Farm Worker
Farm workers do the practical work that keeps a cropping or livestock property going, from planting and harvesting to feeding, moving and checking stock.
- Median salary*
- $49,300
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 18,400
0.5%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +5.5%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- In shortage (regional)
national
Farm workers carry out the physical jobs that keep a cropping, livestock or mixed property running, from planting and harvesting to feeding stock and mending fences. Most work under a farm owner or manager and take on whatever the property needs that week rather than a fixed set of duties. The role is often confused with a station hand, though a station hand generally works on a larger grazing property focused on livestock, while farm work is broader and shifts with the season.
How much do farm workers earn?
The median full-time salary for a farm worker is $49,300 per annum, before tax, up $10,300 since 2018.
Pay usually follows the Horticulture Award or the Pastoral Award, so whether you are permanent, casual or seasonal changes your hourly rate and whether penalty rates and overtime apply. Some properties pay by the bin or tonne during harvest rather than by the hour, and accommodation or meals can form part of the arrangement. Machinery skills, chemical accreditation and livestock experience are the usual ways onto higher duties and a better rate.
What does a farm worker do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Checking livestock and shifting them between paddocks as feed and water run down
- Driving tractors and using chainsaws, fencing gear and hand tools for planting, spraying and harvest, sometimes switching between them within the same day
- Repairing fences, gates and irrigation lines as they break rather than on a set schedule
- Spotting and treating sick or injured stock, and calling the vet or the owner when something is beyond what you can handle
- Working longer days once lambing, shearing or harvest starts, then easing back when the season passes
What skills do farm workers need?
Employers look for hand and power tool work, plant and equipment operation, worksite safety management, backed by Tractors fluency and strong physical stamina and dexterity.
Specialist skills
- Hand and power tool work
- Plant and equipment operation
- Worksite safety management
- Animal care and handling
Software and tools
- Tractors
- Chainsaws
- Fencing tools
- Harvest equipment
- Hand tools (spades, rakes, hoes)
General skills
- Physical stamina and dexterity
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 18,400 people work as farm workers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 5.5% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a farm worker?
Here's the path most farm workers take, step by step.
- 1Start in a general farm hand role
No formal qualification is needed to begin. Casual and seasonal jobs, advertised through labour hire companies or directly by growers, are the usual entry point, and you learn the property's routines as you go.
- 2Pick up the safety and licence basics
Chemical user accreditation, first aid and a forklift or tractor licence are worth getting early, because spraying, machinery and animal handling are the parts of the job where employers expect training rather than assume it.
- 3Do a traineeship or certificate
A Certificate II or III in Agriculture, often delivered through an agricultural traineeship, covers machinery, livestock health, irrigation and safe chemical use, and gives you something on paper when you apply for better-paid roles.
- 4Specialise in one part of the property
Choosing livestock, cropping, machinery or irrigation lets you build depth that employers pay for, and many farm workers take a short course in that area, such as machinery operation or herd health.
- 5Move into a leading hand or management role
From there the path runs to leading hand, supervisor or farm manager, roles that need planning and budgeting skills alongside the practical ones, and often further study.
Ready to apply as a farm worker?
Whether you're working toward becoming a farm worker or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a farm worker move to?
Moving into Poultry Farmer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $28,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poultry Farmer Farm workers with livestock handling skills can move into poultry farming, taking on flock health, housing and production planning, often with further study.Known move | +$28,700 | 36% | reskill |
| Agricultural Machinery Operator Farm workers move into machinery operation, applying their crop and livestock knowledge to tractors, harvesters and sprayers, with a short course for licensing and safety.Known move | +$26,100 | 46% | short course |
| Orchardist Farm workers with orchard or vineyard experience can move into orchard management, applying pruning, harvesting and pest knowledge while learning business and marketing skills.Known move | +$23,500 | 38% | reskill |
| Meat Process Worker Farm workers with livestock experience move into meat processing, applying animal handling and hygiene awareness to boning, slicing and packing roles.Known move | +$15,400 | 36% | reskill |
| Farmer Experienced farm workers step up to run their own property, taking on business planning and whole-farm management, usually after further study.Known move | +$5,300 | 19% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a farm worker?
The typical farm worker is 33 years old; 67% are men, 70% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 33
- Median age
- 33%
- Female share
- 70%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a farm worker?
Farm work follows the season rather than the clock, so the pressure lands in bursts: lambing, shearing, spraying windows and harvest all compress the working week, and quieter periods follow. The job is physical and outdoors in whatever the weather is doing, and the machinery, chemicals and livestock around it make safety a working habit rather than a formality. It suits people who like seeing a job finished, are comfortable working alone for long stretches, and accept that the plan for the day changes with the forecast.
What people like
- You can see the result by the end of the day. A fence line mended, a mob moved, a paddock sprayed: the work leaves a physical result you can point to.
- The season changes what you do. Lambing, spraying, shearing and harvest each bring different tasks, so the job does not sit in the same routine all year.
- Most of it happens outdoors. Days are spent outside with animals, machines and weather, which suits people who do not want to be at a desk.
- Working with animals and machinery. The stock and equipment side of the job appeals to people who like hands-on work and are happy around large animals and heavy gear.
What people find hard
- The weather runs the schedule. Rain can stop spraying or harvest and push the work into the weekend, and heat slows jobs that cannot wait.
- Peak seasons are long. Lambing, shearing and harvest stretch days past the usual working week, sometimes for weeks at a time.
- It is hard on the body. Lifting, bending, dust and repetitive work add up, and most of the job is done standing up.
- Remote properties can be isolating. Many farms sit a long way from town, and the social side of the job takes more effort than it does in a city.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ farm workers?
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing employs the largest share of farm workers.
Top employing industries
- 1Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 60% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 13.1% | |
| Bachelor degree | 8.7% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 5.3% | |
| Postgraduate | 2.2% |
Will AI replace farm workers?
Farm work sits low for AI exposure because the core of it is physical and happens in conditions that do not repeat: no two paddocks, animals or broken fences present the same problem. Technology does change parts of the job, with GPS-guided tractors, variable-rate spraying, automated drafting and herd sensors handling some of the steering and measuring. Those tools still need someone to set them up, check the stock and deal with whatever the weather leaves behind.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Handling and checking livestockMoving mobs, drafting, drenching and picking up sick animals depends on reading behaviour as it happens, which cameras and sensors can flag but cannot act on.30%low
- Fencing, water and general repairsA broken fence or a blocked trough needs eyes on the ground and a decision about what will hold until the end of the week.25%low
- Tractor and machinery workAuto-steer and GPS guidance take some of the driving out of spraying and sowing, while hitching implements, clearing blockages and judging ground conditions stay manual.25%moderate
- Spraying, records and paddock monitoringVariable-rate maps and satellite imagery help decide where to spray or fertilise, but mixing, applying and keeping the chemical records still need a person.20%moderate
Common questions about becoming a farm worker
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do farm workers earn?
The median for full-time farm workers is $49,300 per year before tax, though that figure covers a wide range of roles and seasons. Casual, seasonal and harvest work is often paid hourly or by the bin, so earnings move around through the year, and the award you are employed under and your experience both affect the rate.
How do you become a farm worker?
There is no set qualification, and most people start in a general hand role and learn on the job: around 60% of people in the job have Year 12 or below as their highest level of study. Training in chemical handling, first aid, or tractor and forklift operation helps you get taken on, and a Certificate II or III in Agriculture opens up better-paid work.
Are farm workers in demand?
Farm workers are currently in shortage in regional areas, and employment is projected to grow 5.5% over the decade to 2035. The hiring is concentrated in regional areas and follows the seasons, so being able to move to where the work is, or to follow harvests, makes finding a job easier.
Will AI or automation replace farm workers?
Automation is changing parts of the job rather than replacing it: GPS-guided tractors, automated drafting and herd sensors take over some steering, measuring and record keeping. The physical work of handling animals, fixing fences and judging a paddock in bad weather still needs someone on site.
What can farm workers move into?
Farm workers often move into machinery operation, where the pay is $26,100 more and their crop and livestock knowledge carries straight over. Others step up to run their own property as a farmer, which is where earnings usually grow, or specialise in a single crop as an orchardist. Further study is usually needed for the management side of those moves rather than the practical work.
What are the hours like?
Full-time farm workers average around 42 hours a week, but that average hides the peaks: lambing, shearing and harvest push days longer, and quiet stretches are shorter than they look. Start times are early, and weekend work is normal during busy periods.
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