Cairns
Dive Jobs & Work Guide
Great barrier reef, Queensland, Australia
Pay Range: USD $2,000-$3,000+ /month
Living Cost: USD $1,200-1,800 /month
High Season: Oct-May, Jun-Jul
Visa Info: Working Holiday Visa (417/462)
Dive Focus: Training + Guiding + Liveaboard
Languages: English, Mandarin, Japanese
What's the diving like?
Outer reefs, coral gardens, turtle bommies, white-tip reef sharks, and the June–July dwarf-minke whale parade. Visibility averages 10–20m, with temperatures from 29 °C (summer) to 24 °C (winter). It's Australia’s busiest reef hub, easy, pretty, predictable.
Why work here?
Cairns trades isolation for comfort and reliability. There’s volume, structure, and decent pay. A place to rack up hundreds of dives while living in a real city. It’s where reef diving meets rostered shifts, not barefoot island life.
When do I apply?
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Recruitment: August–October for the October–May high season.
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Re-hiring: February–March for minke whale trips.
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Permanent instructor roles are mostly gone by mid-September, but Working Holiday Visa staff rotate every 6 months, so openings appear year-round.
What's the pay like?
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Instructors (Permanent): USD $3,000–3,800 /month (AUD 4,500–5,800) + 9.5% super
Instructors (Casual): USD $2,400–3,000 /month (AUD 3,800–4,500)
Liveaboard Guides / Deckhands: USD $2,100–3,100 /month (AUD 3,200–4,800) + tips
Divemasters: USD $2,000–2,400 /month (AUD 3,200–3,700)
Pay varies with hours, season, and boat type.
What Visa is needed?
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Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 or 462) lets you guide or teach for up to 6 months per employer, no sponsorship required.
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Many divers string 2 shops together to work a full year.
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Completing 88 days of eligible rural work unlocks another year.
Visa regulations can change, and working without the right visa or permit is illegal. This is general information only. Check official Australian Immigration sources for up-to-date rules.
What’s the industry like?
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Languages: English (essential), Chinese and Japanese are in high demand. Korean, German, and French are also useful.
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Dive Focus: High-volume Open Water and Advanced courses, plus DSDs and snorkel tours.
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Main Agencies: PADI dominates, SSI is present.
Item | $USD | Local (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
☕ Coffee | $4-$5 | 6-8 |
🍺 Beer (bar) | $6-$9 | 9-14 |
🍜 Local Meal | $10-15 | 15-22 |
📱 SIM Card /month | $20 | 30 |
🛵 Transport /month
| $40-$80 | 60-120 |
🏠 Shared rent /month | $700-$1,200 | 1,100-1,900 |
Costs of Living (Oct 2025 avg)
What's life like at work?
Day boats load around 06:45 and return by 15:30, with two or three dives per day. You’ll guide walls, run OW skills on fixed moorings, lead DSDs and snorkel tours, swap tanks on rolling decks, and rinse gear as the sun drops over the marina. Expect 60–90 dives per month in rotation.
How's life after work?
Crew crash in shared flats or hostel rooms ten minutes from the marina. Evenings mean cheap parmas, jug specials at Gilligan’s, and lights out before the 01:30 lockout. Days off are for lagoon swims, road trips to Port Douglas, or a weekend double dive on the Yongala.
Is it for me?
Cairns suits instructors and DMs who want structure, steady income, and city comforts without giving up daily diving. Best for pros who value consistency and volume over tropical seclusion.
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