Work in Australia as a Chef

Your Path to Working in an Australian Kitchen

Why Australia Wants Chefs Like You

Restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses across Australia are actively hiring overseas chefs and cooks. Both Chef and Cook currently sit on the Core Skills Occupation List, which opens the door to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) a visa that lets an employer bring you in when they can’t find the right local talent. Being on the list is a strong sign, not a guarantee — you’ll still need to meet the visa’s other requirements, like a job offer and the right skills match.

What You’ll Need

You need an Australian employer willing to sponsor you, in a role that matches your real duties whether that’s running a kitchen and planning menus (Chef) or preparing dishes under supervision (Cook) matters for which visa options open up to you later. You’ll also need to meet the salary threshold, currently at least AUD $79,423 a year or the normal market rate for the role, whichever is higher, plus the English level required for your visa stream. These numbers shift over time, so always double-check the current figures on the official Core Skills stream page before you apply.

How to Land a Sponsor

Build a resume that clearly shows your kitchen roles, cuisines, team sizes, and years of experience — references from head chefs help a lot. Then search job boards for terms like “Chef Visa Sponsorship Australia” or “Cook Sponsorship Hospitality,” filtering for hotels, restaurants, and catering companies, and ask each employer directly if they sponsor overseas applicants. Once an employer agrees to sponsor you, they handle their part of the process while you prepare your own visa application and Emig can help you find real openings and build a stronger resume along the way.

Check if you qualify →