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FIFO Guide Australia

FIFO Jobs

FIFO jobs in Australia: the entry routes

An overview of the roles people start with, the tickets Perth mine sites require, and how applications and recruitment actually work. The FIFO Guide goes into each part step by step.

Entry roles

Several roles are open to people without mining experience, provided you hold the mandatory site tickets. Others need a licence or a recognised trade first. These are overviews, not full job descriptions:

  • Utility Worker / Site Services

    General site and camp support: cleaning, waste, grounds, assisting across tasks. The lowest barrier to entry and a common first FIFO role.

  • Trade Assistant

    Supporting qualified tradespeople with tools, materials and preparation. A hands-on, mechanical or construction background helps.

  • Scaffolder

    Erecting and dismantling scaffolding on industrial structures. Requires a High Risk Work scaffolding licence. Physically demanding and in steady demand in WA.

  • Rigger

    Moving and securing loads with cranes and lifting gear, and working with crane operators. Requires a High Risk Work rigging licence and practical experience.

  • Mechanical Fitter

    Maintaining and repairing mechanical equipment: pumps, conveyors, gearboxes. For qualified tradespeople. Overseas qualifications can be assessed for recognition.

Tickets and certificates

In Australia, safety-relevant work needs official licences, called tickets. For Perth mine sites the baseline is the White Card plus Gas Testing, Working at Heights and Working in Confined Space. Without them you won't get on site.

Beyond the baseline, tickets like Forklift, an HR (Heavy Rigid) driver's licence, Dogging, and the rigging or scaffolding licences widen the roles you can apply for. Which ones are worth it depends on the direction you're heading.

Recognition of overseas trade qualifications

If you're a qualified mechanic, fitter or similar, a process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can assess your qualification and experience against an Australian equivalent. That can let you apply directly for trade roles rather than starting as an assistant. It takes time and documentation, and it's assessed case by case.

The Australian mining resume

Australian mining resumes follow their own conventions and differ from a typical European CV:

  • Two pages maximum.
  • No photo, and no date of birth, nationality or marital status.
  • Contact details plus your suburb and state, with no street address.
  • Your tickets and licences listed prominently near the top.
  • Direct, active wording, with experience described in Australian industry terms.

Finding roles

Roles are advertised on general job boards such as SEEK and Indeed and on trade-focused boards, on the big mining companies' own career portals, and through recruitment agencies. Agencies are often one of the fastest routes into a first FIFO role, so registering with several and following up matters more than sending one perfect application.

The recruitment and pre-employment process

Once you're shortlisted, the process usually runs roughly like this:

  1. Application: resume and ticket copies submitted.
  2. Phone screen: a short call on visa status, tickets, roster and availability.
  3. Interview: by phone, video or in person, usually competency-based.
  4. Reference checks: supervisors who can speak to your work.
  5. Pre-employment medical: arranged and paid by the employer.
  6. Drug and alcohol test: standard for all site roles.
  7. Police check: a national background check.
  8. Offer and site induction: verbal then written offer, then fly-in details and induction.

Ticket requirements, licensing, recognition processes and recruitment practices change and vary by site. Confirm current details with training providers, employers and official bodies before acting on them.

The detailed version

The FIFO Guide covers tickets, the resume, agencies, interviews and the pre-employment process in order, with checklists.

View the FIFO Guide