Looking for Christmas casual work? 20 Australian employers to check

Official application links, seasonal roles we found, and practical tips for fitting a summer job around your studies.

Published 17 Oct 2026 · Sources checked 17 Oct 2026

Clothing displayed on racks inside a retail store — Artem Beliaikin / Unsplash · Illustrative photo · Photo licence

Christmas casual recruitment is already under way. If you want a summer job, now is a useful time to check which stores and workplaces are hiring near you.

Who this is for: Students and other jobseekers in Australia. Vacancies and work conditions vary by location and personal circumstances.

Christmas casual recruitment

On 17 October, we found Christmas casual advertisements on the official careers sites for Myer, Jay Jays, Dotti, Portmans, Sportsgirl and Spotlight. The list below also includes other employers' careers pages worth checking.

Vacancies change by location. A careers link does not mean every store has a position available, and a job advertised as casual is not necessarily a Christmas-only role.

Start with the seasonal advertisements

Myer is advertising Christmas casual work for September 2026 to January 2027. Its listing includes customer-facing service and selling roles, plus online fulfilment at selected stores.

Jay Jays, Dotti and Portmans have dedicated Christmas casual application pages. Read each advertisement for availability requirements and location options.

Sportsgirl has seasonal sales listings, including several NSW locations, for work from October to January. Spotlight also lists Christmas casual vacancies. Filter by your location before applying.

Seasonal application pages found

1. Myer

2. Jay Jays

3. Dotti

4. Portmans

5. Sportsgirl

6. Spotlight

More careers pages to check

Search these portals for “Christmas casual”, “holiday casual”, “seasonal” or “casual”, then choose Australia and your location. Current seasonal availability has not been confirmed for every employer below.

7. JB Hi-Fi

8. Amazon Australia

9. Cotton On Group

10. Target

11. David Jones

12. Bed Bath N’ Table

13. Kmart

14. The Reject Shop

15. UNIQLO Australia

16. Anaconda

17. Village Cinemas / Village Roadshow

18. Michael Hill

19. Smiggle

20. Bonds / HanesBrands

For Amazon facility work, its Australian operations page also points applicants to agency partners. Check who would employ you and whether the roster fits your study and work conditions. For Smiggle and other international portals, make sure the role is in Australia.

Make your application easy to assess

Put your suburb, contact details and relevant experience near the top of your CV. Be clear about the days you can work, any exam commitments and travel you already have booked.

Experience can include volunteering, helping at events, customer service or responsibilities from a previous job overseas. Use short examples of what you actually did.

Before applying, check the commute for early starts and late finishes. A role across the city can look appealing until you work out the cost and time of getting home.

Keep a simple list of the jobs you apply for, their locations and any response dates. Submit through the employer's official careers site or the recruitment partner it identifies.

Check work conditions before accepting shifts

Ask which award or agreement applies, the pay rate, casual loading, any relevant penalty rates and the expected roster. International students have workplace protections too. Fair Work's international student guidance explains where to check your entitlements.

If you hold a student visa, check your own conditions through VEVO or your grant letter. Christmas is not automatically a scheduled course break for every student. Home Affairs' guidance for condition 8105 distinguishes time when a course is in session, scheduled breaks and specific exceptions. Check the official work-condition guidance.

Pick three suitable roles, tailor your CV and apply. A small set of relevant applications is a manageable place to begin.

General information only, not individual employment, legal or migration advice. Check current job advertisements and official guidance for your circumstances.