Hire in Australia
Country Overview
Employment Contracts
Working Hours
Employee Leave
Employee Termination
Global Mobility
Employee Benefits
Australia PEO & Employer of Record Services
Global PEO Services (GPS) helps companies hire employees in Australia without establishing a legal entity. All human resources, benefits, payroll, and tax needs for the employees are managed by our Australia PEO, while the new hires and headquarter teams focus on your business goals. Using Australia PEO services is the fastest and most efficient way to develop a workforce in Australia.
When hiring employees in Australia, establishing a subsidiary or branch office is not always the best route, as it’s often a lengthy and expensive process. Hiring via a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), or Employer of Record (EOR), is a faster and often more effective option – especially when starting up in a new country.
Global PEO Services hires the employees on your behalf, legally contracting them through our subsidiary in accordance with Australia labor laws. As a result, the burden of compliance is on us and the employees can begin work for your company in a matter of days. PEOs/EORs provide you with a streamlined option for hiring employees, testing markets, and responding to growing business needs in Australia. With Global PEO Services, you get control without taking on legal entity liabilities, contractor risks, or sacrificing on talent or speed to market.
Australia - Country Overview
Australia is the sixth-largest country globally and is known as the “island continent” as it is relatively isolated from the rest of the world. Australia’s economy emerged from the 2009 recession with minimal damage and has consistently ranked among the affluent nations in terms of per capita income.
Capital City
Canberra
Currency
Australian Dollar (A$)
Principal Language
English
Government
Federal Parliamentary Democracy
Employment Contracts in Australia
In Australia, an employment contract can be either in writing or verbal.
An employment contract must meet the legal minimum set out in the National Employment Standards (NES) or in any awards, enterprise agreements, or other registered agreements that may apply. Thus, irrespective of whether they have signed a contract, all employees are covered by the NES.
A typical written employment contract in Australia includes:
- The type of employment
- Working hours
- Entitlements
- and more
The different types of employment relationships are:
- Permanent Employment – Permanent employees in Australia are employed on an ongoing basis until the employment agreement is abolished by either the employer or the employee. Permanent employees can work full-time or part-time, depending on their schedule. Permanent employees are entitled to a variety of benefits.
- Fixed-Term Contracts – A fixed-term contract is for a specific duration of employment, and the employees can usually work full-time or part-time. Whether full-time or part-time, fixed-term employees are generally entitled to the same wages, penalties, and leave as permanent employees.
- Temporary Employment– Casual employees are temporary employees in Australia. A casual employee is someone who accepts a job offer from an employer knowing that there is no firm advance commitment to continuing work with an agreed-upon structure of work. They can terminate employment without notice unless a registered agreement, award, or employment contract requires it.
Probationary Period
At the onset of employment, employers determine the length of the probationary period, which can vary from a few weeks to a few months.
Working Hours in Australia
In Australia, the average workweek is 38 hours. Awards, certified agreements, and Australian Workplace Agreements typically include regular working hours, rest breaks, overtime, and penalty rates.
Holidays in Australia
Employees in Australia are entitled to the following leaves:
- Annual leave in Australia – Full-time and part-time employees in Australia are entitled to at least four weeks of paid annual leave. Shift workers are entitled to 5 weeks of paid vacation every year. Casual employees are not permitted to take annual leave.
- Maternity leave in Australia – Female employees may begin their break up to 6 weeks before the expected delivery date.
- Sick leave in Australia – Sick and carer’s leave are part of one entitlement in Australia. Full-time employees are entitled to ten days of vacation per year.
- Paternity leave in Australia – Also known as Dad and Partner Pay, is provided to eligible employees in Australia for two weeks. Employees may be eligible for up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave if they meet specific qualifications.
The following are the statutory national holidays in Australia:
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- January 26 – Australia Day
- April 2 – Good Friday
- April 5 – Easter Monday
- April 25 – ANZAC Day
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 26 – Boxing Day
Employee Termination in Australia
Employers in Australia are required to provide employees with the following notice periods based on their continuous service:
- Employment of 1 year or less – 1 week
- Employment of 1 to 3 years – 2 weeks
- Employment of 3 and 5 years – 3 weeks
- Employment of more than 5 years – 4 weeks
Employees over 45 who have worked with the same employer for at least two years are entitled to an extra week of notice.
Global Mobility in Australia
There are typically the following categories of visas in Australia:
- Visitor visas
- Studying and training visas
- Family and partner visas
- Working and skilled visas
- Refugee and humanitarian visas
- Other visas
Generally, there are two types of work permits in Australia:
- Temporary work visas – Temporary work visas usually require skilled workers where employers cannot find an adequately skilled Australian worker and allow for up to four years of stay.
- Permanent work visas – Employers typically nominate permanent work visas, which can be regional or allow for work anywhere in Australia.
Employee Benefits in Australia
The retirement income system in Australia consists of three parts:
- A means-tested Age Pension supported by public tax money.
- Compulsory employer contributions to private superannuation funds provide a superannuation guarantee.
- Voluntary pension contributions and other personal savings; retirement savings are encouraged by tax reductions.
State benefits granted to residents of Australia are called social security (welfare) in Australia. Social security is a non-contributory scheme funded through general taxes (although there is a specific fee for Medicare).
The core beneficiaries of social security are the elderly and disabled, single parents, families with children, unemployed people, and people who are sick or have a specific need.
Some examples of social insurance programs in Australia are:
- Dependents’/Survivors Benefit– Widow Allowance is a means-tested benefit that is paid every two weeks in Australia. On July 1, 2018, Widow Allowance was closed to new applicants, and it will be phased off entirely on January 1, 2022. Family tax benefit legislation may also provide further aid to families.
- Life and Disability Insurance/Benefit – The Australian Social Security System provides disability payments in the form of the Disability Support Pension to persons under retirement whose income has fallen below the cut-off limit, which varies depending on age and family status to a chronic disability. Basic pension, mobility allowance, medical aid, and other benefits are available.
The following are examples of other statutory benefits:
- Unemployment
- Birth Allowance
- Child Allowance
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