Ultimate Solo Female Travel Guide to Working & Living overseas in Australia

Australia is by far the most popular destination for internationals looking to work and live abroad because.. why not!?! Perfect weather, endless white sandy beaches and a decent minimum wage at $18.29 ... Tough life right? 😳

Traveling Oz can be expensive, yes, but, if you’re making an income here, the cost of living is nothing to worry about.

Female Solo Travel Guide to living in Australia on a working holiday visa

How I prepared before I went?

Applying for a Visa

It can be a little confusing with all the different types of visas available. This is a link to the ACTUAL government website (there's a lot of b.s websites out there) If this is your first visa application you want to choose (Working Holiday Visa Subclass 462) this application will cost you AUD440.

Mine took 3 weeks to be approved, the time all depends on how many applications the government has coming in at the time you apply.

P.S, the government can request to see your bank information to prove you have at least AUD4,000 beofre approving your visa.

What you should know about your visa?

You must be between the ages of 18-30 on your application date.

Passport must be valid for at least another 6 months after your requested arrival date.

You must be outside Australia prior to applying, you can't apply for a working visa once you're there.

You can only work with one employer for a maximum of 6 months, then you must move on because the visa's intention is for you to work and TRAVEL.

Your visa starts the day you enter Australia, not the date you're application was approved. You can only work for ONE year from the date you entered the country.

You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you please within that year... Say you want to go to Bali for a month... no problem.

The visa is tied to your passport number, if you lose your passport you must reinstate your visa to your new passport number (AVIOD THIS, IT'S A PAIN IN THE ASS!) 🙄

If you're looking to stay longer than one year, you must complete 3 months of specified regional work “farm work” BUT, it must be completed within the first year ONLY. (this option is not available for U.S citizens)

How I made the move to Australia

What to do when you first arrived.

I moved to Australia all by MEEE SELF 🤓 I knew absolutely no one. I was 20 years old, with 6,000 CAD dollars in my bank account. I packed my ginormous backpack and off I went. (BTW. you do not need a backpack to travel Australia, bring wheels... so much easier!) I had ZERO solo travel experience, I was terrified! I wasn’t sure if I’d last a month or a year, my expectation was only that I would TRY and make life happen in Australia, because it had always been a dream of mine.

I landed in Sydney and instantly fell in love with the city. To this day it's still one of my favourite in the world. I started applying for jobs 2 weeks after I arrived. I landed a job bartending in Darling Harbor (one of the most scenic and touristic destinations in Sydney.)

I lived in a hostel for my first month until I finally found a place I liked. I paid 1000AUD/ a month, and was living outside the city centre.. I don't recommend this.. I explain why in my money saving tips for Australia here.

Tips to finding a job quickly

Open an Australian bank account the day you arrive.

Apply for a tax file number online. It's very important the application you file is not for a permanent resident. If you file this incorrectly your application will be delayed significantly. It's mandatory to have a number before being employed in Australia, so be sure to do this right away, the process takes time.

Have a proficient ability to communicate in English. If you speak good English, you're already ahead of the game! It puts you above the 70% of other travelers that can’t speak the language well, Australians care about this.

Have your resume ready to go, applying is effortless if you’ve prepared your CV beforehand.

You’ll need a contact number on your resume. Find a phone provider within your first few days, I went with the company Optus, pay as you go plan… easy peasy.

4 types of Jobs I recommend you apply for…

You can apply places in person or many entry level positions can be found on the website Gumtree

It's important to find work you enjoy - that's fun, and with good people! These factors will impact your experience abroad significantly. The reasons I would recommend finding a job in the hospitality industry such as tour companies, restaurants, cafes, bars are because...

You are alone and want to meet new people. Not everyone you meet should be a fellow traveller either... Facts are locals know the city better than any backpacker.
You'll be working with young, like-minded people that you can relate to and want to spend time with.
Hospitality jobs provide good background experience to continue working across Australia.
Jobs in bars pay well, around $22 an hour, 25$ Saturdays and $30 on Sundays. Saving money is possible!

Where will you stay?

Hostels..

In the beginning, I stayed in hostels and seriously loved it. When you’re young and by yourself, YOLO!! 😝 Especially at the start, talk to other travellers, see what they’re doing for work, make friends, and create experiences! In retrospect, when in my lifetime will I ever be living in hostels again, well, I never say never!

rent a room

Gumtree, or Rent.com.au are fantastic website to look for local listing for spots available. It’s important the landlord won’t be requiring you to stay at the place for a 1 year minimum, most listings will state what’s expectable and what’s not.