Unskilled Jobs in Australia 2025: Your Visa, Pay & Guide

Always wanted to work in Australia, but you did not have a university degree or specialised skills? You’re in luck! Australia is currently experiencing a severe labour shortage of jobs for foreigners, especially in regional jobs and major growth areas.1 The high demand will create more unskilled job opportunities in 2025, offer great remuneration, and offer potential opportunities to non-skilled international job seekers.

This comprehensive guide is your actionable roadmap. We cut through the myths, showing you the best unskilled jobs in Australia for foreigners 2025, the real salary for unskilled jobs in Australia, and the key visa routes—especially the game-changing unskilled jobs in Australia with visa sponsorship options.

The Earning Power of Unskilled Australian Jobs for International Applicants – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

One of Australia’s biggest draws is its globally competitive minimum wage and strict worker protection laws (Source 1.1). Every worker, including temporary migrants, is entitled to award rates, which often exceed the national minimum.²

Australia’s Minimum Pay Guarantee (Effective July 1, 2025) – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

Pay Type	Rate (AUD)	Annualised (38-hour week)
National Minimum Wage (Full-Time)	$24.95 per hour	$49,795
Casual Employee Rate (Includes 25% Loading)	$31.19 per hour	N/A

Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25 (Source 1.4, 4.1)

Note: Pay for specific jobs often exceeds these minimums, especially with overtime or penalty rates for weekend/public holiday work.

Salary for Unskilled Jobs in Australia (Real-World Examples) – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

Role Type	Average Hourly Pay Range (AUD)	Potential Annual Salary (AUD)
Meat Processing/Factory Worker	$25 – $35	$50,000 – $73,840
Warehouse/Production Worker	$24 – $30	$47,800 – $60,000
Construction Labourer (Requires White Card)	$25 – $41+	$50,000 – $80,000+
Hospitality Staff (Kitchen Hand, Cleaner)	$22 – $28	$43,800 – $55,700

Top Sectors with Australia Unskilled Work for Foreigners – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

The highest demand for Australian labour jobs for foreigners exists in industries where employers face major recruitment hurdles. These are the sectors where you’ll find the easiest jobs to get in Australia without experience.

1. Meat Processing and Manufacturing (The Sponsorship Hotspot) – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

This is perhaps the single best sector for securing unskilled jobs in Australia with visa sponsorship.

• Meat Processing Jobs Australia / Abattoir Labourers: Many major employers in regional Australia offer full training for roles like abattoir labourer, boner, or slicer (Source 4.4, 4.5).³ These often feature strong pay and opportunities for Australia visa sponsorship jobs 2025.
• Factory Worker Jobs Australia / Production Roles: Assembly and general process work in manufacturing plants, often with set shift work and consistent hours.

2. Regional Agriculture & Horticulture (The Quick Starter)

Rural agriculture jobs in Australia and associated harvest work remain the highest volume entry-level jobs in Australia for foreigners.

• Fruit Picking Jobs Australia 2025: High demand, seasonal roles often used to qualify for a second or third Working holiday visa jobs Australia.
• Farm Worker Jobs in Australia: General farmhand work, often requiring physical fitness and a willingness to live regionally.

3. Logistics and Construction

• Warehouse Jobs in Australia for Foreigners: Roles in logistics, sorting, packing, and driving.⁴ E-commerce growth has kept demand very high.
• Construction Labourer: Requires completing a basic safety course (White Card). Pay is excellent due to the high-risk nature of the work and industry award rates.

Also Read: Japan Skilled Worker Visa: 7 Easy Steps to Apply in 2025

Unskilled Work Visa Options for Australia – Unskilled Jobs in Australia for Foreign Workers

Understanding visa pathways is the most crucial requirement for unskilled jobs in Australia. The most direct path to securing unskilled jobs in Australia with visa sponsorship is through a specific, regional agreement.

1. The Short-Term Work Visa: Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417/462)⁵

The most popular option for young applicants (18-35). It offers an immediate Australia work permit for unskilled workers, but it is temporary.

• Key Feature: Allows you to work for up to 6 or 12 months with any single employer, making it ideal for finding jobs in Australia without a degree or experience.
• Actionable Tip: Use this visa to gain experience in Australian regional jobs for migrants and network with employers who might offer long-term sponsorship.

2. The Sponsorship Route: DAMA Labour Agreements⁶

While the standard Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa jobs (now the Skills in Demand visa, subclass 482) usually target skilled roles, Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) are the exception for unskilled jobs in Australia.

• What is DAMA? These are regional agreements allowing local employers to sponsor workers for specific occupations that have critical shortages, including roles with lower skill requirements (ANZSCO Skill Level 4 and 5) that are not on the standard national Skill shortage list Australia 2025 (Source 2.1, 2.5).
• Key Concessions: DAMAs often feature concessions on the minimum required income and English language scores, making them a viable path to securing long-term Australia visa sponsorship jobs 2025 in regional locations like the Northern Territory or South-West WA (Source 2.1).

3. How Foreigners Can Work in Australia (Step-by-Step Guide)

How to Apply for Unskilled Jobs in Australia from Overseas:

1. Get Certified Locally: For Construction/Labouring roles, you will need a White Card. For Hospitality jobs in Australia for foreigners (waitstaff/bar work), you may need an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate. Many can be completed online before you travel.
2. Target Regional DAMA Employers: Focus your job search on companies hiring unskilled workers in Australia in DAMA regions (e.g., search “Abattoir DAMA job” or “NT Meat Processing Visa Sponsorship”) (Source 2.2).
3. Prepare a Professional CV: Emphasise reliability, physical fitness, safety awareness, and willingness to undergo training. These are the soft skills most valued in Australian labour jobs.

Critical FAQs on Visas and the Australia PR Pathway for Unskilled Workers

Q: Am I able to acquire Permanent Residency (PR) on an unskilled job?

A: Australia does not have a direct and general PR visa for genuinely unskilled jobs for foreign workers. Unskilled workers have the best Australia PR route as an indirect one: Get a DAMA sponsorship visa (482 or 494) and meet the agreement conditions (you are obliged to work with the sponsoring employer in the regional location for 2-3 years) that will enable you to obtain an employer-nominated permanent visa (186 or 191) (Source 2.1).

Q: What is the lowest qualification in English?

A: In the majority of general unskilled operations in Australia, basic and functional English is sufficient to use safely and to be instructed. Nevertheless, DAMA agreements can attach concessions to the official visa English requirement; such paths become more accessible than the normal skilled migration visas (Source 2.1).7

Q: How to get a list of Companies that are Hiring Unskilled Workers in Australia on a sponsorship?

A: Use such words as full training provided, DAMA, regional sponsorship, and no experience required in major Australian job boards (SEEK, Jora). Target Meat Processing, Transport, and Agricultural companies in regional markets such as South Australia, NT and the regional WA.