How to Find a Job in Australia and New Zealand: SEEK, Indeed, Job Boards and the Hidden Job Market

Where jobs are actually advertised in Australia and New Zealand

In both countries, most advertised roles are posted on a small set of large job boards. SEEK (seek.com.au in Australia, seek.co.nz in New Zealand) is the largest general job site in the region and carries listings across almost every industry, from casual retail and hospitality to graduate and professional roles. Indeed (au.indeed.com, nz.indeed.com) is the other high-volume board and aggregates listings from many sources, with fast email alerts and quick-apply options.

LinkedIn is the strongest platform for professional and office-based roles because it combines job listings with a professional profile you can build over time. Jora, part of the SEEK group, aggregates casual, part-time and regional listings and is useful for shift-based work. Set up saved searches and alerts on two or three of these so new roles reach you the day they appear.

New listings can attract many applicants within hours, so applying early and keeping a ready-to-send CV and cover letter for each type of role you target makes a real difference.

• General boards: SEEK (seek.com.au / seek.co.nz), Indeed (au.indeed.com / nz.indeed.com)
• Professional and networking: LinkedIn
• Casual, part-time and regional shift work: Jora
• Set up saved searches and email alerts rather than checking manually

Government, sector and graduate job boards

Beyond the big general boards, several official and sector sites are worth checking. In Australia, APSJobs (apsjobs.gov.au) is the official recruitment site for Australian Public Service roles across federal departments and agencies; note that many public-service roles require Australian citizenship, so read each eligibility statement carefully. State and territory governments run their own careers portals as well.

For graduate and internship programs, GradConnection and Prosple list structured employer schemes and are widely used by university careers services. Many industries also have specialist boards (for example, dedicated sites for healthcare, engineering, IT or hospitality), which can surface roles that never reach the general boards.

In New Zealand, alongside SEEK and Indeed, the government's Careers.govt.nz resources and Work and Income job listings can help, and many employers advertise directly on their own websites.

Use your university careers service

Your university careers service is one of the most valuable channels and is included in your tuition. Careers teams run their own job boards with part-time, internship and graduate roles from employers who specifically want to hire students, host career fairs, and offer free CV reviews and mock interviews tailored to Australian and New Zealand conventions.

Many careers services also flag which employers are open to hiring international students or offer graduate programs, which saves time filtering out roles you are not eligible for. Book a one-on-one appointment early in your course rather than waiting until you are about to graduate.

Careers staff can also explain how work placements, internships and industry projects built into your degree can lead to job offers, and how to present them on your CV.

The hidden job market and networking

A significant share of roles, especially in smaller businesses, are filled through referrals, internal contacts and direct approaches before they are ever advertised. This is often called the hidden job market. You reach it by building genuine professional relationships rather than only submitting online applications.

Practical ways in include attending industry meetups and student society events, connecting with alumni and professionals on LinkedIn, doing informational conversations to learn about a field, and volunteering or joining student projects that expand your network. For casual work, walking into local cafes, shops and venues with a printed CV is still common and effective in both countries.

Recruitment agencies also place candidates into temporary and permanent roles; using an agency is free for the job seeker because the employer pays the fee. Choose reputable agencies and never pay a fee to be placed in a job.

Filtering for visa-friendly and work-rights-compliant roles

As an international student you must stay within your visa work conditions. In Australia, subclass 500 student visa holders can generally work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks; students in a Master's by research or a doctorate have no cap once the course has started. In New Zealand, from 3 November 2025 eligible student visa holders can work up to 25 hours per week during study, with additional rights during scheduled breaks. These conditions change, so confirm your own limits on the official Department of Home Affairs (Australia) and Immigration New Zealand websites before accepting work. This is general information, not immigration advice.

When searching, focus on part-time and casual roles that fit around your timetable, and be honest with employers about your available hours. If you are hoping a role could later lead to employer sponsorship, look for occupations in genuine demand, but treat sponsorship as uncertain — no job guarantees a work visa, and any decision rests with the immigration authority.

For individual visa questions, a licensed migration agent (Australia) or a licensed immigration adviser (New Zealand) can advise on your specific situation.

Know your workplace rights

International students have the same core workplace rights as anyone else. In Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au) sets and enforces minimum pay and conditions, and its protections apply regardless of your visa status. In New Zealand, Employment New Zealand (employment.govt.nz) covers minimum wage, holiday pay and written employment agreements.

A legal minimum wage and entitlements exist in both countries; the exact current rates change, so check the official Fair Work Ombudsman or Employment New Zealand website for today's figures rather than relying on a number quoted elsewhere. You should receive a written employment agreement, be paid at least the minimum wage, and have your pay properly recorded. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.

If you are underpaid or asked to work off the books, you can seek help from these official bodies. In Australia, reporting workplace exploitation to the Fair Work Ombudsman will not, by itself, put your visa at risk even if you accidentally worked over your hours — but always verify the current protections on the official source.