Career opportunities and support for your partner

Supporting the partners of essential workers to secure relevant and meaningful employment in their new regional community.

Man and his partner tending to garden

There are more than 21,000 jobs currently advertised in regional NSW.

An abundance of rewarding career opportunities are waiting for you to explore in regional NSW.

In fact, job vacancies in regional NSW are growing at a much faster rate than Sydney. In January 2024, regional NSW job vacancies were up 85% from five years prior, compared to -9% in Sydney.

Regional NSW is the largest, most diverse regional economy in Australia and is home to the biggest regional workforce in the country. With the growing number of jobs in a wide range of professions and industries, regional communities are attractive places for skilled workers wanting to advance their careers while enjoying the many lifestyle benefits of country living.

The NSW Government is making it even easier for partners of essential workers to find employment in regional communities, through initiatives such as The Welcome Experience. This support means workers and their families are more settled and feel more at home in their new community.

Employment opportunities for your partner

The NSW Government is the largest employer in the southern hemisphere and has lots of great career opportunities available, plus offers plenty of flexibility in the way you work.  

If you are an essential worker and your partner gets a job with the NSW Government, we will support your partner to take their job with them to regional NSW, where practical.

Public sector roles in regional NSW 

Regional NSW is a great place for you and your partner to find meaningful employment. Across the public and private sectors, there are some amazing opportunities, especially in the following industries.  

Technicians and Trades

3,200 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Clerical and Administrative

2,400 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Labourers

1,700 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Sales & Marketing

1,700 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Carers & Aides

1,800 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Legal, Social & Welfare

900 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Hospitality

800 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Business, Finance & Human Resources

450 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Engineers

400 jobs

advertised in January 2024

Employment support for essential worker partners

The Welcome Experience is a new service providing essential workers and their families with the support they need to move into regional communities, settle in and become one of the locals.

As part of the service, a Local Connector is on hand to provide support to the partners of essential workers in securing relevant, meaningful employment in regional NSW.

If your partner is an employee of any of the below industries, you may be eligible for support to help you secure employment.

  • Health
  • Education
  • NSW Police
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • NSW Department of Communities and Justice 

To register your interest for partner employment support, please complete the form below.

Required field
Which NSW Government agency does your partner work for?
Which of the below regional towns in NSW are you and your partner considering relocating to?
Privacy Collection Notice

Your personal information will only be used for the purpose you are providing it in this form. Please read the privacy collection notice for more information about how we handle your information.

Privacy Collection Notice

Overview

The NSW Government's privacy practices are regulated by the New South Wales Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998, and by the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (the Acts). 

  • This Information and Privacy Statement applies when you register your interest for a Key Worker Attraction Program (KWAP) initiative via the form on this website.

What information is collected through the form on this website?

When you submit the form on this website, we will collect personal information which may include, but is not limited to, your name, contact details, employment information, location and other information related to specific essential worker attraction initiatives.

How do we use the information collected?

The information collected via the form on this website is collated by the Department of Regional NSW and may be shared with third party organisations involved in the Welcome Experience and Key Worker Attraction Program to:

  • Provide you information about the Welcome Experience, partner employment support or other relevant opportunities as part of the Key Worker Attraction Program.

Who has access to the information we collect?

When you provide personal information as part of your submission to the form on this website, the information may be provided to and/or accessible by:

  • the relevant Department of Regional NSW staff who are involved in the Key Worker Attraction Program;
  • other Department of Regional NSW staff
  • other third parties who perform services on behalf of the Department of Regional NSW including the Local Connector host organisations.

The Department of Regional NSW head office is located at 1 Monaro St Queanbeyan NSW 2620. The department has around 200 offices located across NSW.

Can you refuse to provide personal information through the form on this website?

Completion of this form is voluntary and not required by law.

The Department of Regional NSW will collect your personal information (full name, personal phone number, personal email address, employing agency, location of job, role and relocation date) for the purpose of the Key Worker Attraction Program including enrolment in the Welcome Experience and other Key Worker Attraction initiatives.

Your information may be shared with third parties involved in the Welcome Experience and other Key Worker Attraction Program initiatives.

Is the information stored securely?

All NSW Government Agencies are required to comply with provisions under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the State Records Act 1998.

Department of Regional NSW will store and protect your personal information until the enquiry or purpose of contact has concluded. Subject to any other legal requirements regarding information retention, your information will be retained for 5 years. You may opt-in to be placed on mailing lists, newsletters or other recurring communications forums. If you do, your information will be used for this purpose and stored until you chose to opt-out.  

If you want to gain access to or amend your personal information, or want more details about privacy, please contact us: welcome.experience@regional.nsw.gov.au.

Are you an existing public servant and a partner of an essential worker? Take your NSW Government role with you.

If you are an existing NSW Government employee and the partner of an essential worker relocating to regional NSW, you will be supported to take your job with you to your new regional location, where it is practical to do so.

This is designed for roles that can realistically be performed anywhere, including communications officers, policy officers, accountants, recruitment advisors, data analysts, IT support specialists, web developers, legal officers, executive assistants, business coordinators, business managers and administrative assistants. Approval will be at the discretion of your delegated approving officer and excludes financial support.

Man and women on construction site in personal protective equipment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an 'essential worker'?

An essential worker is any employee of the following industries:

  • Health
  • Education
  • NSW Police
  • NSW Fire & Rescue
  • Department of Communities & Justice
Who is a 'partner'?

A person is considered to be your partner if you and the person are living together, or usually live together, and are:​ 

  1. Married; or​ 
  2. In a registered relationship; or​ 
  3. In a de facto relationship​ 
What is regional, rural or remote NSW?

This includes all of NSW, with the exception of the metropolitan areas of Greater Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.

Top of page