02 March 2009

Two hundred people shortlisted for Australia's dream job

Of the 35,000 applications received for Australia's dream job, 200 lucky people have made it to the shortlist.

The tourism department in Australia's Sunshine State, Queensland, has advertised an AUD$150,000 dream job, which requires the lucky successful applicant to spend half a year on the idyllic Hamilton Island amongst crystal-clear waters so that they can write a promotional blog to encourage tourism.

The job will require the successful applicant to spend their days in a free oceanfront villa, wandering the white-sand beaches, snorkelling the crystal-clear waters with the rainbow-coloured sea life and reefs.  Oh, and they need to keep their blog updated. 

The department is hoping this AUD$1.7million campaign would boost tourism to the region, whose economy has grown to rely upon the thousands of domestic and international tourists that visit every year.

"The tourism industry is having a tough time at the moment," Hayes said.  "So what we're really trying to do is drum up as much interest and as much passion for the place as we can."

Fifty finalists will be announced tomorrow, which will then be reduced to ten people who will be flown to Hamilton Island for the selection process.  If that person is a national other than from Australia or New Zealand, they will have to apply for an Australian holiday visa, unless Queensland Tourism sponsors them under the skilled migration programme. 

---

The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with emigrating to Australia.