Understanding Availability for Casual Jobs

When you apply for a casual role, your availability is one of the most important parts of your application.

Availability and how it affects getting a job

Many young people think they should only list the exact hours they want to work, but employers are looking for flexibility across different days and times.

Why availability matters

Workplaces are busy at different times of the day, week, and year
Employers need team members who can cover a mix of shifts, not just one set time
You will never be rostered to work every hour you list. Listing more hours simply gives employers more options when building rosters
Workplace laws cover maximum hours, rest breaks, and time between shifts, so you will never be scheduled beyond what is legal or safe

Minimum shift lengths

In most industries and awards, the minimum shift length is 3 hours
Under the Fast Food Award, secondary school students can be rostered for 1.5 hours on a school day
Some EBAs (enterprise agreements) may have different rules, but 3 hours is generally the minimum outside of school day exceptions

Ideal availability times

During the school term (weekdays): 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm
On weekends and during school holidays: 6.00 am to 9.30 or 10.00 pm

Showing a wide range of availability across these times demonstrates flexibility, which increases your chances of being hired.

Balancing availability with commitments

If you have a regular commitment such as sport, list your availability around it. For example: “Available Saturdays from 5.00 pm”
Avoid blocking out entire weekend days “just in case.” This may reduce your chances of being hired
Most employers expect at least one full weekend day of availability

Rosters and making changes

Rosters are usually published about two weeks in advance
You can update your availability if a one-off event comes up, such as a family wedding
If you regularly reduce your availability after being hired, you may be offered fewer shifts over time. Consistency matters

Tip: Think of availability as showing when you could work, not when you will work. The more options you give, the more likely you are to be hired.

FAQs

Employers need team members who can work across different days and times to cover changing needs. The more availability you provide, the more flexible the roster can be, and the higher your chance of being hired.
No. Listing your availability only shows when you could work, not when you will work. You will never be rostered for every hour you provide. Rosters are built to balance staff needs, legal requirements, and demand.
Yes. Workplace laws set rules about breaks, maximum hours for young workers, and rest time between shifts. You will never be scheduled beyond what is legal or safe.
In most industries the minimum shift length is 3 hours. The main exception is under the Fast Food Award, where secondary school students can be rostered for 1.5 hours on a school day. Some EBAs may also set different rules, but 3 hours is generally the standard outside of those exceptions.
During the school term, it is best to show availability on weekdays from 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm and on weekends from 6.00 am to 9.30 or 10.00 pm. During school holidays, it helps to show longer daytime availability, such as from 6.00 am to 9.30 or 10.00 pm.
You can apply with limited availability, but it will reduce your chances of being hired. Employers usually look for team members who can work multiple shifts across both weekdays and weekends. If you can only commit to one shift a week, try to make it a weekend day or another time that suits busy trading hours.
No. These hours show the range of times that shifts may be available, not the hours you will be expected to work. For example, a shift might run from 6.00 am to 9.00 am, or from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Every shift will be at least the minimum length under the relevant award or agreement.
You should list your availability around fixed commitments. For example, if you play sport on Saturdays until 5.00 pm, you can show that you are available to start work after 5.00 pm. However, keeping entire weekend days unavailable just in case something comes up can hurt your chances of being hired.
Yes. Rosters are usually published two weeks in advance and you can update your availability if a one-off event such as a family wedding comes up. If you regularly reduce your availability after being hired, you may start receiving fewer shifts. Consistency is important to employers.
The best place to find official information is the Fair Work Ombudsman website. You can use the Award Finder tool to look up the award that applies to your job and see details about shift lengths, pay rates, and working hours. air Work Ombudsman Award Finder: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/awards-and-agreements/award-finder

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