The festive season is a busy time for Australian businesses, especially in retail, tourism, and hospitality. Many businesses hire temporary 'Christmas Casual' staff over the holiday period, to help with the increased demand.
As an international student, you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight during the semester. But during the holiday break, you can work unlimited hours, so it's the perfect time to make some extra income!
What is casual employment?
When you are employed on a casual basis, it means you don't have guaranteed work hours and do not get paid leave entitlements (such as sick leave, public holiday leave, and annual leave). You'll get paid at a higher hourly rate to make up for this. For example, the Australian national minimum wage for employees aged 21 and over is $24.95 per hour. But if you are a casual, you will get paid this rate + 25% loading, meaning the minimum wage for casual employees is $31.19 per hour. Find more information about Australia's minimum wage here.
What is a Christmas Casual?
Being employed as a 'Christmas Casual' employee means you are hired on a temporary basis to work during the busy holiday period, typically between October and February, to meet increased demand for the business. These roles provide extra income and work experience during the busy period, but do not guarantee ongoing employment once the festive period comes to an end.
As an international student, a role like this could be perfect for you if you're looking to make some extra money while you have time off from your studies!
What types of businesses offer Christmas Casual roles?
The main industries that offer Christmas Casual roles are retail, tourism, and hospitality. There are also seasonal jobs, such as harvesting and farm work in regional areas.
For example, companies like CBH Group hire casual harvest workers every year to work for around 6 weeks in summer, harvesting grain on farms in regional Western Australia. These jobs often include basic accommodation near the job site.
How do I find a Christmas Casual job?
Employers often start advertising casual roles a few months before December, but you can usually still find last-minute opportunities as Christmas approaches.
To kick off your job search, search for the term 'Christmas Casual' on platforms like SEEK, Indeed, Jora, and LinkedIn. You can also visit the websites of businesses you’re interested in to see if they have any current openings.
Be sure to check that the job listing is open to international students or those on a visa.
How can I keep my Christmas Casual job after the festive period?
While Christmas Casual jobs are seasonal roles that have an end date, if a company really likes you there is the possibility it could turn into an ongoing role!
Making a great impression will help in their decision to keep you on, so always be reliable, professional, and proactive.
If the role doesn't turn into an ongoing position, don't be disheartened. Now you've got some great experience working for an Australian business to add to your resume! You can also ask your manager or supervisor to write you a reference letter for future job applications.
Happy job hunting!
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