Fruit Picking Jobs in Australia – What, Where, How (and Why!)

Fruit picking, a gateway to a second Working Holiday Visa in Australia

Interested in applying for a second Working Holiday Visa in Australia? You may be eligible if you “complete a prescribed minimum period of ‘specified work’ in certain circumstances” while on your first Working Holiday Visa.

Yeah, it’s kind of vague… let’s see. “Specified work is work that is undertaken in a ‘specified’ field or industry in a designated regional area of Australia.”

Still too vague?

Farm work, like fruit picking, pruning, trimming, planting, etc. are “specified work.” “Specified” fields or industries include:

• Plant and animal cultivation
• Fishing and pearling
• Tree farming and felling
• Mining
• Construction

Three months of specified work is a minimum period of 88 calendar days. You do not need to do your three months of specified work all in one go, or all with one employer. You are free to spread the work over the period of your stay in Australia.

Make sure to complete the work in a designated area! Look at the map below.

• Regions in orange are NOT designated areas. If you work in this region, it won’t count towards eligibility for a second Working Holiday Visa.
• The rest are the “designated regions.” It’s the vast majority of Australia, where your work will count towards eligibility.

Make sure you keep your own work records. As part of your application, you will have to provide “proof that on your first Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) you did 3 months of specified work. The proof must cover all periods you worked.” Acceptable proofs include pay slips, piece rate agreement with your employer, employer references, etc.

Finally, note that “All specified work undertaken on or after 1 December 2015 must be paid in accordance with the relevant Australian legislation and awards. Voluntary work undertaken after 1 December 2015 will not be accepted for the purpose of applying for a second or third Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa.” So don’t work for a very low pay or for free!

For more information, read second Working Holiday Visa.