How much does farm work pay, and how do piece rates work?
Short answer
Farm and horticulture work is covered by the Horticulture Award. From 1 July 2026 the minimum for an adult casual at level 1 is $32.18 an hour ($25.74 plus the 25% casual loading). Pieceworkers must get at least that minimum for every hour worked each day, and piece rates must let an average competent picker earn 15% more than it.
Farm work is how most Working Holiday makers do their 88 days, and pay is the most common thing that goes wrong. Here’s what the rules say.
The minimum hourly rate
Most farm and harvest work is covered by the Horticulture Award. Its minimum rates (clause 15.1, from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2026) for adults are:
| Level 1 adult | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Full-time or part-time | $25.74 |
| Casual (includes 25% loading) | $32.18 |
Casuals get a 25% loading on top of the ordinary rate (clause 11.2), which is where $32.18 comes from. Rates rise every 1 July, and higher levels pay more (level 5 is $29.45 before loading). Check the current award or Fair Work pay guide for your level.
How piece rates must work
Piece rates (per bin, bucket, kilo or tree) are allowed, with two protections:
- A daily minimum wage guarantee. The award says a pieceworker “must be paid for each day on which they work no less than the hourly rate for the pieceworker multiplied by the number of hours worked on that day” (clause 15.2(f)). For a casual, that hourly rate includes the 25% loading.
- Fair piece rates. The rate must let a pieceworker of average productivity, who is competent at the task, earn at least 15% more per hour than their hourly rate (clause 15.2(d)). For a level 1 casual that’s about $37.01 an hour. “Competent” means at least 76 hours’ experience at that task.
- A written piecework record before you start. Your employer must give you a written record, signed by them, before you begin a piecework task (clause 15.2(h)).
- Public holidays are paid at 200% of the piece rate.
So a slow first week can’t drop you below minimum wage for the hours you work.
What to get in writing
- A piecework agreement that shows the rate per piece and how pieces are measured. Home Affairs lists it as proof for your visa too.
- A record of your hours each day, even on piece rates, because the daily guarantee depends on them.
- A signed agreement for deductions, such as accommodation or transport, before anything comes out of your pay.
Super and tax
Your employer must also pay super into a super fund on top of your wages. Working holiday makers pay 15% tax on the first $45,000. See Working Holiday tax.
Pay and your 88 days
Specified work has to be paid properly to count. Cash in hand without payslips is both underpaid and hard to prove. If you’re on piece rates, ask for your hours to be shown on each payslip: it makes counting your days much easier in the calculator.
Questions people also ask
Can a piece rate pay less than minimum wage?
Not for the day. Pieceworkers have a minimum wage guarantee for each day they work: they get the higher of their piece earnings or their minimum hourly rate (including casual loading) times the hours worked that day.
Do I need a written piece rate agreement?
Yes, piecework should be under a written agreement. Home Affairs also lists the piece rate agreement as proof for your visa: it must show the rate per piece and how it's measured.
Does piece rate work count for 88 days?
Yes. Home Affairs' examples include pickers on piece rates, and the days count like any other specified work.
What if I'm underpaid?
Talk to the Fair Work Ombudsman. It helps visa holders for free.
Sources
General information, not immigration advice. Aussie Days is independent and not affiliated with the Australian Government. Always check the official Home Affairs pages before you rely on anything here.
Keep reading
How do you find 88 days work?
Where to find 88 days jobs in Australia, how to check a job counts before you start, and how to avoid scams and underpayment. Farms, mining, hospitality.
Counting daysI work casual. How do my 88 days count?
Casual and part-time work counts for your 88 days, in proportion to a full-time week. How to count it from payslip hours, with the official Karla example.
EvidenceWhat evidence do you need for your 88 days?
What proof Home Affairs lists for your 88 or 179 days: payslips, bank statements, payment summaries, employer references. What to keep and how to organise it.