How do you find 88 days work?
Short answer
Look on job boards, the Workforce Australia job search, labour-hire companies and directly with growers, and ask in working hostels. Before you accept, check two things: that the job's postcode and type of work count for your visa, and that you'll be paid properly with payslips. The government's Harvest Trail service closed in 2024, so don't rely on its old phone line or guides.
Finding the work is often harder than counting it. Here’s where people find 88 days jobs, and the checks that save you from wasted weeks.
Where to look
- Job boards and the Workforce Australia job search. Search by town plus the type of work, for example “fruit picking Bundaberg” or “farm hand Mildura”.
- Labour-hire companies for farms, packing sheds, construction and mine sites. Ask them which site you’ll be on, because the site postcode is what counts.
- Directly with growers and businesses. Many farms hire through their own website, Facebook page or by phone, especially before picking season.
- Working hostels in harvest towns often connect backpackers with local farms.
- Facebook groups and word of mouth. Useful, but check every job yourself (see below).
The government’s Harvest Trail service, with its job board, phone line and harvest guides, closed in 2024. Its old pages now redirect to the general Workforce Australia job search.
Where the work is
| Type of work | Places to look | Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Farm and harvest | Bundaberg, Mildura, Shepparton, Griffith, Stanthorpe, Tully, Bowen, Carnarvon, Tasmania | 417 and 462 (462: listed areas only) |
| Mining | Pilbara (Karratha, Port Hedland, Newman), Goldfields (Kalgoorlie), Bowen Basin (Moranbah, Emerald), Mount Isa | 417 only |
| Hospitality and tourism | Cairns, Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, Darwin, Broome, Exmouth, Alice Springs, Uluru | 417 and 462 |
| Construction | Most regional towns, Northern Australia | 417 and 462 (462: listed areas only) |
Each type of work has its own page with more places: farm work, mining, hospitality, construction.
When to look
- Harvest work follows the crops: Queensland strawberries and vegetables in winter (about June to October), cherries, mangoes and grapes in summer (about November to March), apples and pears from January to May. See the harvest calendar.
- Hospitality up north peaks in the dry season, about May to October.
- Start looking 3–4 weeks before a season starts. Picking jobs fill quickly in the first weeks.
Planning your flights around this saves money too: see the best time to go.
Before you say yes: 5 checks
- The postcode counts for your visa and this type of work. Get the exact work address and check it in the postcode checker. Hospitality in Byron Bay doesn’t count; farm work there does.
- You’ll get payslips. Specified work must be paid according to Australian law and awards. No payslips means no proof.
- The pay is legal. Casual farm work has a minimum hourly rate, and piece rates must let an average worker earn more than it. See farm pay and piece rates.
- Deductions are in writing. If accommodation or transport comes out of your pay, get a signed agreement. Home Affairs lists it as proof you can provide.
- Enough hours. A full week (38 hours) counts as 7 days. Two or three shifts a week takes far longer.
Red flags
- Paying a fee or a “bond” to get a job.
- Cash only, no payslips, or an ABN when you’re clearly working as an employee.
- “Guaranteed 88 days” promises, or a postcode that changes when you ask.
- Your passport being held, or pay that’s always “coming next week”.
If something’s wrong, the Fair Work Ombudsman helps visa holders for free, and asking for help doesn’t put your visa at risk on its own. See its visa holders page.
Count as you go
Add each payslip to the calculator the day you get it. It checks the postcode and work type, and tells you when you’ll reach 88 at your current pace.
Questions people also ask
How do I know a job counts before I start?
Ask for the exact address where you'll work, check that postcode in the postcode checker for your visa, and make sure the work type (farm, construction, mining, hospitality…) is listed there.
Is cash-in-hand farm work OK for 88 days?
It's risky. Specified work must be paid according to Australian law and awards, and without payslips it's very hard to prove your days. Ask for payslips from day one.
Can couples find 88 days work together?
Yes. Farms, packing sheds and working hostels often take couples, especially in picking season. Mention it when you apply, and each of you needs your own payslips.
Do working hostels guarantee 88 days?
No one can guarantee your days. Some hostels help find farm work, but check the postcode, the pay and any accommodation deductions yourself.
Sources
General information, not immigration advice. Aussie Days is independent and not affiliated with the Australian Government. Always check the official Home Affairs pages before you rely on anything here.
Keep reading
How much does farm work pay, and how do piece rates work?
How much farm work pays in Australia: the Horticulture Award minimum, casual loading, how piece rates must work and the daily minimum wage guarantee.
Types of workDoes hospitality count for the 88 days?
Hospitality and tourism work count for your 88 days only in Northern Australia and remote areas, from 22 June 2021. Which jobs and places count, with examples.
Types of workDoes mining count for 88 days? FIFO, shutdowns and 12-hour shifts
Mining counts for 88 days on a 417 visa (not 462), including mining support services and cleaning. How FIFO rosters, shutdowns and 12-hour shifts count.