WORKING IN NEW SOUTH WALES

New South Wales has a mixed economy, with a private sector, a public sector and a community sector:

• The private, profit-making sector is made up of a small number of very large companies and many smaller businesses. 85% of all private businesses in Australia employ less than 20 people.
• The public sector consists of three levels of government. These are the Federal Government; State and Territory Governments; and Local Governments (the local Councils).
• The community sector is the group of associations and charities that are not part of government and do not aim to make a profit. Most in the community sector receive government funding and are managed by members of the community.

Conditions of employment vary between industries and occupations and between the public, private and community sectors.

The Labour Market

The industry that employs the most people in Australia is the retail and wholesale trade, which is involved with buying and selling goods and services. Next comes community services (for example in health and education). Across all industries, the most common type of job is clerical (office work). Hospitality and Retail are growing industries, though employment in these sectors is often on a casual basis.

There is much information available on the internet about the Australian labour market, click on a link below for:

Labour Market Information: find labour market information for specific regions
Industry Information: search for information about specific industries
Occupation Information: search for information about specific occupations
Australian Labour Market Update: a publication helping those looking for work, especially migrants, understand the labour market
Information on career-related topics: Australia's career information service
Migrant Occupations in Demand: a list of occupations and specialisations which are in demand for migration purposes
Skills Shortage List: a list of occupations and specialisations for which more people are needed
Job Outlook: search for information on occupations and careers and find out about job prospects, weekly earnings, type of work and other useful occupational information.


Please note that to be able to work in NSW you need a Tax File Number (TFN) and a bank account so that you can receive your pay. You can apply for a TFN by calling the Australian Taxation Office on 13 28 61 or by going to www.ato.gov.au and downloading a form. You can open a bank account at any bank - you will need to provide identification. If you have recently arrived in Australia and are looking for more information about life in NSW, please visitwww.immi.gov.au/index.htm where you can find information booklets called 'Beginning a life in Australia' which have information in many languages about settling in NSW.