JOBS IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

Did you know, right now regional Australia has almost 70,000 internet-advertised job vacancies?

Our regions need doctors, architects, childcare professionals, nurses, farm workers, engineers, tradies, environmental scientists, teachers and more. This means, no matter what your profession, skill or ambition you’ll likely find a job that’s a perfect match for you.

Best of all, a career in the regions is about much more than a job. It’s about unlocking a new life: with more time; more space and more bang for your buck.

Search now and find your dream job in your ideal regional town… Go on, it’s Your Move!

Find out just how many regional jobs are on offer in your profession!

Be inspired by real life regional career success stories

Feeling regionally-curious? You’re not alone. A survey commissioned by the Regional Australia Institute revealed 1 in 5 capital city Australians were thinking of making the move to regional Australia.

And, a huge 90% of of city workers said they could be persuaded to move to the regions by a higher salary.

Thousands of Australians are already making the move. In fact the RAI’s Regional Movers Index, confirms city to regions migration is up 17% on pre-pandemic years.

Be inspired for your move to a regional job, by the experiences of real life city expats who swapped long commutes for country career success!

Programs and incentives to assist with your #MoveToMore

From assistance with relocation costs to cash bonuses, there are a range of incentives on offer from the Federal, state and local Governments , for city dwellers ready to make the move for a career in regional Australia. Check them out below.

Federal Government

The AgCAREERSTART is a structured employment program to help young Australians start a career in agriculture in their gap year.

Work bonus advantage for older workers.

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New South Wales

• The Regional Skills Relocation Grant offers up to $1000 for workers to cover relocation costs and $2500 for businesses to access recruitment services.
• For registered nurses the NSW Health Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme offers a recruitment incentive package up to  $10,000, and a reoccurring annual retention bonus valued at $10,000 per annum for nurses in rural and remote NSW.
• The NSW Growing Regions of Welcome (GROW) pilot is a lifestyle and employment program in the Murray and Riverina regions, connecting  people from migrant and refugee backgrounds living in Western Sydney with opportunities in regional NSW.
• Teachers moving to rural and remote NSW public schools are eligible for financial incentives and personal benefits. These incentives depend on the location they move to and are measured by transfer points which indicate the remoteness of the school.
  • Recruitment bonus ($20,000 if applicable)
  • Relocation payment (up to $8,000)
  • Rural teacher incentive (less value of rental subsidy, where applicable)
  • Rental subsidy (deducted from rural teacher incentive, where applicable)
  • Stamp duty relief payment (up to $10,000)
  • Retention benefit ($5,000 per annum up to 10 years)
  • Experienced teacher benefit ($10,000 per annum up to 5 years)
  • 10-week trial placement before permanent appointment
  • Additional Personal Leave Days
  • Additional Professional Development Days.

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Queensland

• The Healthy Careers program offers eligible health workers from interstate or overseas who move to Queensland payments of up to $20,000. Medical practitioners who take a job in regional or remote Queensland may be eligible for up to an additional $50,000.
• Accommodation, additional leave and an annual incentive payment are on offer for people to work for the Department of Child Services, Seniors and Disability Services in remote and regional Queensland.
• More opportunities for progression; relocation costs covered and free accommodation are the perks on offer for regional and remote teachers in Queensland.
• Find a job in Outback Queensland 
• Queensland will double the value of scholarships and grants available to aspiring teachers including providing Regional, Rural and Remote Graduate Teacher scholarships support graduate preservice teachers with up to $15,000.
• Teachers who relocate to regional and rural areas across Queensland will be eligible for incentives in addition to their salary. These include:
  •  a one-off beginning teacher payment
  •  location travel allowance
  •  a locality allowance
  • an identified location allowance if teaching in an identified Indigenous community
  • recognition of location travel flight option for teachers working in specific schools in communities under government reform
  • Teachers who extend their stay in a remote community, may also be eligible for a reduction of HELP debt from the Australian Government7.

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South Australia

• Workers may be able to access financial assistance towards their relocation costs if they are a worker taking up short-term agricultural work, or a student taking up regional work in South Australia.
• Fortnightly incentive payments, help with relocation costs and housing concessions are some of the benefits on offer to teachers working in country South Australia.
• South Australia’s For Work. For Life health worker recruitment drive offers financial reimbursement for relocation costs of up to $13,000 for regional locations (greater than 100km outside of the Adelaide CBD); and up to $15,000 for remote locations.

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Victoria

• Mental health workers relocating for a job in regional Victoria may be eligible for grants of up to $20,000. The grants are designed to support recruitment, relocation and settlement expenses as part of the state’s Regional Mental Health Workforce Agency.
•  An initial payment between $9,000 and $50,000 (before-tax) is on offer to support eligible Victorian government schools to attract suitably qualified teachers to take up hard-to-staff positions, including in regional parts of the state. Annual Retention payments of $9,000 are paid after the second, third and fourth year of employment and relocation costs for regional and rural positions are also available.
• Discover the remote nursing and midwifery career pathways and incentives available in Victoria to support work in remote health.
• In 2023, teachers moving to rural and regional locations in Victoria were eligible for incentives including:
  • Initial payment, between $9,000 and $50,000 (before-tax), for teachers who took up positions deemed hard-to-staff
  • Annual retention payments of $9,000 (before-tax) paid after the second, third and fourth year of employment in regional settings

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    Western Australia

• Check out the support on offer for visa holders and Australia residents to work in hospitality in Western Australia, particularly in the regions.
• The WA Government is providing grants of up to $12,000 over 3 years for newly qualified registered nurses and midwives who go to work at remote and regional public hospitals.
• WA’s Attraction and Retention Initiative is a major investment designed to attract and retain teachers and administrators to remote and regional schools. Payments vary from $5,000 to $17,000, depending on location.
• Teachers who move to remote and rural areas in Western Australia are eligible for several incentives and benefits depending on where they move. These incentives and benefits include:
  • Subsidised employee housing
  • Free housing and relocation costs covered
  • Allowances to reimburse initial utility connection fees, wear and tear on furniture, subsidised air conditioning, gas, hot water, and vacation travel
  • Throughout 2023, teachers who move to regional WA will be eligible to receive a bonus payment of $5,000 to $17,000

Read more stories about successful regional Australia career moves.