Where the jobs are — state and city differences

Where the jobs are

Sydney — finance, tech, professional services, media. Most international company HQs.
Melbourne — finance, tech, education, government (especially state public service), arts.
Brisbane — mining services, construction, government, increasingly tech.
Perth — mining, resources, infrastructure. Big swings with commodity cycles.
Adelaide — defence, advanced manufacturing, wine, agriculture.
Canberra — federal government, defence, public service consulting.
Hobart — government, education, tourism, niche tech.
Darwin — government, defence, resources, agriculture.

State public service jobs

Each state runs its own career site (iworkfor.nsw.gov.au, careers.vic.gov.au, smartjobs.qld.gov.au, etc).
Most require you to be a citizen or PR, with some exceptions for hard-to-fill roles.
Federal APS jobs (Australian Public Service) almost always require citizenship for security-cleared roles.

For visa holders specifically

The 491 (regional) and 190 (state-nominated) visas come with commitments to live and work in particular regions or states. Plan your job search around that geography, not the city you'd otherwise prefer.
Federal APS roles with security clearance generally need citizenship; some non-cleared roles open to PRs.
State health and education networks often have shortage occupation lists that prioritise PRs and citizens but also accept skilled visa holders.

Where the jobs are

Sydney — finance, tech, professional services, media. Most international company HQs.
Melbourne — finance, tech, education, government (especially state public service), arts.
Brisbane — mining services, construction, government, increasingly tech.
Perth — mining, resources, infrastructure. Big swings with commodity cycles.
Adelaide — defence, advanced manufacturing, wine, agriculture.
Canberra — federal government, defence, public service consulting.
Hobart — government, education, tourism, niche tech.
Darwin — government, defence, resources, agriculture.

State public service jobs

Each state runs its own career site (iworkfor.nsw.gov.au, careers.vic.gov.au, smartjobs.qld.gov.au, etc).
Most require you to be a citizen or PR, with some exceptions for hard-to-fill roles.
Federal APS jobs (Australian Public Service) almost always require citizenship for security-cleared roles.

For visa holders specifically

The 491 (regional) and 190 (state-nominated) visas come with commitments to live and work in particular regions or states. Plan your job search around that geography, not the city you'd otherwise prefer.
Federal APS roles with security clearance generally need citizenship; some non-cleared roles open to PRs.
State health and education networks often have shortage occupation lists that prioritise PRs and citizens but also accept skilled visa holders.

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