How difficult is it to find farm work in Victoria in September?

Pisco Sour

I know it seems like way off but I have to start thinking about this now.

Am working away in Melbourne and will do so until mid July. Then I plan on travelling for 5 weeks, Perth, then 21 day tour to Darwin, then stay in Darwin and do Kakadu. It will be dry season so will be the best time to do it. After that the plan is to go to Korea for 2 and a half weeks for some travel and for the World Athletics Championships. So I plan to get back to Melbourne around 7th September. My visa runs out the 20th December, so it gives me enough time to get my 88 days regional work in and still have 14 days leeway. But the thing is I'd want to get a move on with regards finding the farmwork.

So I'm wondering how easy is it to find farm work in Victoria that time of year, and how long could you be looking for work? Whats the best way of finding work?

Ideally I'd like to do it in Victoria so I can still make it back to Melbourne some weekends for Grand Final, Melbourne Cup and some track meets I run in for the athletics club I joined.

Also if I was to finish my farm work on my last day of my visa, do I get a bit of leeway to stay in the country while my 2nd year visa application is being processed?

Thanks

Rebel Boy

04072511 wrote: »

I know it seems like way off but I have to start thinking about this now.

Am working away in Melbourne and will do so until mid July. Then I plan on travelling for 5 weeks, Perth, then 21 day tour to Darwin, then stay in Darwin and do Kakadu. It will be dry season so will be the best time to do it. After that the plan is to go to Korea for 2 and a half weeks for some travel and for the World Athletics Championships. So I plan to get back to Melbourne around 7th September. My visa runs out the 20th December, so it gives me enough time to get my 88 days regional work in and still have 14 days leeway. But the thing is I'd want to get a move on with regards finding the farmwork.

So I'm wondering how easy is it to find farm work in Victoria that time of year, and how long could you be looking for work? Whats the best way of finding work?

Ideally I'd like to do it in Victoria so I can still make it back to Melbourne some weekends for Grand Final, Melbourne Cup and some track meets I run in for the athletics club I joined.

Also if I was to finish my farm work on my last day of my visa, do I get a bit of leeway to stay in the country while my 2nd year visa application is being processed?

Thanks

I know when people are waiting for 457 and other visas to be processed they get whats called a bridgeing visa. Not sure if you can get that while waiting for a 2nd year WHV. I don't think you would but I could be wrong.

hussey

Rebel Boy wrote: »

I know when people are waiting for 457 and other visas to be processed they get whats called a bridgeing visa. Not sure if you can get that while waiting for a 2nd year WHV. I don't think you would but I could be wrong.

Once you apply before your visa is up then you should be okay, if you apply after (even by a day) then you could be in trouble

s.c

Yes you will get a bridging visa providing you lodge your application before the end of your first WHV.

14 days leeway isn't very much if you don't start work straight away. Also there is a good chance you would be employed on a casual basis so if you don't work a day for whatever reason, bad weather, sick etc., then it will not count towards your 88 days.
If you are employed directly then these days would count but still you could be cutting it fine.

irishh_bob

04072511 wrote: »

I know it seems like way off but I have to start thinking about this now.

Am working away in Melbourne and will do so until mid July. Then I plan on travelling for 5 weeks, Perth, then 21 day tour to Darwin, then stay in Darwin and do Kakadu. It will be dry season so will be the best time to do it. After that the plan is to go to Korea for 2 and a half weeks for some travel and for the World Athletics Championships. So I plan to get back to Melbourne around 7th September. My visa runs out the 20th December, so it gives me enough time to get my 88 days regional work in and still have 14 days leeway. But the thing is I'd want to get a move on with regards finding the farmwork.

So I'm wondering how easy is it to find farm work in Victoria that time of year, and how long could you be looking for work? Whats the best way of finding work?

Ideally I'd like to do it in Victoria so I can still make it back to Melbourne some weekends for Grand Final, Melbourne Cup and some track meets I run in for the athletics club I joined.

Also if I was to finish my farm work on my last day of my visa, do I get a bit of leeway to stay in the country while my 2nd year visa application is being processed?

Thanks

thats the spring time in oz , in other words , the busiest time of year on farms , if your not picky , its the best possible time

Claasman

hey op, 14 days might seem like a load of time for lee-way, but if I were you, id be looking to double that.
The nature of farm work doesn't run on a 'schedule', as im sure you know, so I wouldnt take a chance leaving it so late.

Pisco Sour

Claasman wrote: »

hey op, 14 days might seem like a load of time for lee-way, but if I were you, id be looking to double that.
The nature of farm work doesn't run on a 'schedule', as im sure you know, so I wouldnt take a chance leaving it so late.

Is it not possible for me to organise my farmwork now so that when I come back from my holidays on 6th September I'll have a place to start work immediately? What if I started looking for work now? I have holidays planned until 6th September so I have no real choice about extending the amount of days lee-way I have.

And whats the best way of looking for farmwork? What websites are the best?

EDIT: Also would a homestay option be better than doing the whole working hostel thing where you could be waiting a week or two to get work?

Pisco Sour

s.c wrote: »

Yes you will get a bridging visa providing you lodge your application before the end of your first WHV.

14 days leeway isn't very much if you don't start work straight away. Also there is a good chance you would be employed on a casual basis so if you don't work a day for whatever reason, bad weather, sick etc., then it will not count towards your 88 days.
If you are employed directly then these days would count but still you could be cutting it fine.

Would doing work under the WWOOF programme or Helpx be a better way of going about it so? Would it be easier to guarantee 3 months of continuous work doing it this way instead?

I am earning and saving plenty at the moment so I am not bothered about the fact I wont be paid, and it could be an interesting experience as opposed to staying in a horrible working hostel waiting in a queue to get work.

Downsides are I wouldn't meet many backpackers, and I'd be a bit worried about missing the Rugby World Cup if they don’t have a TV, but can cross that bridge when I come to it.

The main thing is that I get the 2nd year visa, so would this be a better way to go about securing it given the fact I only have around 17 days leeway? Does anybody have any experience of doing it this way?

melb

Most rural work is day to day-dependent mainly on weather then on amount of work going. You will find it quite hard to get a fruit picking, farm working job that can guarantee you work every day for a continuous 3 months.
HelpX look good and I've heard good things about them.
Best advise would be to get out there as quickly as possible. 17 days is too close for comfort why not give yourself more by getting some work now before waiting for the end of your visa?

Pisco Sour

melb wrote: »

Most rural work is day to day-dependent mainly on weather then on amount of work going. You will find it quite hard to get a fruit picking, farm working job that can guarantee you work every day for a continuous 3 months.

I thought this was only the case if you are casual no? As in when you are casual you only can count the days you work. I thought if you are staying with a family on a full time basis and not getting paid then all the days you spend there count towards the 88 days?

melb wrote: »

Best advise would be to get out there as quickly as possible. 17 days is too close for comfort why not give yourself more by getting some work now before waiting for the end of your visa?

I want to work as long as I can in my current job as I have managed to pick up a half decent job that will look good on my CV, rather than the rubbish call centre job I did in Jan/Feb, so want to get as much experience as I can for my CV. Had planned on finishing up in mid July, but maybe I could finish a week earlier and try get 7 days of regional work in before I head off on my travels. Would give me a 24 day cushion when I get back rather than 17.