Casual car finance, done right.

If you're a casual worker — hospo, retail, healthcare, warehousing, anything shift-based — you've probably been told "come back when you've been somewhere 12 months." That's the lazy answer. The actual answer depends on something most brokers don't check: your industry continuity.

If you've been a barista for 4 years across three cafes, your current cafe job being 3 months old isn't the issue some lenders make it out to be. The right lenders look at the trade, not the tenure. Tui knows which two or three lenders accept the "same industry, multiple employers" profile and which to skip entirely.

How casual workers actually get approved

There are three common casual profiles, and each opens different lender doors:

The seasoned casual (12+ months in current role)

You've been in the same casual position for a year or more, hours are reasonably steady. Most prime lenders will accept you on a standard PAYG application. Documentation is straightforward: two recent payslips, photo ID, 90-day bank statements.

The industry continuity casual (under 12 months current, but stable industry)

You've moved between employers in the same industry. Same job, different workplace. Several lenders explicitly accept this profile if your industry tenure is 2+ years total. Tui knows which ones — and what extra evidence helps (e.g. previous payslips showing the same job title at the prior employer).

The new-into-industry casual (under 6 months total in this line of work)

Harder. A small number of specialist lenders look at this case-by-case, especially if you're asset-backed (you own property) or have a strong saver profile. Tui is honest if this is your situation — sometimes the right answer is "wait 3 months" or "let's look at a smaller loan first."

What lenders actually look at

• Hours consistency. 25+ hours per week averaged over 3-6 months is the comfort zone for most lenders. Variable hours work if they average out.
• Industry tenure (not just job tenure). 2+ years in the same trade is a major positive even if the current role is recent.
• Pay cycle regularity. Weekly or fortnightly is preferred over irregular. Monthly is fine but less common in casual roles.
• Bank statement income. Lenders cross-check payslip income against bank deposits over 90 days. Consistency wins.
• Other liabilities. Credit card limits, BNPL, payday-loan history — all factor in. Tui asks about these upfront so you know how they affect your case.

Documents you'll need

• Two most recent payslips (covering the last 4-8 weeks)
• Photo ID (driver's licence is fine)
• 90-day bank statements (via secure illion link — no password sharing)
• If under 6 months in current role: previous role's payslip OR letter from current employer confirming hours pattern

Common pitfalls to avoid

Don't apply to multiple lenders directly

Each direct application leaves a credit-file enquiry. Too many enquiries within 6 months will damage your score even without any rejections. A broker (us) submits one application to the lender most likely to approve you. Read more about how that works →

Don't underestimate BNPL impact

$3,000 of Afterpay or Zip is treated like a $3,000 credit card limit by most lenders. It uses up your serviceability buffer. Pay it down before applying if you can.

Don't lie about hours

Bank statements give you away. Inflated hours on the payslip but lower deposits in the bank account = an application that gets withdrawn at the assessment stage. Tui needs accurate numbers to find the right lender.

Frequently asked questions