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UGrant Migration

Your first real job in Australia starts here

A 4–12 week discipline-relevant internship for international students holding a Subclass 500 or 485 visa — in-company, virtual or blended, fully managed by one consultant from assessment to completion.

Joanna Chen, Director and Registered Migration Agent
Joanna Chen
Director · Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1801905)
1,000+
Students supported
200+
Employer network
4–12
Week placements
2019
Established
Our track record

Why students and employers choose us

Every role is confirmed with the employer individually — never a bulk application. One consultant runs your file end to end, with no hand-offs.

MARA-registered practice Employer-side relationships Engineering · IT · Finance Bilingual team National coverage
Joanna Chen
Joanna ChenDirector · Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1801905)
2019
Established
1000+
Students supported
200+
Employer network
National
Coverage
The problem

The hardest step isn't the degree — it's the first piece of real work experience

01
Hospitality jobs, yes. Professional roles, no.
Casual work in cafes, restaurants and retail is easy to find — but none of it belongs on a professional CV.
03
A Chinese background makes it harder still
Breaking into an Australian workplace and earning experience the local market actually recognises is a steeper climb again.
02
Discipline-relevant roles are fiercely contested
Internships that genuinely relate to your degree and place you inside a real team are scarce, and domestic students are competing for them too.
04
The 485 window is quietly running out
The two or three most valuable years after graduation are often spent in unrelated work — and the longer it runs, the harder it gets.
WHAT WE DO/OUR ROLE

We stand on both sides

Real hiring demand on one side. Students who can't find a way in on the other.

University partners
The University of Sydney
UNSW Sydney
University of Technology Sydney
The University of Melbourne
Monash University
RMIT University
The University of Queensland
Queensland University of Technology
The University of Adelaide
Flinders University
The Australian National University
University of Canberra
1

Experience

EXPERIENCE

Designing and arranging professional placements · Real teams and real projects · An in-house mentor assigned by the employer

2

Skills

SKILLS

CV review and rewrite · Interview preparation and mock interviews · Adapting to Australian workplace communication

3

Opportunity

OPPORTUNITY

Roles sourced employer by employer · Interviews arranged, feedback debriefed · Certificate and reference-check support

Employer network
TikTok
TikTok / ByteDance Australia
Huawei
Huawei Technologies Australia
Bank of China
Bank of China Australia
BYD Australia
比亚迪澳大利亚
CITIC
CITIC Pacific Mining
Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud Australia
ICBC
ICBC Sydney Branch
Lenovo
Lenovo ANZ
Hisense
Hisense Australia
Airwallex
空中云汇 (华人创办)
John Holland
John Holland Group
Trinasolar
Trina Solar Australia
MMG Limited
MMG Limited
MG Motor
MG Motor Australia (SAIC)
JinkoSolar
JinkoSolar Australia
The program

What we deliver

4–12

weeks, discipline-relevant. A minimum of 4 weeks. No more than 20 hours in any week, or 40 hours across any fortnight.

Genuine, discipline-relevant roles

Matched to your discipline and background — not hospitality work, and not a placement that exists only on paper.

Three formats to choose from

In-company, virtual or blended — set by the nature of the role and your class timetable.

Fully managed, end to end

From assessment and employer outreach through to interviews and completion, we run every step.

Weekly hours, visa terms, and the completion certificate are set out below.

Eligibility

Eligibility and placement terms

Please confirm you understand each of these before enrolling, so there are no surprises later.

1

Visa requirement

You must hold a valid Subclass 500 student visa or Subclass 485 graduate work visa. We verify visa status at the assessment stage.

2

Placement length

4 to 12 weeks. A minimum of 4 weeks is guaranteed; the actual length is agreed with the employer.

3

Weekly hours

No more than 20 hours per week, or 40 hours across any fortnight. Minimum hours are agreed with the employer.

4

Adjusted to stay compliant

Your hours cap is set from your visa conditions and adjusted during the placement if those conditions change.

5

Work format

In-company, virtual or blended. The format is confirmed to you when the role is offered.

6

Remuneration

This is an unpaid internship. What you gain is Australian workplace experience and a completion certificate — not a wage.

7

Program fee

The service fee for this program is confirmed at your free assessment, based on your discipline and format. Ask your consultant for current pricing before you enrol.

Formats

Three formats, arranged around the role and your timetable

01

In-company

You work at the employer's premises, inside a local team's daily rhythm — one of the best settings for building contacts and referees.

02

Virtual

You complete the work remotely, wherever you are. Suits a heavy study load, or students outside the employer's city.

03

Blended

Part on site, part remote. Balances classes and commuting, and is how many roles end up being arranged in practice.

The format is determined by the role and confirmed when it is offered. Some roles require part of the work to be done on site.

How it works

Two stages: preparation, then placement

Preparation

approx. 4–8 weeks
  • One-to-one consultation to confirm direction and goals
  • Visa status verified and hours cap set
  • Academic background and target learning outcomes reviewed
  • CV diagnosed and rewritten
  • Interview preparation and mock interviews
  • Roles sourced, employers approached one by one
  • Put forward to the employer and interview arranged
  • Interview feedback and debrief
  • Placement confirmed, agreement signed by all three parties

Placement

4–12 weeks
  • Real work in a real role at an Australian organisation
  • An in-house mentor assigned by the employer
  • In-company, virtual or blended
  • Four scheduled check-ins across the placement
  • Your consultant on hand throughout to resolve issues
  • Hours monitored and adjusted against visa conditions
  • Internship Certificate issued on completion
  • Performance feedback and a review of what you achieved
  • Employer available for future reference checks

We don't run cohorts. Every student is assessed and matched individually, and every role is sourced for that one student.

Included

Preparation coaching: six topics

Delivered one to one by your consultant across the preparation stage, in English and Mandarin.

01

Workplace communication

How word choice, tone and body language shape the way you're read, and how to build trust quickly inside an Australian team.

02

Workplace norms and etiquette

Australian office conventions, collaboration habits and boundaries — what reads as professional here, and what doesn't.

03

Personal brand

What a professional brand actually is, how to position yourself, and how to turn it into a plan you can act on.

04

Business writing and speaking

Formal expression in email, meetings and presentations — and the difference between passive, aggressive and assertive.

05

Career path planning

Map your strengths and development using the 70:20:10 model, and structure interview answers with the STAR method.

06

Where Chinese students get misread

How habits from a Chinese-language setting read differently here, and how far to go when speaking up or disagreeing.

Topic 06 is designed specifically for Chinese students and sits outside standard workplace training.

Disciplines

Typical internship roles

Indicative role types. Roles actually available depend on employer demand at the time.

IT & Data

  • Data Analysis
  • Front-end Development
  • Back-end Development
  • Software Development
  • IT Networking
  • Business Analysis

Engineering

  • Software Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronics Engineering

Accounting & Finance

  • Finance Assistant
  • Financial Accounting
  • Tax Accounting
  • Management Accounting
  • Audit & Assurance
  • Financial Analysis

Marketing & Business

  • Marketing Assistant
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Public Relations
  • Social Media
  • Customer Success
  • HR & Administration
Our edge

Our employer network

200+

Employer network

Concentrated in Engineering and IT, spanning corporates, engineering consultancies and technical teams.

National

Coverage

Roles are not limited to one state — we match by your city and your discipline.

MARA

Registered

Joanna Chen, Director & Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1801905).

Our guarantee

Four commitments

We commit to what is within our control. We do not guarantee an employer's hiring decision.

01

Guaranteed interview opportunities

Up to five interviews for real roles. Each one is confirmed with the employer individually — never a bulk application.

02

A minimum 4-week placement

Once you're accepted, the placement runs for at least 4 weeks, with the exact length agreed with the employer.

03

Internship Certificate

On completion you receive an Internship Certificate issued by the host employer.

04

Reference-check support

The employer agrees to the placement appearing on your CV and remains available for future reference checks.

What happens if all interview opportunities are used without an offer, and all other rights and obligations, are governed by the signed service agreement.

Outcomes

What you leave with

01

Experience that belongs on your CV

An Australian organisation, a role in your field, a complete 4–12 week cycle — and a story you can tell in full.

02

A certificate from the employer

An Internship Certificate you can use for job applications, university submissions and future applications.

03

A local referee who can be called

The employer will take a reference check — one of the hardest things for an international student to obtain on their own.

04

A complete Australian interview cycle

From application through to interview feedback, so the next time you apply you aren't starting from zero.

05

Feedback on how you performed

A review of your strengths and where to develop, so you know what to work on next.

06

A local workplace run-in

You make the shift from campus to an Australian workplace early, not on your first day in a real job.

Who it's for

Who this program suits

A good fit

  • Second year or above, holding a valid Subclass 500 visa
  • Recently graduated, holding a valid Subclass 485 visa
  • Planning to work in Australia and needing local experience and a referee
  • Returning home and needing demonstrable overseas experience
  • Clear on your discipline, and able to commit around 20 hours a week

Not a fit right now

  • Visa expired or close to expiry
  • English not yet at a level to complete a basic job interview
  • Unable to commit consistent weekly hours
  • Looking to earn income, or expecting a paid role
  • Unable to attend on site under any arrangement

Not sure whether you qualify? Send us your background and we'll assess it — the assessment is free.

FAQ

Six questions we're asked most

QIs the internship paid?

No. This is an unpaid internship. What you gain is local workplace experience, hands-on professional work and a completion certificate.

QCan I choose the company?

No. Each role is confirmed with the employer individually and presented one at a time. We don't offer a list to pick from.

QWhat if I don't get through an interview?

The next role is only sourced after an unsuccessful interview, up to five opportunities. Full terms are in the signed service agreement.

QWill it affect my visa?

Hours are set against your visa conditions: no more than 20 in a week or 40 in a fortnight, adjusted if your conditions change.

QSo I have no say at all?

You do. If a role clearly doesn't match your discipline, the city doesn't work, or you'd rather not proceed, you can decline that interview.

QCould the employer keep me on?

Some employers do have further opportunities, but that sits outside this program. We make no guarantee of ongoing work.

Next steps

Get your free assessment

01

Send your background

Discipline, visa type, hours you can commit

02

Free assessment

We confirm whether we can match you, at no cost, and share current program pricing

03

Sign and begin matching

Preparation starts and we approach employers

Joanna Chen
Joanna Chen Director · Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1801905)

Ready to find out if we can match you?

Send us your background — discipline, visa type, and the hours you can commit. We'll confirm whether we can match you, at no cost, and share current program pricing.

Contact UGrant Migration

You'll be taken to ugrantmigration.com.au to get in touch directly.

Disclaimer: This document is a program introduction. It is not migration advice, legal advice or a guarantee of employment. Visa conditions, work rights and engagement arrangements are governed by the Department of Home Affairs and applicable legislation as in force from time to time. Rights and obligations are governed by the signed service agreement. · www.ugrantmigration.com.au