The FIFO Resource List

Start here

This list was checked in October 2026. Find the row that sounds like you, then jump to the sections it names.

The usual path, whichever route you take:

1. Work out which jobs suit you (the table above).
2. Check what tickets those jobs actually ask for before you pay for any course.
3. Apply direct to employers and through job boards and labour hire at the same time.
4. Pass the pre-employment medical and drug test, which the employer arranges.
5. Find out which airport you will fly from, and learn your roster.

Three things that will save you money:

• A real job never asks you to pay a fee to get it.
• Don't buy expensive courses or "FIFO starter packs" until an employer asks for a specific ticket.
• Many of the big miners train new starters themselves, for free, and pay them while they learn.

No experience? Start with a utility job

A "utility" is an all-rounder who keeps a mining camp running: cleaning rooms, working in the kitchen, the laundry, the wet mess (the camp bar), grounds, and sometimes driving the bus. It is one of the most common ways into FIFO for people with no mining background, and many camp workers later move into site roles once they're known on the mine.

Who hires utilities

Where to search for utility jobs: Indeed: FIFO utility ↗ (opens in a new tab) · Indeed: FIFO no experience ↗ (opens in a new tab) · SEEK: FIFO utility ↗ (opens in a new tab) · SEEK: FIFO no experience ↗ (opens in a new tab)

What utility job ads usually ask for:

• A National Police Clearance less than 3 to 6 months old
• RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) and a food safety certificate, for bar and kitchen work
• First Aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), often listed as preferred rather than essential
• A driver licence
• Passing a medical and drug screen before you start, booked by the employer
• Being fit enough for long shifts on your feet, often 12 hours a day

Tips that help you stand out:

• Any hospitality, cleaning, housekeeping or aged care experience counts. Put it near the top of your resume.
• Apply to several providers at once, and set up job alerts on each careers site.
• Be available to fly out at short notice. Camps often fill gaps quickly.
• Get your RSA and police clearance done before you apply. They're cheap, quick, and nearly always asked for.

Where to look for FIFO jobs

Use two or three of these at once: a big job board, a mining specialist, and a labour hire firm. Job counts change daily, so treat any number you see as a snapshot.

Big job boards

Recruiters and labour hire

Labour hire firms employ you and place you on a client's site. They are often the fastest way onto a mine, especially for shutdowns (short, intense maintenance jobs).

Free government help

Which companies employ FIFO workers?

Job boards show what is open today. This list shows who to watch over time. Most big employers let you set up a job alert on their careers site, which is worth doing for the five or six that operate near your fly-from city.

Camp and village providers: the easiest way in with no mining experience

These companies run the camps where FIFO workers live: the kitchens, rooms, laundry, buses and shops. You don't need to drive a haul truck to work FIFO.

Mining and resources companies

Mining contractors

Contractors run mines and do the drilling, building and maintenance for the mine owners. They hire a lot of FIFO workers, and some run traineeships, paid jobs with the training built in, for beginners.

Tickets: what you really need

A "ticket" is a certificate that shows you've done a particular safety or skills course. Requirements differ by job and employer, so read the job ad first and buy only what it asks for. What each one costs, and where to do it in Perth and Brisbane, is on FIFO tickets.

Police checks

A national police check is the first thing most camp and mine jobs ask for. You can get one from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), a state police force or an accredited private company, and most of them do it online. Some employers run the check for you, so ask before you pay.

Before you start any FIFO job, expect a pre-employment medical that includes a drug and alcohol test. The employer arranges it. On Queensland coal mines this is the "coal board medical", which includes a chest X-ray, and the law says the employer must arrange and pay for it (Business Queensland ↗ (opens in a new tab)). Don't pay for one yourself.

Watch out for these traps:

• Fake White Card courses. In 2020, WA Consumer Protection warned about a cheap "introductory" course that handed out a certificate of attendance, not a real White Card. People were turned away from sites (Safety Solutions magazine ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
• Paying for a job. A real employer never asks for a "recruitment fee" or payment for "training materials" before you start (Scamwatch ↗ (opens in a new tab)).
• Fake mining recruiters. WA recruitment agents must be licensed and can't charge you a fee. Check any offer with the mining company directly, using contact details you find yourself (WA ScamNet ↗ (opens in a new tab)).

Where to train

Start with government-funded courses: they're often free or heavily discounted. Whoever you train with, check they are a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) first, because only an RTO can issue a nationally recognised ticket.

How to check a provider: search its name or RTO number on training.gov.au ↗ (opens in a new tab). If it isn't listed, don't pay.

Free and cheap training by state

Each state runs its own free and cut-price training, much of it at TAFE, the state-run training colleges.

Private training providers

These are established registered providers. Prices change often, so compare a few before you book.

Graduates, apprenticeships and traineeships

Timing matters more than anything else here. Most graduate programs open around February and close between March and May. The 2027 graduate intakes have closed, so the next round (for 2028 starts) should open in early 2027. Apprenticeship and traineeship intakes vary, so check each company's page and set up alerts now.

The words explained:

• Vacation program or internship: about 10 to 12 weeks of paid work over the summer, for university students.
• Graduate program: a two-year paid job for people who have just finished a degree.
• Apprenticeship: usually four years of paid on-the-job training to become a qualified tradesperson.
• Traineeship: a shorter paid program that trains you for a role such as plant operator, often with a Certificate II or III.

Other useful places:

• SEEK Grad ↗ (opens in a new tab): most mining graduate and vacation listings.
• Australian Apprenticeships ↗ (opens in a new tab): the federal site for finding and starting an apprenticeship.
• Group training organisations employ apprentices and place them with host employers. See the WA list ↗ (opens in a new tab) and the Queensland list ↗ (opens in a new tab).

FIFO airports and where they fly

Your employer usually books and pays for your flights from a set hub, so check this before you accept a job. Many flights go straight to a mine's own airstrip on a charter plane, which you can't book on a public airline website. Where you live decides which hub you'll fly from, so it's worth knowing which mines your nearest hub serves.

Flying from Perth: regional and FIFO flights mostly leave from Terminal 2 (Virgin Australia Regional, Alliance, Nexus) and Terminals 3 and 4 (Qantas and QantasLink). Check your booking for which terminal, because they are on opposite sides of the airport.

Your pay, your rights, and support

FIFO is well paid, but long rosters away from home are hard. These services are free, and the helplines answer any time of day.