8: If you need help, call the Workforce Australia support line, or use a free interpreter through TIS National.
Eligibility & requirements
- To register a Workforce Australia account you need a myGov account.
- A VETASSESS skills assessment compares your qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and assesses whether your employment experience is relevant and at an appropriate skill level.
- VETASSESS application fees include GST if you are an Australian resident for tax purposes, and exclude GST if you are not.
- Trades Recognition Australia skills assessments are for specified occupations on the skilled occupation list.
Costs
| Item | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Workforce Australia account and job search service | Free |
| VETASSESS full skills assessment for a standard professional or general occupation (base fee) | See the official page linked below for the current amount. |
| VETASSESS skills assessment for a Post-Vocational Education Work (Subclass 485) visa, professional occupation | AUD $457.60 (including GST, applying from within Australia); AUD $416.00 (excluding GST, applicant not an Australian tax resident) |
| VETASSESS DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreement) skills assessment | AUD $1205.60 (applicant within Australia); AUD $1096.00 (applicant outside Australia) |
| VETASSESS trades skills assessment, Pathway 1 (per stage) | Stage 1 Documentary Evidence Assessment AUD $1120.00; Stage 2 Technical Assessment AUD $2000.00; Stage 3 Practical Assessment AUD $2200.00 |
Key links
- Workforce Australia (job search and free employment service) (opens the official website)
- Workforce Australia - Register for an account (opens the official website)
- Workforce Australia - Resumes (opens the official website)
- VETASSESS - Skills assessment for migration (opens the official website)
- VETASSESS - Fees for professional occupations (opens the official website)
- VETASSESS - Fees for trade occupations (opens the official website)
- DEWR - Get your skills or licences recognised (opens the official website)
Contacts
- Workforce Australia National Customer Service Line (if you have a provider): 1800 805 260, open 9am to 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.
- Workforce Australia National Customer Service Line (if you have a provider): 1800 805 260, open 9am to 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.
- Workforce Australia Digital Services Contact Centre (if you are self-managing online): 1800 314 677, open 9am to 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.
- Workforce Australia Digital Services Contact Centre (if you are self-managing online): 1800 314 677, open 9am to 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.
- Free interpreter - Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National): 13 14 50; ask them to call Workforce Australia for you.
- Free interpreter - Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National): 13 14 50; ask them to call Workforce Australia for you.
- VETASSESS: 1300 VETASSESS; office at Level 1, 85 Cremorne Street, Cremorne, Victoria 3121.
- VETASSESS: 1300 VETASSESS; office at Level 1, 85 Cremorne Street, Cremorne, Victoria 3121.