Hospitality Certificate

Working in hospitality in Australia

Most people who come to Australia for a hospitality job arrive on a working holiday visa. Visa rules are federal, but alcohol service rules are set by each state and territory, and pay depends on which award covers your workplace. This guide covers the federal rules and the four largest states' alcohol rules. Every legal point links to the official source.

Sources last checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the linked official page before you rely on it.

Hospitality Award minimum pay rates (AUD, gross per hour)

Hospitality Industry (General) Award, adult rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026

LevelWeekdaySaturdaySundayPublic holiday
Level 1, permanent26.4433.0539.6659.49
Level 2, permanent27.0833.8540.6260.93
Level 3, permanent27.9734.9641.9662.93
Level 1, casual33.0539.6646.2766.10
Level 2, casual33.8540.6247.3967.70
Level 3, casual34.9641.9648.9569.93
  • Casual rates already include the 25% casual loading. Do not add it again.
  • The level depends on your duties, not your job title. Ask your employer which level you are paid at.
  • This award covers hotels, resorts and restaurants connected to them. Stand-alone restaurants and cafés, fast food, clubs and alpine resorts may fall under other awards with different rates.
  • The national minimum wage for adults not covered by an award is AUD 26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.

Can you work there?

  • Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)

    Required by law

    For passport holders of countries such as the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Korea. You must be 18 to 30, or up to 35 for some passports, when you apply, and you apply from outside Australia. The first visa lets you stay for 12 months. The age limit and the list of countries are on the official page.

  • Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)

    Required by law

    For passport holders of countries such as the US, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Greece, Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Türkiye, Indonesia and Thailand. You must be 18 to 30 and show at least Functional English. Some countries, including China, India and Vietnam, use a ballot before you can apply. A hospitality certificate from this site is not accepted as English evidence for the visa.

  • Working more than six months for one employer

    Required by law

    Working holiday visas normally limit you to six months with the same employer. Since 1 January 2024 you can stay longer without asking permission if you work in tourism and hospitality, anywhere in Australia. Home Affairs says this applies until the government makes further decisions, so check the page before you plan around it.

  • A second or third year: only some hospitality work counts

    Required by law

    To apply for a second or third working holiday visa you need a period of specified work. Tourism and hospitality counts only if it is done in Northern Australia or in Remote and Very Remote Australia, checked by the postcode of the workplace. A hotel job in Sydney or Melbourne does not count. Check the postcode of the workplace against the official list before you choose a job for this reason.

For every hospitality job

Hotel receptionist in Australia

We found no licence for hotel receptionists in Australia. Employers screen for clear English, customer service and experience with hotel software. If the job also involves serving alcohol, handling food or driving guests, the rules for those tasks apply too.

Stand out with a verifiable skills certificate

This is a skills certificate, not a government licence. It does not replace any legal requirement above.

Waiter / waitress in Australia

If you serve alcohol, you need the RSA for the state you work in (see Bartender below). If you handle unpackaged food, the food handler rule above applies.

Stand out with a verifiable skills certificate

This is a skills certificate, not a government licence. It does not replace any legal requirement above.

Bartender in Australia

Anyone who sells or serves alcohol needs Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training from a provider approved in that state. Rules and deadlines differ between states, and a certificate from one state is not always accepted in another. Our courses are not RSA training and do not replace it.

  • New South Wales: RSA competency card

    Required by law

    Train with an approved NSW RSA provider, which gives you an interim certificate. You then receive an RSA competency card through Service NSW.

  • Victoria: before or within one month of starting

    Required by law

    Complete approved RSA training before you start supplying alcohol, or within one month of the date you first do. Victoria also requires a refresher course every three years.

  • Queensland: within 30 days of starting

    Required by law

    Complete RSA training within 30 days of starting employment. This applies to everyone, including international travellers and students. You need a Statement of Attainment from a registered training organisation.

  • Western Australia: within 28 days of starting

    Required by law

    Staff who sell, supply or serve liquor have 28 days from the date they start work to complete approved RSA training.

Stand out with a verifiable skills certificate

This is a skills certificate, not a government licence. It does not replace any legal requirement above.

Housekeeping / room attendant in Australia

We found no licence for room attendants in Australia. Employers usually train you on the job, and look for experience, speed to room standards and enough English to follow instructions and talk to guests.

Stand out with a verifiable skills certificate

This is a skills certificate, not a government licence. It does not replace any legal requirement above.

Your CV for Australia

  • Use an Australian-style resume

    Common practice

    Keep it to one or two pages, with no photo, date of birth or marital status. Put your most recent job first and describe the type of venue (for example: 120-room resort, busy cocktail bar).

  • State your visa, dates and RSA near the top

    Common practice

    Write which visa you hold, when you can start and how long you can stay. If you already have an RSA, say which state issued it. Employers hiring for a season want to know this before anything else.

Build your CV free

Seasonal work, and driving or guiding tourists

  • Winter seasons in the alpine resorts

    Common practice

    The Victorian alpine resorts, such as Falls Creek, Mount Buller and Mount Hotham, hire seasonal staff for winter, including hospitality and visitor services. Apply well before the season and through each resort's own job pages.

  • The tropical north: the dry season

    Common practice

    In the Top End of the Northern Territory the dry season runs from May to October, the main visitor season. Tourism Australia also points to hotel and resort work in Cairns, Broome and the Whitsundays. Some of these areas also count towards a second-year visa; check the postcode first.

  • Driving guests or running tours needs separate permission

    Required by law

    Driving paying passengers, including tour vans and minibuses, needs a driver authority from the state transport regulator, often with Australian licence history, medical and police checks. The tour business needs its own accreditation, and commercial tours in national parks need a permit. A course or certificate, including ours, does not give you any of these.

Guides for other countries