Free tool
FIFO roster calculator: 2/1, 8/6, 14/14 and more
Pick a FIFO roster, or enter your own days on and days off, to see how much of the year you spend on site and at home. Add the first day of a swing to get your next fly-in and fly-out dates and a calendar.
Roster
8/6: 8 days on, 6 days off
Use the first day of any swing, past or future. It defaults to today.
8 days on, 6 days off
Cycle length: 14 days. Figures are averages over full cycles in a 365-day year.
- On : off ratio
- 8 : 64 : 3 in lowest terms
- Of the year on site
- 57.1%42.9% at home
- Days on site per year
- 208.6of 365 days
- Days home per year
- 156.4of 365 days
- Swings per year
- 26.1365 ÷ 14-day cycle
This tool counts calendar days only. Travel days, R&R and site-specific roster rules vary by employer, so a day shown as “on” or “home” may differ in practice. Check your contract or roster with your employer.
What does roster notation like 2/1 or 8/6 mean?
A FIFO roster is a repeating pattern of days on site and days at home. It is usually written as days on / days off. So 8/6 is 8 days on, then 6 days off, then 8 on again.
The unit is not always stated. A short pair such as 2/1 or 3/1 is usually read as weeks: 2/1 is 2 weeks on and 1 week off, which is 14 days on and 7 off (a 14/7 roster). Pairs such as 8/6, 4/4, 5/2 and 9/5 are read as days. When in doubt, ask whether the numbers are days or weeks. The calculator above labels each preset so there is no guesswork.
The cycle is days on plus days off. Divide days on by the cycle to get the share of time on site. For the wider picture of how FIFO work runs, see our FIFO work explained guide.
FIFO roster comparison table
Every figure below is arithmetic on the roster pattern. Yearly figures are averages over full cycles in a 365-day year.
| Roster | Days on | Days off | Cycle (days) | % on site | Days on / year | Days home / year | Swings / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/12 weeks on, 1 week off (14/7) | 14 | 7 | 21 | 66.7% | 243.3 | 121.7 | 17.4 |
| 8/68 days on, 6 days off | 8 | 6 | 14 | 57.1% | 208.6 | 156.4 | 26.1 |
| 14/1414 days on, 14 days off (even time) | 14 | 14 | 28 | 50.0% | 182.5 | 182.5 | 13.0 |
| 4/44 days on, 4 days off (even time) | 4 | 4 | 8 | 50.0% | 182.5 | 182.5 | 45.6 |
| 5/25 days on, 2 days off | 5 | 2 | 7 | 71.4% | 260.7 | 104.3 | 52.1 |
| 9/59 days on, 5 days off | 9 | 5 | 14 | 64.3% | 234.6 | 130.4 | 26.1 |
| 3/13 weeks on, 1 week off (21/7) | 21 | 7 | 28 | 75.0% | 273.8 | 91.3 | 13.0 |
| 4/14 weeks on, 1 week off (28/7) | 28 | 7 | 35 | 80.0% | 292.0 | 73.0 | 10.4 |
| 7/77 days on, 7 days off (even time) | 7 | 7 | 14 | 50.0% | 182.5 | 182.5 | 26.1 |
Days on site are calendar days in the pattern. They are not a count of paid or worked days. Travel days, R&R and site-specific roster rules vary by employer, so check the contract.
Even time rosters: 7/7, 14/14 and 4/4
An even time roster has the same number of days on and off, so you are on site exactly 50.0% of the time. 7/7, 14/14 and 4/4 are all even time. They differ in how often you travel: 4/4 has about 45.6 swings a year, 7/7 about 26.1 and 14/14 about 13.0. More swings means more travel days for the same time on site.
FIFO roster FAQ
What is an 8 and 6 roster?
An 8 and 6 roster (8/6) is 8 days on and 6 days off, repeating. One cycle is 14 days, so you are on site 57.1% of the time. Averaged over a 365-day year that is about 208.6 days on site, 156.4 days at home and 26.1 swings. Because the cycle is exactly two weeks, your fly-in day falls on the same weekday every second week.
What is even time?
Even time is a roster where days on equal days off, so you spend 50.0% of the time on site and 50.0% at home. Examples are 7/7, 14/14 and 4/4. On a 14/14 roster the cycle is 28 days and you get about 13.0 swings a year, each with 14 days on site and 14 days home.
What does 4 on 4 off mean?
4 on 4 off (4/4) means 4 days on site then 4 days off, repeating. The cycle is 8 days, so you are on site 50.0% of the time. That averages 182.5 days on site and 182.5 days home a year, across about 45.6 swings. Because 8 is one more than a week, your days on shift one weekday later each cycle.
What is a 14/7 roster?
A 14/7 roster is 14 days on and 7 days off. It is the same pattern as a 2/1 roster, written as 2 weeks on and 1 week off. The cycle is 21 days, so you are on site 66.7% of the time, with about 17.4 swings a year.
How many days a year do you work on a 2 and 1 roster?
On a 2 and 1 roster (14 days on, 7 days off) you are on site about 243.3 days a year on average (365 x 14 / 21) and home about 121.7 days. The exact count in one calendar year moves by a few days depending on where your swings fall. Days on site are not the same as days worked, because travel days, R&R and site rules vary by employer, so check your contract.
How do you work out the percentage of time on site?
Divide days on by the full cycle (days on plus days off). For 7/7 that is 7 / 14, or 50.0%. For 8/6 it is 8 / 14, or 57.1%. Multiply the result by 365 for average days on site per year.