What does a Tile Setter do overseas?

Typical responsibilities

• Prepare floors and walls and set out tile layouts
• Cut tiles to fit around edges and fixtures
• Apply adhesive and lay tiles level with even joints
• Grout, seal and clean finished areas
• Check finished work for level and flatness

What employers usually look for

• Tile laying experience on floors and walls
• Accurate measuring and cutting
• Able to work neatly to a finished standard

Typical experience

2+ years tiling

Helpful extras

• Experience with large-format tiles
• Waterproofing knowledge

Physical demands

Kneeling, bending and lifting heavy tiles and bags.

Licences and certification

Check destination requirements for any licence, trade test or medical clearance.

A typical day

You check the surface is flat and clean, set out the layout so cuts fall in the right places and spread adhesive. You lay tiles with even spacing, cut around fixtures, check the level and then grout and clean the finished area.

Questions you may be asked

Employers and recruiters often ask questions like these. There is no single right answer: be honest, give a real example from your own work and say plainly when you have not done something yet.

• How do you plan a layout so the cuts look neat?
• How do you check a floor is flat before tiling?
• How do you cut tiles safely?

Staying safe on the job

Use eye protection and a dust mask when cutting, wear knee pads, and handle adhesives and grout with gloves.

Where this role can lead

Tile setters can become a lead tiler, specialise in stone or large-format tiles, or run small projects.

How EMIGRATLY works with this role

This page describes the role in general. Duties, pay and requirements are set by each employer and differ between destinations. EMIGRATLY is not a job board: after you register, a dedicated specialist reviews your profile and matches you against the exclusive employer contracts we hold, including ones that are not listed publicly.