A one-year Working Holiday Visa may seem like a long time, but after a few months travelling and a few months working the year goes by pretty quick. However finding non-exploitive regional work could be the biggest road block for getting that second visa.
For reference, those on the Working Holiday Visas can complete 88 days regional work on their first visa (commonly known as farm work) to stay for a second year.
I tried to finish my regional work right away to guarantee staying a second year. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way. After three regional jobs gone wrong and over six months in the country I was hardly half way through my 88 days. The biggest reason for ending up in this situation was that I wanted to find non-exploitive regional work.
For most travellers being exploited in regional work is—sadly—a common occurrence. This isn’t because all farmers, contractors, working hostels, or other employers are bad. But, there are people waiting to take advantage of travellers who just want to complete their 88 days. Factors that could contribute to this are travellers on a time constraint, with a low budget and possibly limited English.
And, there’s enough travellers willing to put up with exploitive situations just to finish the 88 days.
I wanted to go through some of my experiences to help others find the best work throughout Australia. And ideally finding non-exploitive regional work. I have had both positive and negative experiences completing my regional work.
Table of Contents
Expect the Worst, Hope for the Best
The best testament to finding non-exploitive regional work is to stay positive. If it doesn’t work out, don’t put up with bad work situations, especially if/when it’s dangerous.
It’s great to be positive and assume potential employers have the best intentions but, this isn’t the reality for many regional jobs. Be aware of what’s happening, including unrealistic expectations by employers and underpayment. It’s better to expect the worst and hope for the best. This way, no matter which situation, it’s easier to rebound instead of feeling shocked from an exploitive job.
This same sentiment goes for pay cheques. Don’t expect to get rich from regional work. Obviously being paid fairly is important, but for most travellers completing regional work is just that—not getting rich.
Networking
It can be tricky to trust people in a new country while travelling, especially after hearing about, or being in exploitive work situations. The truth is joining one of the many Facebook groups with other travellers or backpackers serves as a platform for legitimate job searches and feedback.
This is always a good starting point to find reliable work. And whether it’s good or bad feedback, people are honest. It’s also good to speak to locals, wherever you are and say you’re looking for work. I found a few leads for reliable work doing just this. If you get ahold of an employer that isn’t looking for work, try asking if they know anyone else.
Drop Off Resume in Person
Applying and looking for jobs online is an obvious choice. It’s also easy and lots of employers like this method. But, when on a time constraint it’s better to drop off a resume in person or even call. This goes for jobs in hospitality and farm work. Many employers prefer to see a person instead of just a name and resume online.
Resumes likely aren’t necessary for farm work. All of my jobs I got without sending a resume. I just spoke with employers directly who asked for my previous experience, but it wasn’t a formal resume. Most employers hiring for fruit picking jobs don’t care about university degrees. They care more if someone can stay the entire season.
Be Relentless
Treat looking for a job like full time job. Instead of just casually looking, make looking for work a priority and spend a few hours doing it. Sometimes it’s easy to hear back from employers, but weeding through to find the non-exploitive regional work is the tricky part.
So, wake up on time, get caffeinated and stay focused. Finding non-exploitive regional work is possible and will make your entire experience in Australia better.
Check the Harvest Guide
If you haven’t heard of it yet, there’s an organization called Harvest Trail. This government initiative helps bring legitimate workers and employers together. Looking online provides a few options, and calling in may generally have more. Not every job on this site is legitimate though.
Potential workers still have to do research and check employers are adhering to proper pay and work conditions. The difference with this organization is if there is a problem with an employer, you can call back and report it.
Aside from calling in for work, check the harvest guide. This gives general times for different harvests around Australia. So, if you’re in an area at a certain time it might work out to go to a specific town/region and ask around for work.
Ask all the Questions (Before Arriving)
Most employers, especially farmers, want to meet potential employees in person before hiring. Before wasting the petrol, make sure the job has the most potential. Most reliable and honest employers will answer all legitimate questions before expecting someone to show up. They should also answer clearly and in a timely manner.
A few questions to ask are: what is the payment? If it’s piece-rate how much could someone make in a day/week? Is there a required accommodation or transportation? What kind of equipment do I need? What are the hours? How long will the season go for? Is there a super guarantee? How are wages paid? Employers do and can lie about many of these things, but it’s a good starting point. Employers that give clear answers on these are more likely to do what they said.
Research People
Backpackers ending up in exploitive regional work situations isn’t new. It’s so common now that backpackers are tired of putting up with it. Not only backpackers but Australians and others involved in the situations. Some Facebook groups have huddled information to prevent others from ending up in the same bad situation.
There’s a watchout list from the Facebook group Backpackers 88 days and Counting. The list features names, contact information, other names, addresses and information on bad experiences workers have endured. Request to join the group to access the list, or contact me. Then do a quick search of potential employers before agreeing to a job. And, if you experience something wrong or exploitive from an employer, contact the author to add to this list.
Already found a job? Check out my tips on surviving regional work or my complete guide on Getting Started in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa.
