Free programs to work in your profession in Perth
Free mentoring, guidance and workshops so your experience counts here. What each one is, who qualifies and how to reach them.
Perth has free help to work in your profession: mentoring through Kaleidoscope (Red Cross) and Curtin, guidance at the Jobs and Skills Centres, the SMER register so employers can find you, and virtual work experience. Job Connect also reimburses up to A$10,000 in licences and assessments. Reviewed on 12 October 2026.
What free programs are there in Perth?
9 programs
- MentoringOpen, no set dates
Kaleidoscope
Red Cross + Evolve WA · In person and online
A 5-day workshop, 9:30 to 14:30: career strategy, Australian workplace culture, communication and networking (including putting your CV together), interviews and your rights at work. Then 12 weeks with a mentor from your industry: one 90-minute one-on-one meeting a week, with a support coordinator. The mentor guides you, but does not find you a job.
- Who qualifies
- Any visa with work and study rights, less than 10 years in Australia, living in WA, confident English, and being unemployed or working outside your profession. The mentoring asks for "full work rights" and less than 1 year of local experience in your field.
- Dates
- Places for 2026 and 2027, no calendar. A City of Canning listing says "Starting 5 November", with no year or venue.
- Where
- Venue not published; some workshops and the mentoring meetings are described as online.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- Career guidanceActive
Servicio MSC en los Jobs and Skills Centres
MSC · In person and online
Career guidance and goals, labour market information, help with your résumé and applications, job-search techniques and interview tips. It refers you to courses and to the foreign qualifications recognition unit, and gives access to job listings and apprenticeship information.
- Who qualifies
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, "regardless of visa, residency or employment status".
- Dates
- Active. You fill in a form and they call you to book; they also serve by Teams or phone.
- Where
- North Perth (20 View St), Morley (5 Bookham St), Cannington (7 Mallard Way), Mirrabooka and Kwinana (Fridays). Monday to Friday, 8:30 or 9:00 to 16:30 depending on the page.
MSC pages disagree on the Mirrabooka address (14 Brewer Pl or 20 Cobbler Pl) and on the email: confirm by phone before you go.
See the official pageReviewed on 12 October 2026
- Career guidanceActive
Jobs and Skills Centre de Perth
North Metropolitan TAFE · In person
Free guidance on careers, courses and qualifications: career planning, job search and matching, help with apprenticeships and recognition of skills. It has computers with internet to apply for jobs and look up courses.
- Who qualifies
- "Accessible to all community members". It does not state visa conditions.
- Dates
- Active. It does not publish dated workshops; for events you have to write or call.
- Where
- North Metropolitan TAFE, Building 2, 30 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. It does not say whether you need to book.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- Career guidanceActive
Migration WA, Settlement Services
Migration WA · In person
Free information, referrals and support to settle in WA, with a downloadable guide by topic. It has no employment service of its own, but it is the way in to Kaleidoscope and to the Job Connect subsidy.
- Who qualifies
- It does not define requirements.
- Dates
- Active.
- Where
- Walk-in service in the Perth metropolitan area; the page gives no address or hours. There is a booking form.
- +61 8 9224 6540 (option 3)
- jobconnect@dtwd.wa.gov.au
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- RegisterActive
Skilled Migrant Employment Register (SMER)
Migration WA · Online
A free state register. You create a profile with your occupation, location, skills and experience. Verified employers with vacancies in WA can send you an "Invitation to Connect". Your identity stays private until there is a match. It does not guarantee an offer or sponsorship.
- Who qualifies
- Citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident, "intending to migrate to WA" or visa application in progress.
- Dates
- Active, no deadlines.
- Where
- Online, on the Migration WA portal. Questions by email.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- WorkshopUntil 17 December
Get Job Ready
Bibliotecas de City of South Perth · In person
An experienced career adviser helps you with career strategy, a targeted résumé and cover letter, online job searching, selection criteria, online applications and interview preparation. Bringing your own laptop is optional.
- Who qualifies
- People looking for work. It states no visa or residency restrictions.
- Dates
- Wednesdays 11:30 to 12:30 during Term 4, until 17 December 2026. No booking. There are no 2027 dates.
- Where
- Manning Library, City of South Perth (open 9:30 to 17:30; the page does not give the street).
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- Work experienceActive
Virtual Work Experience
StudyPerth · Online
More than 70 online programs, on the Forage platform, that simulate real work at companies such as Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, in consulting, technology, finance and law. You do them at your own pace and get a certificate for your CV or LinkedIn.
- Who qualifies
- International students in Perth, with a computer and internet. It does not say which visas it accepts.
- Dates
- No set dates or duration.
- Where
- Online.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- Mentoring2027 interest open
Curtin Alumni Mentoring Program
Curtin University · In person and online
A mentor with at least 3 years of experience in their career. A session lasts about 3 months and 3 to 5 meetings are recommended, in person or online, agreed with your mentor. Before each round there is a speed mentoring event. It uses the Mentorloop platform.
- Who qualifies
- Curtin graduates only, "no specific requirements".
- Dates
- The 2026 round runs from April to November. For 2027 the expression of interest is open, with no closing or start date.
- Where
- No fixed venue; meetings in person or online.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
- WorkshopClosed; no 2026-27 details
Career Accelerator
City of Canning · In person
A free series of six Monday workshops: career development masterclasses, digital skills tutorials and one-on-one coaching. It works on confidence, communication and job readiness. In the previous edition, 24 people took part and 60% found work.
- Who qualifies
- People from multicultural communities who are looking for work.
- Dates
- The 2025 edition ran from 21 July to 1 December and registration is closed. There is no information about a 2026-27 edition.
- Where
- Hillview Intercultural Community Centre, Bentley (the page does not give the street).
Reviewed on 12 October 2026
What if I need to pay for a licence or an assessment?
The Skilled Migration Job Connect subsidy reimburses up to A$10,000 in licences, registrations and assessments. It requires a visa with work rights and having arrived in WA less than 10 years ago.
To ask about it, write to jobconnect@dtwd.wa.gov.au.
Which visa can I use them with?
It depends on the program, and almost none of them spell it out. This is what their official pages publish:
- Only Kaleidoscope and the SMER state which residency status they accept. Kaleidoscope: any visa with work and study rights and less than 10 years in Australia. SMER: citizens, permanent or temporary residents, people intending to migrate to WA, or with a visa application in progress.
- The MSC service says it serves people "regardless of visa, residency or employment status".
- The Perth Jobs and Skills Centre is "accessible to all"; Get Job Ready and Career Accelerator set no visa restrictions. Virtual Work Experience is for international students, without saying which visas.
- For the rest, whether you qualify on a 500 (student) or 485 (graduate) visa is decided by each organisation: ask before you go.
- "Not stated" means the official page does not publish that detail.
General information, not migration advice. NopalMates does not give advice about visas: for that, see a registered migration agent.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Kaleidoscope (Red Cross and Evolve WA) runs a 5-day workshop followed by 12 weeks with a mentor from your industry, with one 90-minute one-on-one meeting a week; it is open for 2026 and 2027, although with no published calendar. It asks for less than 10 years in Australia, living in WA, confident English, and being unemployed or working outside your profession. The mentor guides you, but does not find you a job. There is also the Curtin Alumni Mentoring Program, only for Curtin graduates: its expression of interest for 2027 is open.
It depends on the program. Only Kaleidoscope and the SMER state which residency status they accept: Kaleidoscope asks for any visa with work and study rights and less than 10 years in Australia, and the SMER accepts citizens, permanent and temporary residents, and people intending to migrate to WA or with a visa application in progress. For the rest, whether you qualify on a 500 or 485 visa is decided by each organisation, so ask first. The MSC service says it serves people regardless of visa. This is general information, not migration advice.
This directory does not publish qualification recognition fees, and we cannot tell you who pays in your case. What does exist: Skilled Migration Job Connect reimburses up to A$10,000 in licences, registrations and assessments (it requires a visa with work rights and having arrived in WA less than 10 years ago; write to jobconnect@dtwd.wa.gov.au). And the MSC service and the Jobs and Skills Centre refer you to courses and to the foreign qualifications recognition unit.
It is a free state register run by Migration WA. You create a profile with your occupation, location, skills and experience, and verified employers with vacancies in WA can send you an "Invitation to Connect". Your identity stays private until there is a match. It does not guarantee a job offer or sponsorship. It accepts citizens, permanent or temporary residents, people intending to migrate to WA and people with a visa application in progress. Questions: jobconnect@dtwd.wa.gov.au.
The MSC service at the Jobs and Skills Centres (North Perth, Morley, Cannington, Mirrabooka and Kwinana on Fridays; phone 08 9328 2699) helps with résumés and applications. So does the Perth Jobs and Skills Centre in Northbridge (13 64 64). Get Job Ready, at the City of South Perth Manning Library, has a career adviser on Wednesdays from 11:30 to 12:30 until 17 December 2026, no booking. And the Kaleidoscope workshop includes putting your CV together.
It reimburses up to A$10,000 in licences, registrations and assessments. It requires a visa with work rights and having arrived in WA less than 10 years ago. To ask about it, write to jobconnect@dtwd.wa.gov.au. Migration WA, through its Settlement Services, is the way in: +61 8 9224 6540, option 3.
Yes: StudyPerth Virtual Work Experience has more than 70 online programs on the Forage platform, simulating real work at companies such as Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, in consulting, technology, finance and law. You do them at your own pace and get a certificate for your CV or LinkedIn. It is for international students in Perth, with a computer and internet.
No. It is general information about free programs, taken from the official pages and reviewed on 12 October 2026. NopalMates does not give migration advice. Before deciding anything about your visa, talk to a registered migration agent, and confirm each program's details with the organisation that runs it.
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