You have decided to move to Australia and are ready to start working as soon as you arrive in the country. After carefully reading what to do as soon as you arrive in Australia, it’s time to find out what you need to work in Australia.
Here’s a sector-by-sector guide for the licenses you might be required to have to work in Australia.
RSA License – Responsible Service of Alcohol
Obtaining the RSA is essential for anyone who wants to work in the hospitality industry. The RSA course takes six hours when taken in a classroom and costs around AUD100, however the same course taken online on the eot website costs just AUD60.
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NB: there are different RSA for each Australian state which means that getting the RSA for Queensland doesn’t allow you to work in New South Wales or Victoria; the best thing to do is to apply for the RSA license valid all around Australia.
RSG (Responsible Service of Gambling) or RCG (Responsible Conduct of Gambling) license
The RSG certificate is required in order to work in gambling establishments (including pubs, casinos and similar); the goal is for you to learn Australian gambling laws to manage gambling responsibly.
There are different certifications for each State so it is good to apply for each State where you want to work. In some states, it is necessary to obtain the certificate before the employment starts, for example in New South Wales, while in others it is to be obtained within a certain time from the employment beginning.
You can get your certificate here: www.eot.edu.au/online-courses/RSG/australia/
- New South Wales: RCG is mandatory
- Victoria & South Australia: You must obtain the RSG within 6 months of employment commencement date
- Northern Territory: You must obtain the RSG within 3 months of employment commencement date
- Queensland: RSG is mandatory
- Western Australia: RSG is not mandatory
- Tasmania: RSG is mandatory
NB: New South Wales does not accept RCGs issued by other states so you must obtain one in NSW if you want to work there.
White Card – license to work in constructions
Obtaining the White Card is mandatory if you want to work in constructions; the white card course teaches the safety standards to work in construction sites in Australia, you can take it in person or through accredited websites online.
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Unlike previous certificates, it is valid throughout the country and does not expire.
You can get your White Card here: www.eot.edu.au/online-courses/white-card/?
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Forklift license
To obtain a forklift driver’s license it is necessary to take both a theoretical and a practical test which costs around $400. The forklift license is valid in all Australian states and must be renewed every 5 years.
Working with Children Check – Blue Card
The Blue Card is a license needed to work with children and teenagers; once you obtain it you can work as a babysitter as well as in childcare centres.
To work with children, it is necessary to obtain a certificate which varies from state to state and has different costs based on where it is requested.
- Australia State Territory: Working with vulnerable people act 2011
- Victoria: Working with children check
- Queensland: Blue Card
- New South Wales: Working with children check
- Western Australia: Working with children check
- South Australia: Child Safety
- Tasmania: Working with children registration
- Northern Territory: Working with children clearance notice
Barista course
The barista course is not mandatory to apply for a job in a café or restaurant in Australia. However, it is a practical training about coffee preparation and latte art a skill to learn before you can get a job as a barista. In Australia it is in fact necessary to know how to perform latte art in order to be able to obtain a job as a barista.
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