Bonus $2,430 for international students working in farms
International students looking to work in the farms or agriculture industry can be eligible for a total of up to $2,430 bonus cash payments.
In this article, we are covering information on what exactly this $2,430 bonus is and how international students can get this bonus.
What is this $2430 bonus?
Victorian government is giving bonus to work in the local farms.
Basically, shortage of farm workers in Victoria and across Australia due to border restrictions.
Usually, workers from Pacific Islands and backpackers do this farm work.
Job seekers who take up a seasonal harvest job on a Victorian farm on or after Wednesday 17 February 2021 can apply for a Seasonal Harvest Sign-on Bonus.
The $2,430 bonus is paid in two instalments:
- First Bonus: $810, after 10 days’ work within a 30-day period
- Second Bonus: $1,620, after an additional 30 days’ work within a 90-day period
International students can work more than 40 hours per fortnight if they are working in farming/agriculture industry.
Especially if your classes are running online, then you should consider this opportunity to score extra bonus on top of your salary.
It is definitely not an easy work as it requires physical efforts but nearly $300 per week for 8 weeks of work on top of your salary is a pretty sweet deal.
More information on the seasonal bonus can be found here.
Job duties in farms
Some of the common job duties in the farms includes:
- fruit picking in the field
- packing & preparing the fruit in sheds
- pruning and thinning fruit trees
- driving forklifts, tractors, and other machinery.
Minimum Wage
In the farming sector, you can earn an hourly wage or a piecework rate. It is based on Horticulture Award
Hourly wage
- $19.84 for an adult full-time employee
- $24.80 for an adult casual employee.
Piecework rate
It is based on the amount you have picked, packed, pruned or made.
This rate has to allow the ‘average competent employee’ to earn at least 15 per cent more per hour than the relevant minimum hourly rate
Eligibility for this bonus
To be eligible for the bonus you must:
- have work rights in Australia
- be working on a farm that produces fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, olives, nuts or wine grapes
- be working on-farm in picking, packing and harvesting activities, including operating harvest machinery
- start work on a Victorian farm on or after 17 February 2021
- not be employed under the Pacific Labour Scheme or Seasonal Worker Programme.
What do you need to apply?
These are some of the documents required to apply for this sign-in bonus
- Payslips
- Timesheets
- Name and contact details of your employer
- The addresses of the farm sites you worked at.
How to get a harvest Job?
You can register your interest to work in the farms here.
Victorian government has a dedicated website to find work in local farms.
You will also get free training to understand the nature of work on the farms. Most of this training is done online.
You can register for free training here.
Relocation assistance
On top of victorian government bonus, there is additional assistance available if you are moving to work in the remote farming industry.
Relocation assistance will be available for people to move and take up jobs in agriculture, including harvest work. This financial assistance can help you cover your costs of travel and accommodation expenses.
The eligible international job seekers including international students can claim a reimbursement of up to $2,000.
To search harvest trail work, check this government website.
Eligibility
To eligible for relocation assistance, you must:
- be at least 18 years of age
- relocate within Australia to a regional, remote or Harvest Area
- take up a short-term agricultural work including harvest work placements through a HTS provider
- work for at least 6 weeks and at least 120 hours in agricultural work.
For more information on this relocation package, check the Australian government website here.
If you are looking for work in Australia, then we suggest you check our guide on finding work here.
