Amazon to hire 3000 seasonal workers for Christmas rush in Australia

Amazon is recruiting 3000 seasonal workers across Australia ahead of the Christmas rush, with pay starting at about $35 an hour.

The online retail giant has opened applications for roles at fulfilment centres and delivery stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Newcastle, the Gold Coast, Gosford and Geelong.

About 1900 positions will be based in NSW, with another 600 in Victoria, 300 in Queensland and almost 200 in Western Australia.

Amazon Australia head of people experience and technology Michelle Theophilou said workers would start on about $35 an hour, with additional penalty rates available for some shifts.

“The starting pay is around $35 an hour, plus penalties if you’re working afternoon shift or early morning or weekend shifts,” she told NewsWire.

The recruitment drive comes as Amazon prepares for a surge in orders during the final months of the year, including Prime Big Deal Days, Black Friday and Christmas.

Ms Theophilou said the scale of the hiring was being driven by expected customer demand during the festive season.

The temporary workers will primarily pick, pack and ship customer orders, with no previous experience required and training provided on the job.

Amazon is targeting a broad range of applicants, including university students, retirees and people between jobs.

“These roles are a great way for any diverse populations to come join us, whether you’re a retiree looking for some additional money, a student, [or] in between roles,” Ms Theophilou said.

She could not provide a typical duration for the seasonal contracts, saying their length would depend on customer demand.

But she said temporary jobs had become an important recruiting pipeline for permanent staff.

“I can say that in my experience many have gone on to permanent roles,” she said.

“In fact, most of our permanent roles have been filled through seasonal opportunities over the years that I’ve been working at Amazon.”