Fruit picking jobs in Australia: what to expect on a working holiday visa

Fruit picking is also one of the most underpaid areas of Australian work, with the Fair Work Ombudsman repeatedly identifying systemic underpayment in national campaigns. Understanding what you should be paid is the first step in not being one of the underpaid.

What does fruit picking pay?

Pay for fruit picking comes in two main forms:

• Hourly rate: an hourly wage at or above the Horticulture Award minimum (around $25 to $32 per hour for casual workers depending on the year and classification)
• Piece rate: paid per bin, bucket, tray, or kilogram picked

The most important protection in the Horticulture Award is the minimum hourly guarantee. Even where you are paid on a piece rate, your earnings for each day worked must be at least the equivalent of the minimum hourly rate multiplied by the hours worked. If piece rates fall short, the employer is legally required to top up to the minimum hourly rate.

In practice, this top-up is one of the most consistently breached rules in Australian agriculture. See our article on piece rates in farm work for the detail on how the protection is meant to operate.

What are the main harvest regions and seasons?

Different fruits ripen at different times across different regions:

• Mangoes: Northern Territory, north Queensland (September to January)
• Bananas: Queensland year-round (peak December to May)
• Strawberries: Queensland (April to October), Victoria, Tasmania
• Apples: Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, Western Australia (February to May)
• Citrus: NSW Riverina, Victoria Sunraysia, South Australia (May to October)
• Stone fruit: Victoria, NSW, South Australia (November to March)
• Wine grapes: South Australia, Victoria, NSW (January to April)
• Avocados: Queensland (March to October), Western Australia
• Berries: Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland (varies by berry type)

The seasonal calendar drives a constant flow of pickers between regions. Following the harvest year-round is possible and is how many working holiday makers complete their 88 days quickly.

What is required for the 88 days?

To count toward a second year visa, the work must be:

• Performed in a designated regional postcode
• Paid work (most volunteer work no longer counts, with limited exceptions)
• In an eligible industry (plant and animal cultivation, including fruit picking)
• Documented through payslips, employer letters, and ATO records

The 88 days are counted by calendar days worked, not by hours. A full day or a part day each count as one day, as long as the work was paid and the day was a normal working day.

Are you an employee or a contractor?

This is one of the most consequential questions in fruit picking. Most fruit pickers should be classified as employees, with TFN withholding, super contributions, and the Horticulture Award rates applying. Some farms classify pickers as contractors with an ABN, which:

• Removes the employer obligation to pay super
• Removes the minimum hourly guarantee in the form it applies to employees
• Shifts the tax obligation to the picker
• Removes workers compensation cover in many cases

The classification depends on the facts of the work, not what the contract says. If the farm controls when, where, and how you work, supplies the tools and equipment, and you cannot send a substitute, you are most likely an employee even if the paperwork says contractor. See our article on employee vs contractor for the test.

What records should you keep?

For both tax and immigration purposes, keep:

• Every payslip from every farm or labour hire company
• Bank statements showing wages being paid
• A simple diary of days worked (date, farm name, hours)
• Photos of yourself at the worksite (helpful evidence for the visa)
• Receipts for any work-related expenses (boots, gloves, sun protection, tools)

These records support both the 88-day visa application and the tax return at the end of the financial year.

What deductions can fruit pickers claim?

Working holiday makers in fruit picking can typically claim:

• Sun protection (hats, sunscreen, long-sleeve shirts)
• Work boots and protective footwear
• Gloves
• Picking equipment if provided by the worker (rare but possible)
• A share of vehicle running costs if moving between farms during a working day
• Mobile phone costs for the work-related percentage
• Accommodation costs in certain "away from home" circumstances

See our article on tax deductions for working holiday makers for the framework.

What are the risks of unethical farms and labour hire?

Fair Work investigations have repeatedly found that some farms and labour hire companies in Australian agriculture systematically underpay working holiday makers. Common patterns include:

• Paying below the minimum hourly guarantee on piece rates
• Charging high fees for shared accommodation (which is sometimes illegal as a wage deduction)
• Withholding wages pending completion of the 88 days, then disputing the count
• Refusing to provide payslips
• Reporting only part of the wages to the ATO
• Using ABN classifications to avoid super and workers compensation

Choosing a farm or labour hire company with a track record of fair treatment matters as much as the wage rate on paper.

How does our service support fruit pickers?

For working holiday makers doing fruit picking, our team:

• Reviews payslips against the Horticulture Award rates and the minimum hourly guarantee
• Identifies wage underpayments and missing super contributions
• Cross-checks the days reported to the ATO against your visa evidence
• Pursues unpaid super where contributions are missing
• Lodges the tax return capturing every employer correctly
• Coordinates DASP timing if you are leaving Australia after completing your work

Fruit picking generates more wage and super disputes than almost any other industry in Australia. Get in touch with our team before you leave Australia to make sure your earnings have been correctly accounted for.