FIFO Meaning: What Fly-In Fly-Out Work Is Really Like
Published 25 March 2026 · 14 min read
Last updated 8 October 2026
What does FIFO mean?
FIFO means fly-in fly-out. You are flown to a remote work site, work a set roster of days on, live in on-site accommodation, then fly home for your days off. In Australia it is most common in mining.
The Australian Parliament's inquiry into FIFO and DIDO workforce practices (tabled 13 February 2013) defines FIFO and DIDO as long-distance commuting on a regular basis such that workers cannot return home at the end of a shift. It adds that FIFO workers, not their families, get food and accommodation at or near the site.
FIFO key facts
- FIFO
- Fly-in fly-out: you fly to site, live in camp, fly home for days off.
- DIDO
- Drive-in drive-out: the same idea by road, for sites within driving distance.
- Common rosters
- Cycles from 9 on / 5 off to 28 on / 7 off, with 8/6 and 7/7 among them (table below).
- Shift length
- An on-site day is typically a twelve-hour shift.
- Typical locations
- Remote mining regions such as the Pilbara and Goldfields in WA, the Bowen Basin and North West in Queensland. See our WA and Queensland guides for where the workforce is.
FIFO exists because many mines are remote, where there are not enough people living locally to staff operations. The parliamentary inquiry says FIFO began in Australia in the 1960s for offshore oil rigs, and that large-scale migration to Perth, Brisbane and Mackay is linked to resource-sector work.
Where workers live matters. In the Bowen Basin, the Queensland Government Statistician's Office found 74% of workers with a known home location worked in a different local government area from where they lived (June 2025). Departure points depend on the employer, so ask which airport or town your roster flies from.
What are the common FIFO rosters?
Rosters run from 9 days on and 5 off to 28 days on and 7 off, according to the parliamentary inquiry into FIFO and DIDO work. It says roster length is linked to travel distance, with DIDO rosters shorter. Your roster (the pattern of days on site vs days at home) shapes your FIFO experience more than almost anything else.
| Roster (on / off) | What the inquiry report says |
|---|---|
| 9 days / 5 days | Shortest cycle quoted. AusIMM research found it had the lowest turnover. |
| 7 days / 7 days | Used by Ensham and Vale, per AusIMM research. |
| 8 days / 6 days | An AMMA survey found workers generally happy with it. |
| 2 weeks / 2 weeks | An AMMA survey found workers generally happy with it. |
| 5 weeks / 5 weeks | An AMMA survey found workers generally happy with it. |
| 6 weeks / 6 weeks | An AMMA survey found workers generally happy with it. |
| 28 days / 7 days | Longest cycle quoted. |
Source: House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia, Cancer of the bush or salvation for our cities? (2013), chapter 2. The report is dated, so confirm the roster in your offer.
Other patterns you may be offered, and what they mean for your life:
2 Weeks On / 1 Week Off (2/1)
A widely discussed FIFO pattern. You work 14 consecutive days of 12-hour shifts, then fly home for 7 days off.
Reality check: Your travel days eat into your R&R. If you fly home on day 15 and arrive in the afternoon, you've effectively lost half a day. Same for your return. You often fly out the afternoon before your first shift. So your 7 days off is realistically fewer full days at home than it sounds. Still, 2/1 is widely used and many families can make it work with planning.
8 Days On / 6 Days Off (8/6)
A shorter-swing roster. Eight 12-hour shifts, then 6 days at home.
Reality check: You spend less time away, which is great for relationships and mental health. You also get a long weekend every cycle, which feels like a mini holiday. The downside? You're on a plane more often, and some find the constant transition between site and home life disorienting. Still, if you can get an 8/6 roster, grab it.
14 Days On / 7 Days Off (14/7 - Alternate Version)
Same as 2/1 but sometimes structured differently. For instance, 7 day shifts followed by 7 night shifts, then 7 days off. The transition from day to night shift mid-swing can be rough, but you get used to it. Some sites offer 7 days/7 nights/7 off as separate blocks.
7 Days On / 7 Days Off (Even Time)
An even-time roster. A week on, a week off. Equal time at work and at home.
Reality check: Equal time at work and at home suits many people. Pay depends on the employer and award or agreement, so check how the offer treats your roster.
3 Weeks On / 1 Week Off (21/7)
A long-swing roster. Three weeks of 12-hour shifts, then only 7 days off.
Reality check: This is tough going. By week 3, fatigue sets in hard. You're away for 21 days. You'll miss things. Pay depends on the employer, so check the offer. Think of it as a sprint, not a marathon.
4 Weeks On / 2 Weeks Off (28/14)
Four weeks is a long swing and it takes a certain type of person to handle it. The upside? Two full weeks off gives you time for genuine rest, travel, or projects at home. Pay varies by employer, so check the offer.
What does a typical FIFO day look like?
Every mine site is different, but here's an illustrative picture of a day shift on a typical open-cut mine:
Alarm goes off. You're not a morning person? You will be.
Quick shower, get into your high-vis and steel caps. Grab your crib (lunch) from the mess. Most people pack it the night before or grab pre-made meals from the crib room.
Head to the mess for breakfast. Cooked brekkie: bacon, eggs, toast, cereal, fruit, coffee. It's solid food, nothing fancy. You eat quickly.
Catch the bus to the pit. The bus ride varies a lot depending on the site. Most people sleep or stare at their phones.
Pre-start meeting. Your supervisor runs through the day's plan, safety hazards, weather conditions, and any changes. You do a pre-start check on your machine.
Start work. For operators, that means climbing into the cab and starting your haul or dig cycle. For trades, it's onto the maintenance schedule. For labourers, it's whatever the supervisor needs done.
Smoko break. Eat your crib, have a cuppa, stretch your legs.
Lunch break. Same deal, eat in the crib hut or your machine cab.
Afternoon smoko. You're past the hump. A few more hours to go.
Shift ends. Park up your machine, complete your paperwork and shift handover notes, catch the bus back to camp.
Back at camp. Shower, change, and head to the mess for dinner. Most camp messes serve a decent spread, usually a choice of two or three mains, salad bar, and dessert.
Free time. Hit the gym, call your partner or kids, watch Netflix in your room, or socialise in the rec room. Some camps have pool tables, table tennis, or a cinema room.
Lights out for most people. You're getting up at 4am tomorrow. Sleep is currency on a mine site. Protect it.
Night shifts follow the same pattern but flipped. You'll start in the evening and finish in the morning, sleeping during the day. The transition from day to night shift (or back again) is the hardest part for most people. Blackout curtains in your donga are essential.
What is FIFO accommodation and camp life like?
Mining camps have come a long way from the rough-and-ready demountables of the 1990s. Modern FIFO camps are purpose-built villages that house hundreds of workers or more. Here's what to expect:
Your Donga (Room)
A “donga” is mining slang for your room. Modern dongas are typically single-occupancy with an ensuite bathroom (toilet, shower, basin). You'll get a single bed, a small desk, a wardrobe, air conditioning (essential in remote heat), a bar fridge, and a TV. Most camps now have Wi-Fi, though speeds vary from reasonable to glacial depending on how remote you are. Think of it as a clean, compact hotel room. Not luxurious, but perfectly functional.
The Mess
The mess hall is where you eat. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided, plus a crib room for snacks and drinks. Food quality varies by camp but has improved dramatically in recent years. Most messes now cater for dietary requirements (vegetarian, halal, gluten-free). You can expect a cooked breakfast, a hot lunch, and a dinner with multiple choices. It's not a restaurant, but it's solid, filling food.
Wet Mess vs Dry Mess
A “wet mess” is a camp that allows limited alcohol consumption, usually with a per-night drink limit in a designated bar area. A “dry mess” means zero alcohol on site. Many operators now run dry camps. This is a safety and wellbeing decision, and some FIFO workers prefer it once they get used to it. You sleep better, feel better, and your swing goes faster.
Facilities
- Gym - Most camps have one. Quality ranges from basic to surprisingly well-equipped. It's free to use.
- Recreation room - Pool tables, table tennis, darts, sometimes a cinema or gaming consoles.
- Laundry - Free washing machines and dryers. Some camps have a laundry service.
- Swimming pool - Some larger camps, particularly in the Pilbara, have pools.
- Cricket nets / basketball court - Common at larger camps. Organised sports leagues are popular.
- General store - Small shop selling toiletries, snacks, phone chargers, and similar essentials.
How is FIFO pay set, and what is included?
The financial picture of FIFO goes beyond your base salary. Here's a full breakdown:
What's Included (Free)
- Return flights for every swing
- Airport transfers and bus to site
- Accommodation (single room with ensuite at most modern camps)
- Three meals a day plus snacks and drinks
- PPE (personal protective equipment): boots, hard hat, high-vis, safety glasses
- Gym and recreation facilities
- Laundry
- Wi-Fi (quality varies)
What You Earn
Pay depends on your role, employer, roster and location. While you're on site your living costs are much lower, because accommodation, meals and flights are covered, and that is where a lot of the saving comes from.
For a full breakdown of what every mining role pays, check our mining salaries guide.
What are the pros of FIFO work?
1. High Pay With Low Living Costs
This is the big one. Mining pays well, and when your employer covers your accommodation, food, and travel while you're on site, your savings rate can be strong. Many FIFO workers save a large share of their income, which can help with a house deposit or paying down debt faster.
2. Extended Blocks of Time Off
On an 8/6 roster, you get 6 consecutive days off every fortnight. On even time, you get a full week. That's not a weekend. That's a proper break. Many FIFO workers use their R&R for travel, hobbies, home projects, or quality time with family that most 9-to-5 workers only dream about.
3. No Daily Commute at Home
When you're home, you're HOME. No sitting in traffic for an hour each way. No packed trains. Your days off are genuinely yours from the moment you wake up.
4. Career Progression
Mining companies invest heavily in training. A nipper can move into dump truck operation, then excavator operation, and later into supervisory roles as skills and tickets build up. How fast that happens depends on the employer, the site and your performance. See the mining salaries guide for pay at each level.
5. Mateship and Community
There's a unique camaraderie on a mine site. You're living and working with the same crew for weeks at a time. Many FIFO workers form genuine friendships that last years. It's hard to explain until you experience it, but the social side of camp life can be genuinely good.
What are the cons of FIFO work?
We're going to be honest here, because too many mining recruitment sites paint an unrealistically rosy picture. FIFO has real downsides, and you need to go in with your eyes open.
1. Relationship Strain
This is the number one challenge. Being away for weeks at a time is hard on partners, hard on kids, and hard on you. You'll miss school plays, birthday parties, anniversaries, and quiet Tuesday nights on the couch. Your partner carries the full load at home while you're away. We cover this in detail below.
2. Missing Important Events
Your best mate's wedding falls on a work swing. Your kid takes their first steps while you're a long way from home. Your parent goes to hospital and you can't get home until tomorrow. These moments are the real cost of FIFO, and no amount of money fully compensates for them.
3. Mental Health Challenges
Isolation, repetitive work, disrupted sleep from roster changes, and separation from your support network can take a toll, and can contribute to depression and anxiety for some FIFO workers. The industry is getting better at addressing this, but it's still a real issue.
4. Physical Fatigue
Long shifts, day after day, for weeks straight is physically exhausting. The transition from day to night shift compounds this. By the end of a long swing, you're running on fumes. Your first few days off are often spent just recovering.
5. Limited Personal Freedom on Site
You can't just pop to the shops, go for a surf, or meet a mate for a beer. You're in a camp in the middle of nowhere with a very structured routine. Some people find this stifling. Others find it simplifying. You don't have to make any decisions about what to eat, where to go, or what to do. It depends on your personality.
How does FIFO affect relationships?
Let's address the elephant in the room. FIFO relationships have a reputation for failing, and while the reality is more nuanced than the stereotype, the challenges are real.
The effect varies a lot from household to household. Some couples find the time apart hard, while others find the roster works well for them. What matters most is how you plan for it together.
Why FIFO Is Hard on Relationships
- Your partner becomes a solo parent and sole household manager while you're away
- You miss the small daily moments that keep relationships strong
- Re-entry friction: coming home and disrupting the routine your partner has established
- Different expectations about R&R. You want to relax, they want help with everything you missed
- Jealousy and trust issues can creep in, even in strong relationships
Tips From Couples Who Make It Work
- Communicate daily - Video calls, not just texts. Even a short call each day keeps you connected.
- Have a shared financial goal - When both partners understand WHY you're doing FIFO (house deposit, debt-free by 35, kids' education), it gives the sacrifice meaning.
- Don't try to “fix” everything when you get home - Your partner has been managing fine. Ask how you can help rather than taking over.
- Plan something for your R&R - A day trip, a nice dinner, or even just a movie night. Something to look forward to.
- Set an end date - FIFO is more sustainable when it's not forever. “We'll do a few years, hit our savings goal, then reassess” is much easier to commit to than an open-ended arrangement.
- Get support if you need it - EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) are free and confidential through your employer. Use them.
How does FIFO affect mental health?
Mental health in the mining industry has rightly received increasing attention. The combination of isolation, long working hours, disrupted sleep, separation from family, and a traditionally “toughen up” culture has been linked to mental health challenges among FIFO workers.
The good news: the industry is changing. Many mining companies now have mental health programmes, on-site counsellors, peer support networks, and zero-stigma policies around seeking help.
Warning Signs to Watch For
- Persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness
- Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
- Trouble sleeping (beyond normal roster adjustment)
- Increased alcohol or substance use during R&R
- Withdrawal from colleagues, friends, or family
- Irritability or anger that feels disproportionate
- Dreading going back to site to the point of physical symptoms
Where to Get Help
- Mates in Mining - matesinmining.com.au. Peer support and suicide prevention specifically for the mining industry
- Lifeline - 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
- Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636. Depression and anxiety support
- Your employer's EAP - Free, confidential counselling. Ask your HR department for the number.
- OzHelp Foundation - ozhelp.org.au. Workplace mental health support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.
Looking after your mental health on site isn't soft. It's smart. The best FIFO workers are the ones who maintain a routine: regular exercise, consistent sleep, staying connected with family, and knowing when to ask for help. Ignoring your mental health doesn't make you tough; it makes you a liability to yourself and your crew.
How do you get your first FIFO job?
If you've read all of the above and you're still keen, good. FIFO is a genuine opportunity to earn life-changing money and build a serious career. Here's how to get started:
- Get your certifications - White Card (commonly required, especially for construction work), Standard 11 (for Queensland coal mines), and ideally Working at Heights and First Aid. Compare White Card providers and Standard 11 providers by price. See our complete guide to getting into mining for full details on certifications, costs, and where to get them.
- Complete a pre-employment medical - Having a current medical clearance makes you “deployment ready,” which is exactly what labour hire companies want to see.
- Build a mining-focused resume - Emphasise physical fitness, safety awareness, reliability, and transferable skills from any previous physical work. Mention your certifications and medical status at the top of the first page.
- Register with labour hire companies - WorkPac, Chandler Macleod, Hays, Programmed, and Mining People International are some of the labour hire companies that recruit for mining. Register with several of them. The more hooks in the water, the faster you'll get a bite.
- Apply for entry-level FIFO roles - Search SEEK, Indeed, and iMINCO for mining jobs with no experience. Target dump truck operator, nipper, trade assistant, general labourer, and process plant operator roles.
- Be flexible on location - The more flexible you are on which state and how remote the site is, the faster you'll get your foot in the door. Your first role doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to get you on site.
- Follow up relentlessly - Don't just submit an application and wait. Call the recruiter. Send a follow-up email. Check in every week. The people who get hired are the ones who stay top of mind.
How long it takes to get from zero to your first FIFO swing varies with course availability, demand and the employer. If you're certified, medically cleared, and ready to go, you're in a good position when roles open up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FIFO mean?
FIFO means fly-in fly-out. You are flown to a remote work site, work a set roster of days on, live in on-site accommodation, then fly home for your days off. An Australian parliamentary inquiry defined FIFO and DIDO (drive-in drive-out) as long-distance commuting on a regular basis such that workers cannot return home at the end of a shift.
What is a common FIFO roster?
An Australian parliamentary inquiry found FIFO cycles range from 9 days on and 5 off to 28 days on and 7 off, with an on-site day typically a twelve-hour shift. An industry survey it cites found workers generally happy with 2 weeks on and 2 off, 8 on and 6 off, 6 weeks on and 6 off, and 5 weeks on and 5 off. The report is from 2013, so check current rosters with the employer.
Do FIFO workers get free flights and accommodation?
Yes. FIFO employers cover all flights to and from the mine site, airport transfers, accommodation on site (typically a single room called a “donga”), and three meals a day plus snacks at the camp mess. You also get access to gym facilities, recreation rooms, laundry, and Wi-Fi at no cost. PPE is also provided.
How much do FIFO workers earn compared to local workers?
FIFO pay can differ from locally-based pay in the same role, depending on the employer, roster and location. When you factor in free accommodation, meals, and travel, your living costs while on roster are lower. Check our mining salaries guide for role-by-role figures.
Is FIFO work bad for relationships?
FIFO can strain relationships, but it doesn't have to end them. Many FIFO couples thrive by maintaining strong communication, having a shared financial goal, making the most of time together, and setting a clear end date for the FIFO arrangement. The key is discussing it honestly before committing and checking in regularly.
What is a donga in FIFO mining?
A donga is the private room you live in at a FIFO mining camp. Modern dongas are typically single-occupancy rooms with an ensuite bathroom, single bed, air conditioning, a small fridge, TV, and Wi-Fi. They're basic but comfortable. Think of a clean, compact hotel room. Older camps may have shared bathroom facilities, but this is increasingly rare.
Can you have your phone on a FIFO mine site?
You can have your phone at camp, but phone use is typically banned in operational areas of the mine for safety reasons. Most modern camps have Wi-Fi or mobile coverage. You'll be able to call family, video chat, and browse the internet during your downtime in camp. Some sites with poor coverage provide satellite Wi-Fi.
How do I get my first FIFO mining job?
Get your certifications (White Card, and Standard 11 for Queensland coal mines), complete a pre-employment medical, build a mining-focused resume, register with labour hire companies (WorkPac, Chandler Macleod, Programmed, Hays), and apply for entry-level FIFO roles on SEEK, Indeed, and iMINCO. Read our complete guide to getting into mining for the full step-by-step process.
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