Working And Studying In Perth

Cost Of Living

Perth offers a quality of life and choice of lifestyle that are particularly attractive to both Australians and migrants. The region’s growing population comes from diverse cultural backgrounds with over a third being born overseas, predominantly in European and Asian countries.

Western Australia consistently ranks as one of the best locations in the world for quality of life and also one of the more affordable.

The Mercer Study rated Perth as the cheapest Australian capital city – 126th on the worldwide list and also the safest (ranking 25th safest in the world).

Current Economic Overview

Due to its location on the edge of the Indian Ocean and the vast distance from its Australian neighbours (not to mention the two-hour time difference between the east and west coast), Perth and Western Australia generally have formed close business links with Asia. While many developed economies have struggled in recent years to fight off recession, Western Australia’s economy has been averaging growth rates of over 5% per annum for the past decade. It has also boasted the lowest average unemployment rates of all Australian states.

Top Industries

There are many admin and IT opportunities in Perth. Other notable industries include finance, tourism, hospitals and nursing homes, government administration, teaching, legal and accounting services. Western Australia also has thriving mining and farming communities. With just 10% of the total population, Western Australia is responsible for a whopping quarter of all Australia’s exports. Also of particular note is the Perth real estate industry, which is very buoyant and employs many people in building, renovating, selling and managing real estate.

Employment Opportunities

Perth’s workforce is skilled. Almost half possess post-secondary or tertiary qualifications and two thirds have completed the highest level of secondary education.

However, there are plenty of opportunities for skilled workers in WA and the Perth region, and the area is an incredibly popular migration destination for Brits. This trend seems set to continue as WA is enjoying prosperous times. You may be able to apply for a visa under the Regional Skilled Worker scheme as they are suffering some worker shortages. Check the Skilled Occupations List and Occupations in Demand List for this region on the immigration website ahead of your visa application.

At the date of writing, on the Australian job search website there were 2,000 job vacancies posted in the Perth area, half of which were in the city.

Unemployment

The trend unemployment rate in WA at January 2005 remained at 4.5% (source ABS). This was a decrease from January 2004 and is below the national average.

Starting Your Perth Job Search

www.jobs.wa.gov.au provides an online listing of jobs available across the Western Australian government, as well as other career-related information.
www.thewest.com.au the West Australian is the local newspaper for this region. Their website has a useful online jobs section as well as providing good information about the area.
www.jobsearch.gov.au is a government based website that lists positions available in Perth and surrounding areas. You can search by occupation.
www.jobsearch.gov.au is a government based website that lists positions available in Perth and surrounding areas. You can search by occupation.
www.jobsinhealth.emhs.wa.gov.au As with many regions in Australia, WA and Perth are experiencing shortages in nursing staff. This site lists available positions across the local hospitals.