Whether you’re a job seeker, school leaver or working holiday maker, you could find yourself fruit picking from a beautiful orchid, pruning vines for next year’s wine harvest or packing vegetables ready for the market. There is a huge variety of jobs available, ranging in length from weeks to months with no prior farm experience necessary.
If you’re thinking a stint in harvest work could be for you, there is financial support available through the Australian Government’s AgMove initiative to reimburse the cost of travel, accommodation and work-related expenses associated with moving for short term agricultural work.
Tell me about AgMove
Under an AgMove Agreement, harvest workers only need to complete 40 hours of agricultural work (including harvest work) over at least a two-week period to be able to claim
reimbursement of some initial expenses including travel and accommodation, up to $2,000 for Australians and $650 for eligible visa holders.
The reimbursement entitlement jumps to $6,000 for eligible Australian workers and $2,000 for eligible visa holders if they complete at least 120 hours of work in a minimum four-week period.
To be eligible for AgMove you must:
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident; or
- have a right to work in Australia that is not limited by an employer or a type of work (like Working Holiday Makers and international students)
- be at least 18 years of age, or if you are relocating to take up a job after 5 May 2021 and have graduated from Year 12, 17-years of age
- relocate to take up a short term agricultural work, including harvest work, that is confirmed by a Harvest Trail Services (HTS) or the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) provider
- enter into AgMove Agreement with a HTS or HTIS provider.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve across the country, interstate relocation depends on the current border and travel restrictions of the states in question. It is important those considering relocation to take up harvest work keep up to date with the current border and travel restrictions.
