Work rights on your CV: what ATS and recruiters actually see
Not immigration advice — employability clarity only.
Australian job ads often state work eligibility in the first paragraph of requirements. If your CV buries visa status in a footer, omits it entirely, or uses vague wording, screening tools may not link you to the ad’s eligibility language.
Where to put work rights
Place a single truthful line near the top of your CV — with your name, contact details, or education header. Examples (only if accurate):
- Australian citizen — full work rights
- Permanent resident — unrestricted work rights in Australia
- International student — work limited to 48 hours per fortnight during semester
- 485 Graduate visa — full work rights until [month year]
Match the ad’s wording where truthful
If the ad asks for “unrestricted rights to work in Australia”, use equivalent accurate phrasing rather than a generic “eligible to work”. Parsers often search for the ad’s terms.
What not to do
- Do not claim citizenship or unrestricted rights if that is not true
- Do not rely on the cover letter alone — many workflows parse the CV first
- Do not assume recruiters will infer status from your university
How ATS Insight helps
Our debugger compares eligibility wording in the job ad against work-right visibility on your CV and flags friction before you apply. See a sample report for a graduate civil role.