Video. Seasonally, Damien works on a farm in Australia

If Damien were to leave France, it would break his routine and escape. His goal: to work in Australia by doing a working holiday program (PVT). The scheme helps foreigners to come and work in these sectors to meet the shortage of manpower. With his partner, they leave two permanent contracts to go on an adventure and learn a new language.

“You can make a lot of money”

In Australia, permanent contracts are very rare. Working on a farm is equivalent to temporary work in France. Unlike in France, there is no limit on working hours. “I am paid at least 27 dollars (16 euros) an hour. Pay depends on your commitment. You can earn a lot of money”. A week, Damien, minimum 50 hours per week, minimum wage 5000 dollars (3050 euros).

On the farm where he works, days are never the same. His tasks can range from tree felling to maintenance including machinery. “We’re going to drive a lot of machines. Before coming to Australia, I didn’t know how to drive”, explains Damien. In six months, the apprentice farmer is trained to handle all types of agricultural machinery. Today the farm is in his hands and someone else’s hands. “They trust us completely. They tell you what to do for the week. They trained us in a few months and now we know how to take care of the whole farm”. For Damian, even broken English was not a barrier to embark on this adventure. Only motivation and determination count.