Melbourne Jobs & Employment
Melbourne has a diverse and resilient economy. Major industries include finance, tech, health, education, manufacturing, and creative arts. Here's your guide to finding work.
Key Industries
- Professional Services & Finance: Home to NAB, ANZ, BHP, and many consulting firms. The CBD and Docklands precincts house major corporate HQs.
- Technology & Startups: Growing rapidly: Canva, REA Group, SEEK, Culture Amp, and a thriving startup scene around Cremorne (the "New York of Melbourne's tech").
- Health & Medical Research: The Parkville Biomedical Precinct includes the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and CSL's headquarters.
- Education: Eight universities plus many private colleges: a massive employer.
- Manufacturing & Logistics: Strong in the west (Laverton, Derrimut, Truganina) and south-east (Dandenong, Hallam).
- Creative Arts & Media: Film, television (Docklands Studios), fashion, music, gaming.
Job Boards
- SEEK (seek.com.au): Australia's largest job board, best for professional roles
- LinkedIn: strong for corporate, tech, and networking
- Indeed: broad range, good for entry-level and casual work
- Jora: newer platform, popular with trades and hospitality
- Ethical Jobs: not-for-profit and social enterprise roles
- Arts Hub: creative industry roles
Recruitment Agencies
- Hays, Robert Half, Michael Page: general professional and executive
- Randstad: large agency covering multiple sectors
- FourQuarters, Sharp & Carter: accounting and finance specialists
- Kinetic IT, Clicks IT Recruitment: tech specialists
Average Salaries (2026)
| Role | Typical Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Software Engineer (mid-level) | $110,000–$150,000 |
| Registered Nurse | $75,000–$100,000 |
| Teacher (secondary) | $78,000–$118,000 |
| Accountant (CA/CPA qualified) | $85,000–$130,000 |
| Hospitality (chef de partie) | $60,000–$75,000 |
| Retail assistant | $50,000–$60,000 (casual loading included) |
| Project Manager | $100,000–$150,000 |
| Marketing Manager | $100,000–$140,000 |
Working Rights
Permanent residents/citizens: Full working rights automatically. International students: Up to 48 hours per fortnight during semester, unlimited during term breaks. Working Holiday Visa (417/462): 6 months with one employer maximum (unless extended). Skilled visa holders: Check your visa conditions carefully.
If you need a TFN (Tax File Number), apply online at ato.gov.au: it's free and essential for all paid work.
The 2026 Job Market in Context
Melbourne’s unemployment rate sits around 4%, and the city’s economy is the most diversified in Australia: finance (NAB, ANZ, and the funds-management hub of Collins Street), tech (Canva, REA Group, SEEK, Culture Amp, and the Cremorne startup strip), health (the Parkville biomedical precinct — Australia’s largest), education (eight universities), manufacturing and logistics (the west), and the creative industries (film, fashion, gaming).
The market favours candidates in 2026 for skilled roles — software, data, healthcare, and construction all face shortages — and hybrid work is standard: most CBD professional jobs expect two to three days in the office, which keeps the cafe economy and the transport network humming.
Salaries That Matter (2026)
- Average full-time salary (Melbourne): ~$95,000
- Software engineer (mid-level): $110,000–$150,000
- Registered nurse: $75,000–$100,000
- Teacher: $78,000–$118,000
- Accountant (CA/CPA): $85,000–$120,000
- Construction project manager: $120,000–$170,000
- Hospitality casual: $25–$38/hour; minimum wage $24.10
How to Land a Job
SEEK and LinkedIn dominate; government roles go through careers.vic.gov.au; and the big employers run their own graduate programs (opening in the first half of the year). Recruiters — Hays, Robert Half, Michael Page, Randstad — handle most contract and mid-senior hiring, and the tech scene hires heavily through its own networks: meetups, hackathons, and the Cremorne precinct events.
Visa holders should check work rights: student visas allow 48 hours a fortnight, working holiday visas six months per employer, and skilled visas are unrestricted. For health and education roles, registration with AHPRA or VIT is mandatory and takes weeks — start the paperwork before you arrive.
Working Conditions and Rights
Victorian workers are covered by the national system: minimum wage $24.10/hour (2026), 25% casual loading, penalty rates on weekends and public holidays, and superannuation of 11.5% paid by employers. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides free advice and enforcement, and WorkSafe Victoria covers workplace safety — construction, healthcare, and manufacturing are its focus industries.
For visa holders: student visas allow 48 hours a fortnight during term, working holiday visas six months per employer, and skilled visas are unrestricted. Union membership is strong in health, education, construction, and transport — the big unions negotiate the enterprise agreements that set most pay rates in those sectors. Keep your payslips, check your super is being paid, and know your award rates — the hospitality and retail awards set clear minimums for every role.