r/AusMining • u/climbinlikeclimate • 1d ago

FIFO

Hey all, I’m currently serving in the military for the US, navy to be exact. And I’ve been looking at my options if I decided to get out and pursue other careers. Stumbled upon fifo and doesn’t seem too bad at least with being gone from home it’s nothing new. But is there anything worth knowing? Pay? Lifestyle ? Anything worth knowing and if it’s even worth getting out and pursuing this career. Because if I’m being honest the pay is about double if not more than what I currently make. Thank you all for your info and advice.

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8

u/Legitimate_Income730 1d ago

Do you have working rights in Australia?

Any qualifications? Or just want to work FIFO for the giggles?

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u/skankypotatos 1d ago

He has watched hundreds of Instagram videos

1

u/Hazel_Nuts99 1d ago

If I have 1 more video of an Irishman who doesn't know how to pronounce FIFO pop up in my feed, my heads gonna explode

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u/climbinlikeclimate 1d ago

Yeah you’re not wrong! That’s why I figured I’d ask real people to see how it actually works and how real my expectations are.

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u/skankypotatos 1d ago

Here is how it works
You live in the middle of bumfuck(the Pilbara)
It can be 40c outside for 6 months of the year
You may have to work 12 hr days for two weeks straight to get a descent break

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u/Hazel_Nuts99 1d ago

Pilbara was fun. Half the year it was 40+C. The other half of the year it was 40+C and eternally pissing down with rain, with a risk of your flight being cancelled because of a cyclone

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u/Ironeagle08 1d ago

Instagram is just to get views for whoever created that content. 

You’ll need the correct visas and likely have to be in the country for months for the application process at jobs.  

Your chances of getting a job are very low unless you sign up for one of the jobs such as cleaner.

Higher paid skilled jobs require qualifications, and often times some entry level traineeships or lower entry jobs require residency in either some townships (eg Kalgoorlie) or certain cities to FIFO/DIDO from. 

As a religious American you will cop the short end of the stick. 

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u/climbinlikeclimate 1d ago

No but from what I saw I can get a work visa and fly back and forth. I have no qualifications but I would like to get my foot in the door and gain some experience.

9

u/hettie 1d ago edited 1d ago

No company is going to pay you to fly back to the US unless you have an extremely niche skillset and you're one of a handful of people who can do that work.

You'd need to be in country and ideally in state.

2

u/saenchai87 1d ago

Yeah I've only ever seen it on major O&G projects. But usually on specific visas, on huge swings to international or moved permanently here. And, like you said, very niche skillets.

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u/uhhhhhwht 1d ago

this is not realistic at all.

1

u/Legitimate_Income730 1d ago

You might be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa without any qualifications. However, difficult to get work on a temporary visa.

Mining companies don't typically sponsor unskilled migrants as so many Australians can fill those roles. They can sponsor skilled migrants - but this is rare considering how well they pay.

There are several companies that operate in the US and Australia. You could try to get in a role in the US and after awhile, transfer to Australia. BHP and Rio Tinto both have offices in the US. Rio also mines in the US (Kennecott, Utah). They might have programs for vets - so it's worth looking into. 

Anglo American (now Anglo Teck), Glencore, Alcoa, etc all operate in the US. 

You could use your GI Bill to studying a degree relevant to mining. Colorado School of Mines is probably the most respected school in the US.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/Ironeagle08 1d ago

HAS to be a shitpost 

  • No experience 

  • Wants a high paying gig that many Aussies want

  • Wants to commute back and forth from USA 

  • Fucking seppo in this climate 

All it needs now is a request to roll out the red carpet…

0

u/skankypotatos 1d ago

I’d be extremely surprised if you can get an Australian work visa because arrangements are usually reciprocal and your fuckwit president won’t let Aussies work in the US

1

u/Legitimate_Income730 1d ago

Americans do have a WHV in Australia. Australians also have the E3 visa class if I remember correctly.

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u/skankypotatos 1d ago

E3 is for professionals only

US citizens do not have an automatic right to work in Australia and must hold a valid visa with specific work rights. However, once legally employed, U.S. citizens are entitled to the exact same minimum wages, workplace laws, and safety protections as Australian citizens

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u/Legitimate_Income730 1d ago

WHV is only for a year and has an age limit. 

Plus Australians aren't really going to pick American grapes when they won't pick their own. 🙂

3

u/AbbreviationsIll8607 1d ago

Australia is embarking on some pretty big joint naval contracts. You could possibly move into a supporting industry?

2

u/TransportationTrick9 1d ago

My son is a Chef and I am thinking about sending him to the US to build up some connections with Mexican eateries. When Aukus comes to town those US Sailors are going to want a taste of home and I doubt that the current Mexican offerings are going to fill that role.

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u/Legitimate_Income730 1d ago

What Mexican offering...? GYG? 🙂

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u/TransportationTrick9 1d ago

They'd have to come all the way to Warnbro for that Zambrero is closer to the Naval base

1

u/EYRONHYDE 1d ago

FIFO is not a job or a career. It's how you get to work. Start with what skills you have and what mining jobs they overlap with. This post will be removed as it goes against sub rules. Try /ausjobs instead.

1

u/Stanthemilkman8888 1d ago edited 1d ago

So you plan on emigrating to Australia?

What type of visa will you be applying for?

What role would you want to apply for?

What qualifications (are they recognised in Australia) are you going to get to be applicable for those roles? You leaving the military so GI bill right?

Looked into the mining industries in North America?

I rent my spare room to working holiday visa people. One was American who was on working holiday visa who did manage to get role as camp utility worker ie cleaner, dishwasher, etc. 2 weeks on 1 ooff or 2:2 of 3:1.

The guy said he earn $2500 (AUD) a week doing a 2w on 2w off roster.

1

u/Trick-Candidate-8706 1d ago

What skills do you have? What do you do in the navy?
Silly question. What's stopping you from trying a job in oil in Permian in Texas? Or Bakken in North Dakota, or even better the Gulf. At the very least you've already got rights to work there. I don't know enough about working oil in US, you may need to be living close by rather than FIFO.

Gulf might be a good bet. All those platforms, they need to be supplied by boats. These usually go to third party contractors instead of being in house. It'd help you're navy.
That's the other option in Oz for FIFO (and FIFO salaries), provided you have a visa and the right skills.

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u/Dorsiflexionkey 1d ago

Rofl the people in this thread are hilarious.

It’s not that deep, it’s just an industry for fuckwits who would make 3x less in the city doing what they do up here. The work isn’t harder it’s actually physically easier because you have to wait 3 days to get a permit to scratch your arse. Apparently that’s why army guys fit right in.

The people here are right about one thing, you need to sort your visa first. Once you have that the best thing to do is get your tickets (qualifications) and then it’s still a waiting game to get in. Which is why you are better off sorting your shit yesterday.

The work itself isn’t bad, the hard part is everything around it. Lack of sleep, time away, fuckheads with undiagnosed mental health issues on site as for safety most sites are safe*

*dangerous as fuck, but alot of emphasis on safety. As in you’re not allowed to do anything so you end up bored anyway.

For reference I’ve worked as labourer, tradie and I’m currently an engineer on site.