Farm work in Australia

It is possible to extend your Working Holiday Visa to a second year if you do 88 days work on a farm or in a rural area. During the first year of the WHV you have to work for about 3 months and get a job certification signed by the employer that can be downloaded from the Department of Immigration website.

The farm jobs in Australia can be a different experience to usual. It means learning to work in the fields or with farm animals, discovering the outback (the most remote areas of Australia) and enjoying a simpler and healthier lifestyle compared to stress of the big cities. Due to the many requests it’s hard to find your own a farm work in Australia that is best suited to fulfil the 88 days required by the Government

In the past, there have been some unpleasant instances such as unreliable employers, really low wages by Australian standards, and unsafe work conditions. In some cases this has culminated in the release of an invalid document for the request of the second WHV.

For all these reasons, Just Australia proposes the Project Safe Farm, which includes a training program and hospitality for the 88 days of work on a farm where the worker is hired and paid as an Australian farmer with less than one year of experience (Level 1, Farming and Livestock Hand Award Wage), which is equivalent to $300-$450 per week depending on experience and capabilities. This program doesn’t provide the picking and packing of fruit and vegetables.

There are two solutions with different admission fee. The first one is for those who are currently based in Australia and they are looking for a farm job for 88 days (Onshore). The second one speaks to whom is outside the country and is interested in a package (Offshore).

• Onshore: for those are based in Australia for at least 4 weeks and want to start the farm experience, the cost includes: farm job for 88 days and 5 days of training, as a general introduction to Australia farm work.
• Offshore: for those are outside the country and want to start the farm experience as soon as they arrive in Australia, the cost includes: pick-up at the airport, Australian paperworks, 4 nights in a hostel, 5 days of training as a general introduction to Australia farm work and the opportunity to work in a farm for the whole year.

At the end of the 88 days of work, each worker will obtain the required documents to apply for the second Working Holiday Visa. You need to pay for this program because it includes food and accomodation for 88 days, as well as a short period of job training on the Australian farm.

Requirements

• A good level of English
• Driver licence
• Health insurance**
• Tax file number**
• Bank account**

Average wage for farm work in Australia

• $300-$450 per week plus food and accomodation

WEBSITES TO FIND A FARM JOB

• www.fruitpickingjobs.com.au
• www.jobsearch.gov.au/harvest

Farm guide

• Download here the manual and official “Harvest Guide” to discover absolutely everything about picking fruit and vegetables in Australia. Version 2015.

**Health insurance, tax file number and bank account can be acquired free of charge through Just Australia.