What Tickets Do You Need for a FIFO Job?

Short answer: there is no single list. The tickets you need depend on the role, the employer, the site and the country or state. The most reliable guide is the specific job ad you're applying for, and the employer or recruiter behind it. Buying tickets "just in case" can cost a lot of money without making you a better fit for the jobs you actually want.

Start with the job ad, not a course list

Read the requirements section and sort each item into one of three groups:

• Required – words like "essential", "must have" or "mandatory". These usually decide whether your application is considered.
• Preferred – words like "desirable", "highly regarded" or "an advantage". Helpful, but often not a deal-breaker.
• Not mentioned – unknown. Ask the recruiter before paying for anything.

Many site-specific inductions are done after you're hired. If a ticket isn't listed, it's worth asking whether the employer provides it.

Tickets and checks that come up often (Australian examples)

These are common in Australian FIFO and mining ads. None of them is needed for every job, and names differ in other countries.

• Driver's licence. Many roles ask for a current licence. Driving and haulage roles may ask for a specific class.
• High risk work licences. Needed only if the job involves that work, such as operating a forklift or crane, rigging, dogging or scaffolding. They are issued by state work health and safety regulators (see WorkSafe Queensland's list of licence classes).
• White card (general construction induction). Commonly asked for on construction-related work.
• Standard 11. A generic induction commonly required for Queensland coal mine sites. It is less relevant if you're not targeting Queensland coal.
• Working at heights, confined space and gas testing. Role-specific. Only worth getting if the jobs you want involve that work.
• Medicals and drug and alcohol testing. Often part of the employer's hiring process. Check how it works for a specific job before paying for one yourself.

Outside Australia

Ticket names and rules vary by country. Offshore roles, for example, often require specific offshore safety and survival training. Check exactly which course or standard the employer accepts, because a certificate from one country or provider isn't always accepted elsewhere.

Before you pay for a course

• Is it listed as required in the ads you're applying for?
• Does the employer provide it after hiring?
• In Australia, is the provider a registered training organisation? You can check on training.gov.au.
• Is the course sold with a "guaranteed job"? Treat that as a warning sign.

Watch for training scams

Scammers target people looking for FIFO work, for example by offering training for jobs that don't exist and asking for a deposit. Scamwatch warns that job offers on messaging apps or social media may be fake, and advises: never send money for an unexpected job offer (Scamwatch job scams factsheet).