- Australia’s Age Pension program gives a maximum of $967.50 per fortnight to a single senior.
- This pension isn’t enough for many seniors to live comfortably, so work from home jobs are becoming an appealing option for income supplementation.
- Many work-from-home jobs are perfect for seniors because they require little to no training, pay a decent wage, and come with part-time or relaxed hours.
Australia’s Age Pension program provides a supplementary income to seniors as they move into retirement. While the Age Pension program is an essential benefit for many people, it can feel restrictive. After all, the maximum pension a single senior can receive is $967.50 per fortnight, which is hardly an abundance to live off.1 Luckily, more and more seniors today realize they can supplement their pension by earning some additional income without ever leaving the house. These 11 work-from-home jobs are perfect for seniors, and they can be done remotely, require minimal skills and are always in demand.
shurkin_son / Shutterstock1. Online Tutor
If you love working with younger generations, online tutoring might be a great way to make some extra income. Tutors are always in demand for students of all ages. If you’re especially knowledgeable in one subject, you can set higher rates and tutor university students and adults. Even if you’re not a subject matter expert, you can easily pick up shifts to help young students with their math, grammar, science studies and more.
Online tutoring is ideal for seniors because you can set your schedule, pick your clients, and set your own rate. Pick up more shifts when you want more income and take it easy when you need a break. On average, most online tutors make $29 per hour in Australia.2
2. Customer Service Representative
The customer service industry has transitioned to mainly being remote. Most major companies need an extensive customer service department to handle the thousands of calls, emails and chats that come in from customers needing help, and these companies are filling these roles with remote workers.
The good news for seniors is that you don’t need a background in customer service to land one of these roles. Most companies provide extensive training, so you can properly represent their brand when speaking with existing and potential customers. Many customer service jobs come with flexible, part-time hours, so seniors don’t have to go back to full-time work if they don’t want to. According to Indeed, the average Customer Service Representative in Australia makes $19.36 per hour.3
3. Data Entry Clerk
It doesn’t get much more straightforward than a data entry job. This position is exactly what it sounds like — you input data into a system, according to a set of instructions provided. The training is minimal, and most people can get onboarded and started within a day.
The people who fill this role need to be patient and detail orientated. It makes for an excellent job for seniors because it’s stimulating without being overly challenging. Not only are data entry clerks in high demand, but the job also pays well. A data entry clerk can expect to make $40 per hour in Australia.4
4. Freelance Writer
You may have heard the expression “content is king.” Businesses and brands of all sizes like to use content to keep in touch with their customers and audiences, and you can help by becoming a freelance writer. They say to write about what you know, so seniors looking to expand into this new role should consider what they’re an expert in. You can write about senior living, the industry you used to work for or a hobby you’re passionate about.
Becoming a freelance writer is accessible to anyone through platforms, such as Fiverr and Upwork. You create a free profile, start bidding on jobs and build a reputation as a reliable, high-quality writer. Freelance writing is perfect for seniors because it allows them to work from home, pick up work when they want to and make a reasonably good salary. The average earnings per hour for a freelance writer in Australia is $24.51.5
5. Online English Teacher
One easy job any senior can do is teach English online. Students looking to improve their written and verbal English can significantly benefit from learning from a real person online versus a program or an app. Patient seniors will love this job, as they’ll get to help people and see the difference they’re making in their lives.
As an online English teacher, you can expect to earn an average of $55 per hour.6 You’ll also find that once you have a few happy students, the referrals from their friends and family members will start to come in, so work will never dry up. You could also work through an online platform, such as TESOL Australia, so you don’t have to find your clients.7
6. Bookkeeper
A bookkeeper keeps track of a business’s expenses and income, ensuring everything is recorded appropriately. You can get a certificate to become a bookkeeper in Australia, but it’s not always necessary. Many small businesses are willing to train uncertified employees on their bookkeeping processes, as it’s often relatively straightforward. Seniors can explore local job posting sites for open bookkeeping positions at small companies.
This is a great work-from-home opportunity for seniors who have a background in finance or math, as well as those who are detail-orientated. A bookkeeper typically makes $36.42 per hour in Australia. However, if you’re uncertified, you can expect to earn a bit less.8
7. Career Coach
If you’re a senior who had a long, successful career, it might be time to pass some of that knowledge along to the next generation. Many young, ambitious professionals look for career coaches to help guide them down the right path. You can offer online sessions where you explain what made you successful in your career, tips you have for those trying to build their careers and mistakes to avoid.
If you prefer not to offer one-on-one sessions, you can even build out a course and sell that instead. You can expect to make an average of almost $35 per hour as a career coach.9
8. Transcriber
A transcriber listens to audio recordings or watches videos and types out everything they hear. This type of job requires virtually no training and is easy to do. Find jobs through transcription platforms, such as Transcript Divas, that allow users to create a profile, start taking jobs and keep flexible hours.10
Seniors with good hearing and a fast-typing rate can make decent money transcribing. You can expect to earn around $23.55 per hour transcribing in Australia.11
9. Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant helps people organize their schedule, answer emails, arrange travel, make phone calls, and complete other administrative duties. It’s a job that can be done comfortably from home and only requires a computer and a phone. Experience isn’t necessary for this type of job but having previous experience working in an office may be beneficial. Administrative tasks are quite straightforward and can be picked up quickly by most people.
The best part about being a virtual assistant is that it’s usually part-time, relaxed hours. Many people hiring a virtual assistant on sites, such as UpWork, only require help for a few hours per week. This is a great role that can keep you busy and help you earn some income, without being overly demanding. You can expect to make an average of $20.65 per hour as a virtual assistant.12
10. Translator
Seniors who can speak more than one language may want to work as a translator. You typically have to have an excellent grasp of the language to translate effectively while maintaining the same initial message and tone.
Translators are needed across many industries, including government, travel, business, education and more. Translators are in high demand, and the job pays well. The average rate per hour for a translator in Australia is $38.19.13
11. Etsy Shop Owner
If you’re a senior who loves crafting, you may want to start an Etsy store. Etsy is a great marketplace to sell handmade crafts to people from all over the world. There are plenty of guides and YouTube tutorials online that show you how to get an Etsy shop started and make it successful.
According to one source, the average Etsy shop owner’s annual income is $44,380.14 While the money isn’t as high as some of the other options on this list, it’s still enough to make an impact on your wallet. Plus, it’s always great to turn something you love into a job.