Guide: How To Find A Job In Australia by Alex Winter - HTML preview

About fruit picking

Fruit picking is very popular with working holiday makers and backpackers. You work in a farm or in a field, and the job you get depends on the weather, where you are and the current season. You don’t need previous experience, nor a high level of English. You are mostly asked to be resourceful and in good physical shape. You generally work outdoors (except for packing) and it can be a very interesting experience. It allows you to find work while travelling and to meet other foreigners in Australia. It also gives you the possibility to get a second year visa if you’re on a working holiday visa.

But working outdoors can also be hard when it’s very hot or rainy outside. Some tasks can be tiring, repetitive and painful in the long run, and your compensation can vary a lot, especially if it is performance-based, because it will depend on your efficiency.

Picking up certain fruit or vegetables requires more efforts than others. You may be asked to "pick" all fruits or choose them according to their appearance. It can be taxing for your back, and sometimes you might get bitten by insects !

Packing consists in selecting, sorting and packing the fruit and vegetables that have been picked up. It’s quite a repetitive job. However, you are usually seated and sheltered in a sort of hangar. You get paid hourly or depending on your performance.

You may also be pruning trees and vines. It is a well paid job but it requires a good physical condition.Or you could be planting seeds for future crops of fruit, vegetables or trees. It is often done outdoors but can also be done in a greenhouse or in a hangar.

Fruit picking and farm work tips

• If you don’t like the heat, avoid the Outback. It’s very hot in there!

• Visit the regions where you would like to apply for a job and don’t hesitate to talk to local farmers and recruiters.

• Be prepared. Thousands of young foreigners apply for an Australian working holiday visa, and many of them decide to stay on a second year. You’ll have lots of competition, so try to stay in the closest town or city in advance to be first in line when these farms or companies begin hiring people.

• Once you get a regional farm or fruit picking job, bring insect repellent, sunscreen and anything else you need with you. The nearest town could be miles away, so you might not be able to go shopping for a while!

• While you’re working, collect bank statements, employer references or pay slips to prove you’ve completed the requirement. Then, once you have worked three months, you can begin the process of extending your visa to stay in Australia for another year. Great news!

You don’t need to tell farmers and agricultural labour recruiters that you only want to do the farm work to get a second year visa. If you do, they might think you’re not really motivated by the job and might put your resume at the bottom of the pile. When trying to find a job in Australia, you should always look like you’re very interested in the position you’re applying for. It shouldn’t sound like you’re just doing it for practical reasons.

Never pay money to anybody before you arrive

Lots of scammers tell working holiday makers that they’ll give them a job if they send them a recruiter’s fee, or a month’s rent to stay in the farm’s living quarters etc. When the poor victims try to contact these “recruiters” again to start their job, they realise these companies never existed in the first place…

You can always contact Fair Work Australia to make sure your potential employer is following all the rules and is not a scammer.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE BEING EXPLOITED OR BADLY TREATED

Unfortunately, sometimes working holiday makers and backpackers in Australia are exploited by their employers. Here are a few tips if you’re being mistreated or if you’re not being paid enough money:

• Check websites like Fair Work Australia to see what’s the minimum wage in your sector

• Contact fair work Australia if you have questions or if you realise you’re being exploited

• If your employer does anything illegal (assault you, ask you for sexual favors etc.), don’t hesitate to tell people around you and to contact the local police

You should never accept this type of behaviour, and you should be paid the right amount of money for your hard work.