Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair 2026

Published: 9 April 2026
A person presenting at a meeting

Over 1300 Victorian international students visited the iconic State Library of Victoria on 24 March to connect with employers for the Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair 2026.

The careers fair is an initiative of the Victorian Government to strengthen career pathways for international students and help employers access locally-grown global talent.

The Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair 2026 provided a valuable opportunity for international students and recent graduates to build their career in Victoria by accessing expert knowledge in a range of industries.

Students and recent graduates created new connections with employers, industry experts, professional bodies and employment support services to learn about graduate roles and internship opportunities in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

This year’s careers fair included representatives from diverse industries including the AFL, Bupa, Cenitex, GHD, L'Oréal, Marriott Hotels and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning. The event delivered meaningful benefits for international students and graduates and  for employers across a range of industries.

Through Study Melbourne, the Victorian Government is working with employers, industry bodies and education providers to address employment barriers for international students and graduates and promote post-study pathways.

The event provided an opportunity to showcase the substantial benefits for employers who hire international students and graduates, including deepening their talent pool, developing an internationally focused workforce and building diversity.

In addition to the careers fair, Study Melbourne delivers an ongoing range of targeted activities that build international students' employability and leadership skills, industry knowledge and networks.

From addressing skills gaps to fostering inclusive workplaces, we’re committed to ensuring our international students have access to the support and opportunities they need to succeed. These initiatives benefit students, and help to strengthen Victoria’s future as a global hub for business and talent.

A huge thank you to those organisations and their representatives who joined us on the day. Study Melbourne continues to work towards building partnerships that support our international student community and enable them to shine on a global stage.

View transcript

Duration: 1:08

[Background music begins.]
[On-screen text: Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair 2026]
[On-screen text: Shra Shekhar Regional Manager Hays Recruitment]

Shra Shekhar:
As an employer, we are definitely here to hire international students. We're not here just for the sake of being here. We're definitely here to meet the right candidates and talent and international students.

International student 1:
I came here for internship opportunities and there were two companies in particular that were pretty helpful and even apart from that, it was nice to see that they had career guidance as well as support for students.

[On-screen text: Pat Dissanayake National Manager Bupa]

Pat Dissanayake:
With international students, you actually find that they're really resilient in any sort of role that you put them in. They're willing to learn, willing to develop and they also come up with really amazing ideas.

International student 2:
I've noticed a lot of employers, big firms around the fair, so I'm really looking forward to maybe get an internship or potential job experience in the future.

[On-screen text: Lily Simmons Talent & Development Lead  L'Oréal]

Lily Simmons:
Having international students in our team allows us to have their different perspectives, different insights. They can bring ideas that maybe our local team wouldn't have thought of.

International student 3:
There's a lot of companies going on and I actually talked to three of them and they're really helpful.

[On-screen text: Study Melbourne Victoria Logo]
[Background music ends.]
[End of transcript.]

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