Australia

What do you need to work in Australia?

Plan your first steps: work rights, a TFN, an ABN and the certificates or checks your job may require, from hospitality and construction to care work.

Updated on November 11, 2026

Planning to study and work in Australia? You can start getting ready before you travel. Having your CV ready and knowing which paperwork to organise when you arrive will help you focus on jobs that suit you.

Some steps apply across different jobs, such as getting a TFN for your taxes. If you’ll be self-employed, you may also need an ABN to identify your business. Other requirements depend on what you’ll be doing: an RSA for serving alcohol, a White Card for construction, or checks such as a Blue Card for certain jobs with children. Some employers will also ask for First Aid and CPR training. Here’s what each one is for.

Start with a visa that lets you work

Your right to work depends on your visa and its conditions. You can check these in your visa grant letter and in VEVO, the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ tool for checking your visa details.

If you’re coming to study on a student visa, the general rules are:

You can start working once your course has begun.
You can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session.
That limit doesn’t apply during official course breaks.

The 48 hours include all your jobs. For example, if you have shifts at a café and a shop, both count towards the same limit. A fortnight is a 14-day period starting on a Monday.

There are exceptions depending on your studies and visa circumstances. When planning your shifts, use your own visa conditions and your school’s official calendar.

Your TFN: the number you use for tax

TFN stands for Tax File Number. It’s your tax identification number in Australia, issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You use it for tax and superannuation, Australia’s retirement savings system.

When a business hires you as an employee, you’ll be asked to complete a tax declaration. This is where you provide your TFN so your employer can work out how much tax to withhold from your pay.

How to apply when you arrive

Go to the official ATO website and choose the application for foreign passport holders and temporary visitors.
Apply once you’re in Australia and meet the requirements for that application route.
Have your passport ready, along with the personal and contact details the form asks for.
Keep your confirmation and follow the instructions for receiving your number.

Applying for a TFN is free. You keep the same number even if you change jobs or return to Australia after some time away.

You can look for work while your application is being processed. If you start a job before your TFN arrives, tell your employer you’ve applied so you can complete your tax declaration correctly. If you declare that your application is pending, you have 28 days to provide the number.

Your TFN is private. Share it when needed for tax purposes, and leave it off your CV.

Barista preparing coffee with an espresso machine

Certificates and checks: which ones does your job need?

This table brings together the main paperwork, courses and checks you may see in job ads. You don’t need all of them: focus on the requirements for the work you want to do.

Paperwork or certificate	What it’s for	When you need it
TFN	Identifying you for tax and superannuation.	To organise your tax details when you work, whatever the industry.
RSA	Training in the responsible service of alcohol.	For jobs selling, serving or supplying alcohol, according to state rules.
White Card	Showing you’ve completed general construction safety induction training.	Before carrying out construction work.
WWCC / Blue Card	Screening for work with children.	For jobs with children that require it. Blue Card is the name used in Queensland.
Police check	A record of your police history.	For aged care and other jobs that require it. An NDIS clearance may be accepted, depending on the role.
NDIS Worker Screening Check	Screening for certain jobs supporting people with disability.	For roles covered by screening requirements with registered NDIS providers, and other roles where it’s requested.
First Aid + CPR	Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.	Depending on the job, for example in care, sport or a designated first aid role.

RSA: for jobs involving alcohol

RSA stands for Responsible Service of Alcohol. The training covers situations where alcohol shouldn’t be served and how to follow the rules where you work.

You may need it to serve drinks in a bar, wait tables where alcohol is served, or sell alcohol in a shop. You don’t need an RSA to make coffee at a café that doesn’t sell alcohol.

The accepted course, deadlines and renewal requirements depend on the state or territory. For example:

Sydney, New South Wales: you need training from an approved provider to sell, serve or supply alcohol. The process includes showing you’ve completed the training through an interim certificate and the relevant competency card.
Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland: staff who serve or supply alcohol must complete the recognised training within 30 days of starting the job.

If you’re interested in these jobs, choose a course accepted in the state where you’ll work. If you already have an RSA from elsewhere in Australia, check whether it’s recognised before repeating the training.

White Card: for construction work

A White Card shows that you’ve completed general safety induction training for construction work. For example, if you’re applying for a labourer’s job on a building site, you’ll need this training before carrying out construction work.

The course covers topics such as identifying hazards and working safely. You take it through a registered training organisation, following the requirements of the state or territory where you complete it.

Valid White Cards are recognised across Australia. Each site may still have its own safety induction, and specific tasks may require extra training or licences. A White Card covers the initial training; it doesn’t authorise you to operate every type of machinery.

What if you want to work with children, older people or people with disability?

These jobs may require background checks and specific clearances. They serve a different purpose from a White Card: they assess your suitability for certain care roles rather than showing you’ve completed a safety course.

Working with children: a Working with Children Check or Blue Card

A Working with Children Check (WWCC) screens people for jobs with children that require it. In Queensland, where Brisbane and Gold Coast are located, it’s known as a Blue Card.

For example, the check may be part of the requirements for a childcare job or work running children’s activities. Its name, application process and the jobs it covers vary by state or territory. For childcare in private homes, the way the work is arranged also matters: the requirements aren’t the same in every case.

If you’ll be paid for the job, apply for the clearance for paid work. The centre or employer can tell you which one you need before you start.

Aged care: background screening

To work for a registered aged care provider, you’ll need to meet the screening requirements for your role. Depending on the circumstances, this involves a police check dated within the last three years or a valid NDIS Worker Screening Check clearance.

There isn’t one universal ‘aged care card’ for every job. Alongside screening, your employer may ask for care qualifications or other training relevant to your duties.

Disability support: the NDIS Worker Screening Check

The NDIS is Australia’s system of support for people with disability. The NDIS Worker Screening Check assesses suitability for certain roles within that system.

It’s required for direct support and other roles identified as needing screening with registered NDIS providers, among other cases. For example, it may apply if you help someone with disability with their daily activities.

If the job also involves working with children, you may need both checks. Each serves a different purpose.

Start with the type of work you want to do and the state where you’ll be working. The job ad or employer can help you identify the checks and training to arrange for that role.

First Aid and CPR training

First Aid training teaches you how to respond to an emergency, while CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These are practical courses, separate from background checks such as the Blue Card.

You may be asked for them in care work, sport or if you’ll be a designated first aider. In early childhood education, the required training may also cover asthma and severe allergic reactions.

A childcare centre must have staff with the required training available while children are being cared for; the requirement isn’t identical for every role. Your employer will tell you which course you need. As a general guide, first aid training is renewed every three years and CPR every year, taking the industry’s requirements into account.

Do you also need an ABN?

An ABN identifies a business. You may need one if you’re self-employed and meet the eligibility requirements, but you don’t need one to work as an employee.

For example, if a café hires you to cover shifts as part of its team, you’ll usually be an employee and provide your TFN. An ABN is used when you provide services through your own business; if you’re part of the staff, you’re working as an employee.

Getting ready for your first job

It’s easier to organise the steps in two stages:

Before you travel

Prepare your CV in English, highlighting experience relevant to the jobs you want.
Know your visa’s work conditions and your course start date.
Look at job ads to see which experience and certificates employers ask for in your destination.

When you arrive

Apply for your TFN and open a bank account to receive your pay.
Update your phone number and availability on your CV.
Arrange the certificates or checks your job needs, whether that’s an RSA, White Card, screening for work with children or in care, or first aid training.
When you’re hired, complete the tax and superannuation details you’re asked for, and agree on your working hours and employment conditions.

International students have workplace rights like other employees, including the correct pay and payslips. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides information to help you understand those rights.

Working during your stay can help you practise English, meet people and build experience. If you’re thinking about studying in Australia, we can help you choose a course and destination so you can plan your first steps.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I apply for a TFN before I arrive?

No. The online application route for temporary visitors with a foreign passport requires you to be in Australia and hold an eligible visa. You can find the official page before you travel and apply when you arrive.

2. Do I need an RSA for every hospitality job?

It depends on your duties and state rules. RSA relates to selling, serving or supplying alcohol, rather than every hospitality job. Making coffee at a café without alcohol is different from serving drinks in a bar.

3. Does a White Card cover work in any industry?

It’s safety training for construction. You don’t need it to work in a shop or café, and it doesn’t replace specific licences you may need for particular tasks on a building site.

4. Do I need to take all the courses before looking for work?

You can start by looking at job ads and preparing your CV. If you already know you want to serve alcohol or work in construction, arranging the relevant training will help you apply for those jobs.

5. Can I start working as soon as I land on a student visa?

If you’re coming to study English or a vocational course on your first student visa, the general rule is that you can start working once your course has begun. If you held another visa with work rights when you applied, an exception may apply. Check the conditions for your circumstances.