Work as Santa – Santa Jobs Across Australia

Are you an experienced Santa, or do you think you have what it takes to become The Real Santa? We’re not looking for someone to dress up and walk through a shopping centre. We want performers who can become him – the voice, the warmth, the patience with a nervous three-year-old, and the presence that makes a corporate function stop and smile.

Real Deal Entertainment supplies The Real Santa to shopping centres, councils, corporate Christmas events, schools and community festivals right across Australia. Every season we take on new Santa performers in every capital city and a growing list of regional cities.

Applications for Christmas 2026 are open now. Apply below – it takes about five minutes.

Please have a look at our gallery to see our Santas and Elves in action.

Why work with The Real Santa

• Excellent hourly rate – paid for every appearance, with the exact figures explained on your first call.
• Paid preparation time – an extra hour’s pay for every appearance to cover getting into costume and character.
• Superannuation on top of your hourly rate, and WorkCover insurance on every booking.
• Casual employment that fits around acting, teaching or other work – most bookings fall on weekends and evenings from mid-November to Christmas Eve, with Christmas in July work for some performers.
• Premium costume supplied – real-look beard and wig, quality velvet suit, boots, belt and spectacles, fitted to you.
• Full training in how The Real Santa moves, speaks and handles the tricky moments (the child who won’t sit, the adult with a curly question).
• Variety – corporate functions, shopping centres, council events, schools, private parties, photo sets and video appearances. No two weekends are the same.

Who we’re looking for

No experience as Santa is necessary. What we do need is performance experience or training in at least one of these: actor, children’s entertainer, circus performer, school teacher, MC, singer, dancer or similar.

You’ll ideally be:

• 25 or older – our audiences expect a Santa with some years on him, and we can add the rest with make-up
• Average or larger height and build
• Comfortable with children of all ages and with adult audiences
• Reliable, punctual and happy to hold a Working With Children Check (we’ll help you apply if you don’t have one)
• Available on weekends and some weekday evenings from November through Christmas Eve

Real beard? Great. No beard? Not a problem – we can make you look the part.

Santa jobs by city

We book Santa performers in the following locations. Tell us your city when you apply – and if your town isn’t listed, apply anyway; we add regional cities whenever we find the right person.

Capital cities: Santa jobs Melbourne, Santa jobs Sydney, Santa jobs Brisbane, Santa jobs Perth, Santa jobs Adelaide, Santa jobs Canberra, Santa jobs Hobart, Santa jobs Darwin

Regional and coastal: Santa jobs Gold Coast, Santa jobs Sunshine Coast, Santa jobs Newcastle, Santa jobs Wollongong, Santa jobs Geelong, Santa jobs Ballarat, Santa jobs Bendigo, Santa jobs Byron Bay

What the training covers

Every new performer completes The Real Santa training before their first booking. It covers:

• Voice, posture and movement – how to be Santa, not a man in a suit
• Working with children: nervous kids, sensory needs, wish lists and photos
• Corporate and council etiquette – arrivals, MCs, speeches and media
• Costume care and character make-up
• Safety, Working With Children requirements and what to do if something goes wrong

How to apply

1. Apply using the application form on this page, or email your CV and a recent photo to casting@therealsanta.com.au.
2. We’ll book a short phone call to talk about your experience, availability and city.
3. Successful applicants are invited to a fitting and training session before the season starts.

Questions? Call 0400 447 747.

Santa job FAQs

Do I need experience to work as Santa?

Not as Santa. You do need a background in performing, entertaining or teaching. We teach the rest.

How much do Santas get paid in Australia?

Rates vary widely across the industry. The Real Santa pays an excellent hourly rate plus an extra hour’s pay for preparation, superannuation and WorkCover cover – we’ll talk you through the exact figures on your first call.

How old do you have to be to play Santa?

We prefer performers 25 and over. There is no upper limit – some of our best Santas are in their sixties and seventies.

Do I need my own costume?

No. We supply a premium suit, beard, wig and accessories.

Is it full-time work?

It is casual and seasonal. Most bookings run from mid-November to Christmas Eve, with some Christmas in July work. Many of our performers are actors, teachers or retirees who fit Santa around other commitments.

Which cities do you hire in?

All Australian capitals plus the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Byron Bay.

Do I need a Working With Children Check?

Yes, for every state you work in. We will walk you through applying if you do not have one.

When should I apply?

Now. We recruit from September and training runs in October and early November. Late applicants can still be placed if a city has demand.