Working Conditions

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!
-Dorothea MacKellar

The Climate

Australia has some of the harshest environments in the world. Temperatures can regularly go above 40 degrees Celsius. As many of our placements will put you outdoors, you will need time to acclimatise prior to starting work if you have never experienced these extremes.

We give you the chance to work outdoors in this magnificent and scenic country of ours.  But working outdoors can expose you to a few threats which are avoidable if you take several precautions.  Your safety is our number one priority as we want to ensure you have a safe, memorable working holiday.

On most jobs you will be outdoors in the sun.  Sufficient clothing must be worn to give you protection from the heat and sun.  Clothing should permit the free flow of cool air over as much of the body as possible.  This allows for the cooling effect created by evaporating sweat. 

Thongs, or flip flops, are not to be worn at work. Covered footwear must be worn at all times when working.  Some jobs may require you to wear steel capped boots.
Generally, you should bring with you:

  1. Loose fitting clothing made of natural fibres
  2. Long trousers
  3. Long sleeve shirts
  4. Wide brimmed hats.
  5. Comfortable, covered footwear

It is best that you stay as covered as possible to be safe.  AG Workforce also strongly advises that you wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water at all times to protect yourself from sunburn and dehydration. Many holidays have been ruined because of bad sunburn so please take care of yourself!

Agricultural jobs will vary greatly depending on where you are placed in this vast country.  Each job will have a different set of working conditions including having different uniform requirements.  Some employers may provide work clothes, other employers may require that you supply your own.

We will go through all of the details about your job once we know where you will be placed. Rest assured that taking a job with us will enable you to see the best Australia has to offer since you will get out of the city and spend time living the true blue Aussie experience.

Physical Fitness Level

Working in the agricultural industry is very different to metropolitan work. Common tasks require a high level of physical fitness, so ensure you are fit and healthy before applying. It is important that staff do not confuse the imagined outback lifestyle with the factual work requirements. AG Workforce prefers people with experience and who have an understanding of the agriculture industry.

It is good to be enthusiastic about working but it is more important to be realistic and safe in your approach, as an accident will ruin your Australian experience.

Accommodation

Accommodation is handled in one of three ways:

  1. Some positions have accommodation provided free of charge
  2. Some positions have accommodation provided at a small fee
  3. Some positions do not have accommodation provided.  When this is the case, AG Workforce will work with you to ensure you find adequate accommodation.
Whether accommodation is supplied with a job or not and any costs involved will be outlined to you before we send you to a job.

We are there to help during this entire process to ensure you have a roof over your head and are taken care of. 

Work Hours and Wages

We cannot give you an exact figure of hours you will work each day or week. In agriculture, hours of work are heavily influenced by the weather conditions and seasonal activities. The agriculture industry operates 7 days a week all year long. For example, some jobs require animals to be fed every day and can provide an estimate of 40 to 44 hours of work a week.

Pay rates and conditions vary but you will usually be paid an hourly rate.  You usually will receive your pay weekly, paid by direct credit to your bank account. 

The exact rate of pay will depend on the job, but rates and conditions are based on a federal agreement above the award wage structure in Australia.

Travel Around Australia

Air, rail and bus services operate throughout Australia, between state capitals and large rural centres such as Toowoomba, where AG Workforce's headquarters are located. Car or bus transport will be your usual method of transport to your initial work destination.

Transport to and from work each day depends on the work location. Some staff have the opportunity to stay at their work site and walk to work. Other locations may not have accommodation and you will be required to drive or catch transport to work.

Some of our applicants use their own vehicles which grants them independence as well. Many of our staff will purchase a relatively inexpensive vehicle on arrival in Australia. When all your travel expenses are considered, this can often be a worthwhile choice.