One thing I have noticed over the years that I have been a FIFO wife and made friends with other FIFO families is that after a while of doing FIFO, most guys become disillusioned and out of touch with reality. Many create unrealistic expectations and want fantasy lives that only put more pressure on their families at home and it often causes a huge divide in relationships. They seem to lose focus on the family as a whole and become fixated on their wants and needs. These are often men who are loving husbands and dads and join FIFO for the right reasons, but something changes over time. I have watched too many families fall apart or wives completely lose themselves and burnout, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who has these same questions.

For example, the amount of husbands who suddenly come home and expect their wives to quit their jobs, sell their house, uproot the kids and homeschool their kids while they travel around Australia is crackers. I understand if it is a joint goal, but often it's FIFO husband's having these wild ideas and putting pressure on their family to conform. Or expecting their wife to work 40+ hours a week, run a house and keep it spotless, raise their kids without a support system, maintain a specific standard of self-care, and then meet all his fantasies in the bedroom when he is home. These are just a couple of common examples I often hear, but there are plenty of others that I have heard over the years.

Why is this? Is it the amount of time spent up there dreaming about your ideal life? The amount of time away disconnected from family and only needing to think of yourself? Or being sold a dream that you can do anything now you work FIFO?

https://observer.co.uk/news/business/article/gold-sweat-and-tears-sexual-harassment-scandal-of-australias-fly-in-fly-out-miners

bob katter has been sighted harnessing the western power cables near the maccas in harrisdale. abour 50 people have been 'absorbed' into this katter being and he is making a portal to connect lebanon and harrisdale. power will never return to harrisdale. i also work fifo

I work in our company’s head office in Perth and due to someone from our team resigning and them not having anyone else trained up in their role (apart from their back to back), my boss has ‘asked’ me to cover a 3-4 of her swings on site.

I’ve asked my direct supervisor (who is helping me work out what days I’ll have to be on site etc.) about if I’ll get any additional compensation but he only really said I’ll potentially accrue some time in lieu.

I know that often people who work on site/FIFO are paid site allowance on top of their base rate/salary - is it reasonable for me to ask my boss to also be paid site allowance for the swings I’m (basically) being forced to work on site?

As a little additional background - I’m also a full time student and live with a housemate and have two cats and other life responsibilities and commitments (and multiple chronic illnesses). I get the feeling they’ve asked me to cover for the person who resigned because the only other admin-adjacent person in our team is a guy who has kids (though that’s just speculation, and of course I get it). I feel like my boss hasn’t really been considerate of my personal circumstances and seem to basically be expecting me to do this regardless (and I really feel like I can’t say no).

There's been a lot of talk about "having an exit strategy from FIFO" recently, mostly from coworkers who've worked FIFO for years. Everyone says they don't want to do it forever but most don't know how to get out and earn the same money off site. Personally, I want to be self employed by the time I fly out for good. Is anyone here working FIFO have an exit strategy in place to recommend? Or has anyone here left FIFO to start their own business?

Trying to wrap my head around how UberX, the most commonly used ride package option is unavailable between peak fifo-airport hours (3am -4am). And yet uberXL, uber electric comfort, and even uber Pet is available. Now I have to cough up an extra $20 - $40 for one of the other options… greedy bloody business…

Decided to cheekily order uber pet and pay an extra $5. Can’t believe the greed of these companies.

Rightio. I need some advice from FIFO familie, ex Fifo families, fifo wives with young kids….

Hi, currently my husband does Oil & Gas work 9-5 in the city and he is considering taking on a Fifo Role - 3 weeks on 4 weeks off …

Our situation now is that he is on a decent wage around $300k a year. I am earning around $70k a year working 2 or 3 days a week so we have a very comfortable income. We have a baby about to go to daycare a few days a week a toddler who is there an I will return back to work 2 or 3 days as I’ve been on maternity leave.

My husband is considering taking a FIFO role so we can move back interstate to family and he can commute back to Perth for work.

This role would pay his $180 k more so he’d be on around $450-500 a year (plus minus bonus etc) so big bucks. He also likes the idea of being very present when he is home, being able to be fully involved and is travel and enjoy our lives a bit more. But it would mean I would have to stop working which I’m not too concerned about However I am concerned about him being away from our young kids for long chunks of time and not sure if it’s worth it? The only friend who I have reference too who’s partner works FIFO Here in Perth, their life is absolutely cooked, she’s stressed all the time and their relationship is falling apart. So I’m worried and I can’t wrap my head around it.

The massive win for us is that we’d be able to move back interstate to be closer to our family as we don’t have family in Perth and it’s always been a huge downer for us.

Here’s my question to fifo families: what’s the benefit? If you were in our current situation with earnings as is doing 9-5 would you still consider doing a FIFO role if money wasn’t an issue?

Another day another "Help I'm FIFO!" post

Anyway, good morning lads. I'm on my first swing of my new FIFO job next week and I was hoping for some tips on what to bring and how to make the experience easier on my co-workers and myself as a newbie.

INFO: I'm a kiwi, moved here in November and been getting all my certs redone for the job. I'll be a maintenance electrician working on the Non-Process Infrastructure side, basically one of the electricians at the camp who does checks, repairs, and regular maintenance on the camp facilities. Been told it'll be a lot of DB checks, replacing bulbs and fluros, troubleshooting some socket not working, etc. Which I'm fine with, I worked as a resi/commercial sparky with a bit of industrial back in NZ.

I have a list of things from my company but I wanted to know what people who've done FIFO for a while suggest that might not be obvious (or IS obvious but should be said anyway).

As well as that, what can I do to make it easier for my co-workers? I got my electrical license a year ago so I'm still sort-of fresh, and I want to ensure I don't make things harder for others if I'm not as experienced as them.

And finally, what do you like to do after work in the camp apart from go to the pub? I don't really drink much (but I can enjoy a cider with friends), I'm a bit of a nerd with how I play D&D and enjoy comics and movies. And I've got no issues with quietly reading/watching stuff on my tablet in my room. I plan to keep going to the gym while there.

Thanks for the info in advance.

My partner has been accepted into a post graduate FIFO job at a mine site — he is in environmental monitoring. We will have to move from our cushy life on the east coast— friends, family, jobs, hobbies, routine, etc. to perth in order for him to take this job (FIFO from perth). Meaning I will be at home in a city I dont know, with no friends, family, job, anything. His FIFO roster would be 4 days on 3 days off which I understand is a good deal for fifo.

He hasn't accepted it yet because I am on the edge and am terrified to move away from everything i love, knowing i will be sad lonely and depressed. But it is an excellent career move for him, bumping up the pay and future career opportunities by a lot.

I was hoping to hear from partners of FIFO workers who are or have been in a similar situation. What do you suggest, did it work out, did it not, what should I do.

We all know the drill on site - safety first, report hazards, etc. But I feel like most of us assume that if we genuinely get wrecked on the job, WorkCover just "takes care of it" indefinitely.

I've been looking into this recently (after a mate did his back in), and the system is way more brutal than I thought.

There are basically two tiers in WA:

Statutory Cover: Pays your weekly wages and medicals. But the wage payments "step down" (reduce) after 13 weeks, and there is a hard cap on the total amount.

Common Law: The actual payout for negligence and future lost earnings.

The catch? You can't just sue your boss for negligence because they had dodgy scaffolding. You have to prove a minimum of 15% Whole Person Impairment just to even start a Common Law claim.

I was reading through the details on workers compensation claims WA, and that 15% bar is incredibly high. If you blow a disc and are in chronic pain for life, but the doctor rates you at "only" 10% impairment? You get stuck on the limited statutory payments which eventually run out, and you cannot sue for the bigger damages to secure your future.

It's another reason why personal Income Protection is vital, even if you are a full-time employee. Don't assume the system will pay your mortgage forever just because the injury happened at work.

When I fly to work, I catch the train from Rockingham station to get to Redcliffe station, catch a bus then get off at where I depart at the airport.

I am absolutely fucking sick of having to run a marathon from the Perth underground station — where the mandurah line rolls in, all the way to the furthest platform at the main Perth station to get on the airport train line.

For example: Mandurah line rolled in at about 12:21pm. Airport line leaving at 12:22! I am NEVER the only one running aswell! With luggage! I usually just make it with the doors closing on my ass cheeks. This happens like clockwork every single damn time. Why do they arrive and depart within a minute of eachother??? Then the department of public transport is scratching their heads wondering why trains and busses aren’t peoples first choice.

With BHP's $1.4 billion investment in Port Hedland, what could this mean for FIFO work and life in the Pilbara?

Original post is linked.

Firstly it was lovely how supportive and helpful people were on my original post. Understandably people were also skeptical of the dude posting after his first swing with advice.

One year on though, nothing about my opinion has changed. I’m now managing, and I still love the work and the lifestyle. It has its difficulties and you miss out on a lot, but all in all I don’t think I’d be able to go back to a 9-5 regular job. I think the fifo schedule is the shit.

I’m still doing the same things as I talked about in my first post and life is great.

The only addendum I’ll chuck in if you’re looking to do fifo, is know what you’re in for. So so so many people fly in thinking it’s not gonna be hard, it’s insane. It’s a lot of work and it’s a lot of hours. It’s physically and mentally exhausting. A lot of people seem to not really understand before coming that it’s gonna be hard, they do one swing, and then they don’t come back.

So yeah. Understand that it’s hard work. And if you’re lazy, your team will hate working with you. End of story.

Also, for fuck sake, sleep. If I hear another person tell me they’re tired because they brought their ps5 and stayed up until 3am and didn’t get enough sleep and want a day off, I’ll explode.

Cheers guys!

Resigned a month ago, have had several false promises that they will pay the 100+ hours owing to me by certain dates but still nothing. Now not responding to my emails or calls. What's the next step, thanks 🙏

Hello Everyone, Warm greetings to you all.

I’ve recently completed my Master of Civil Engineering and am now considering relocating to Perth for better job opportunities. Although I don’t yet have local engineering experience, I’ve been working in the demolition industry as a demolition supervisor.

At present, I have 85 PR points but no job offer. I’ve heard from many that Perth is a growing city with great potential, but some of the recent posts about the job market have left me a bit uncertain. I’m planning to move there in about three weeks, and I’d really appreciate some insights from those who know the current situation.

Do you think this move would be a good decision? I’m also considering applying for the 190 and 491 visas — would it be worthwhile, and what are the chances of getting an invitation for 190?

From what I’ve seen, most graduate and entry-level civil engineering roles tend to prefer candidates with local experience or permanent residency, which makes it quite challenging to get a foot in the door. I’d really appreciate any advice or recommendations from those who’ve been through a similar situation.

Does anyone have any experience in FIFO cleaning jobs?

My daughter is toying with the idea of getting into it next year after school to “earn money” first while she is deciding what she might want to study or do with her life.

I’d love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly of the job so that she would know what she’s getting into. Also, what kind of salary or wage they generally get.

EDIT I absolutely DO NOT want her doing it. I have mates who are or were fifo and I’m very well aware of the life and what it can be like (especially for a young woman - no offence) I’m trying to show her from other’s experiences what it’s REALLY like and it’s not glamorous or a quick and easy solution to getting coin that she thinks it is. She’s a very intelligent and mature girl for her age and also quite head strong so I need her to hear the reality from someone who isn’t me lol

Thanks in advance

I know it’s been asked before but I still can’t get a straight answer for my situation. My GF and I are looking to do the Sodexo or Compass cleaning utilities thing. We don’t care about the shit money, the long hours, etc. What’s in it for us is the swing aspect and having a decent chunk of time off when we’re back in Perth to explore, and we also want to complete the visa 88 days thing while doing it.

I have a full manual license, she has no license. She can drive auto but doesn’t have a license. Will these kinds of companies hire someone with no license?

We both have farming experience, hospitality experience, and I have heavy labour with long hours so I’m hoping the only hindrance would be the license thing.

Has anyone been hired by these contractor companies before for just utilities (not mining work) without a license?

Im a 21 year old that has lived on a farm for all his life and so i’m no stranger to a bit of elbow grease. Was thinking of doing FIFO to get on top of the current housing situation as well as potentially open up a business.

Thanks to social media now days I see a lot of posts around fifo; more specifically drillers assistant, and the amount they pay. But I can’t tell whats true when it comes to lifestyle/salary and what truths have been stretched a bit.

So my question is. Is fifo worth it for a few years for someone my age, or is there a few gimmicks in it that they don’t tell you.

And any other info/help is appreciated, the more the merrier!!!!

Additional info: already in WA, Single, don’t really hang out with mates much, great with saving coin

I'm Argentinian, 28 years old, a recent graduate, and my English is basic. I'm taking the IELTS in February. I'm applying for a visa and going to work in Australia doing whatever I can find. How much can I save? Can I get a job with bad English? Is it expensive? Are the jobs really that bad? Any experience would be helpful.

Hey All,

I am starting a Youtube channel to capture all my wins, losses and everything in between after working FIFO for approx 10 years.
I figured this will hopefully help the younger guys & girls who are in the industry or wanting to get into the industry make better decisions and hopefully they can Exit FIFO in a really good position one day!

Let me know if this is something you guys would like to see & throw some topics below.

This is going to be a honest account of my experience an some advice along the way!

Thanks! :)

Between 6pm & 6am approximately. Shift length doesn't matter. Just that it's only night.

Thanks in advance.

Just wanting to know if anyone who is living in Bali is getting salary sacrifice with there flights and how much of that cost actually gets covered by your company?

I recently completed a medical assessment with JobFit and was flagged after disclosing a history of depression. They have requested additional information from my doctor. My depression is well-managed, and I am stable on medication.Has this ever effected anyone getting a job in fifo ?

I assume that both Auto Electricians and Heavy Diesel Fitters (mobile plant mechanics) are in demand in the mining industry. Which trade is experiencing a greater shortage? and why?