Perth has a Mediterranean Climate, and on average experiences about eight hours of sunshine per day. It is the sunniest Australian city, with over 135 clear days a year. Summers are usually hot and dry with the occasional rain and thunderstorms. Winters are generally cool and wet.
The hottest month is usually February, and July and August are the coolest months. Most of the city’s rainfall occurs between May and September, with an average annual rainfall of 880mm. Spring and summer have the most amount of sunshine accompanied by clear skies. Swimming in the ocean is mostly acceptable from January – May, when the water temperatures are around 22-23 degrees Celsius. The best time to visit Perth is in springtime (September – November) when the weather is warm, clear and pleasant.
Summer (December – February) is usually devoid of rain, with the occasional thunderstorms. It is hot and sunny during with day, and cool at night. On occasion, an afternoon sea breeze known as the “Fremantle Doctor” blows from the southwest of the city and provides relief from the hot north-easterly winds. The average temperatures in summer range from 18-40 degrees Celsius.
Autumn (March – May) Average temperatures are between 12 – 21 degrees Celsius and the weather is quite pleasant. Rain is rare, but during the second half of the month it can get quite cold.
Winter (June – August): is mild and wet. On the rare occasion, the temperature drops below zero degrees accompanied with the formation of frost. Light snowfalls have also been recorded in the outer suburbs of Perth like Perth Hills, Kalamunda, Roleystone and Mundaring. Average temperatures in Winter are between 9-18 degrees Celsius.
Spring (September – November) average temperatures are between 12-30 degrees Celsius. The weather during this period is mild and unstable with chances of wind and rain. November is the most pleasant month in spring, with very little or no rainfall.
Every year Perth receieves over 59,000 International student enrolments from over 140 countries at its higher education institutions; Universities, Colleges and TAFEs.
Perth is regarded as Australia’s “Education City”, with five world-class Universities and several TAFE and Vocational institutions offering diverse programs for International students with a vibrant cosmopolitan student life.
Three of Perth’s five main universities are ranked among the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2018, including; University of Western Australia (UWA), Murdoch University and Curtin University. The University of Notre Dame and Edith Cowan University are also renowned Universities located in Perth.
Perth is a great city to pursue Science and Technology studies, with its five universities involved in cutting edge research projects with other leading institutions around the globe offering students the chance to be part of life altering projects such as Clean water production, climate change policies and development of new vaccines.
Perth is relatively affordable in terms of living costs when compared to other major student cities in Australia like Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. International students in Perth receive 40% discounts when travelling on public transport and are entitled to a tertiary smart rider card.
A low crime rate in Perth also makes it a safe and secure city for international students.
Top courses in Perth that could lead to Permanent Residency include : Engineering, Information technology, Hospitality and cooking courses, Accountancy and Nursing.
Universities
TAFE’s and Colleges
As an International student on a student visa in Perth, you have the opportunity to engage in Casual work, Part-time work, Internships, Volunteer work and Work placements. You can work for upto 40 hours per fortnight during the semester, and unlimited number of hours during semester breaks.
Popular part-time and casual jobs in Perth are available in industries such as hospitality jobs in restaurants or cafes (chefs, cooks, waiters, kitchen hands), retail ( casual sales staff), aged-care, administration, house-keeping and cleaning.
The minimum hourly wage for casual employees is between $15-$28 per hour. You are also entitled to a 25% casual loading fee on top of your base salary, as per the fair work ombudsman.
Part time employees usually work less than 38 hours per week, but will be entitled to the same leave benefits as a full-time employee, in proportion to the amount of time you work. You would however not be paid for the duration of any leave or absence taken from work.
Some of the ways in which you can find part-time employment in Perth includes:
