Does volunteering or WWOOFing count for the 88 days?
Short answer
Generally no. Specified work must be paid in line with Australian law and awards, so unpaid farm stays and WWOOFing don't count. The one exception is volunteer bushfire recovery and natural disaster (flood, cyclone, storm) recovery work in declared areas, where each day you volunteered counts as one day.
Farm stays for food and a bed used to be a common way to “do your days”. They don’t count anymore, and haven’t for years. There’s one important exception.
Specified work has to be paid
“All specified subclass 417 work must be paid in accordance with the relevant Australian legislation and awards.”
Home Affairs, specified subclass 417 work
The 462 page says the same. So unpaid work, including WWOOFing, help-exchange and work for food and accommodation, isn’t specified work, however hard the work was.
The exception: recovery work
Volunteer work does count if it’s recovery work in a declared area:
- Bushfire recovery in declared bushfire-affected areas, for work after 31 July 2019.
- Natural disaster recovery (flood, cyclone, severe storm) in declared areas, for work after 31 December 2021.
Home Affairs’ examples include rebuilding fences and farm infrastructure, clearing debris, cleaning up properties, moving and cleaning furniture, and support work for volunteer organisations helping people in affected areas.
How the days count
“For volunteer bushfire or disaster recovery work, any day on which you worked can be counted as one day.”
So volunteer days count one for one, with no weekends added.
What to choose on the application
Home Affairs says disaster recovery applicants must select “flood recovery - paid” or “flood recovery - volunteer” under “Employment type” in ImmiAccount.
Proof for volunteer days
There’s no payslip, so you need a signed letter from the volunteer coordinator or host with:
- your personal details including passport number;
- a description of your duties;
- the location, including postcodes;
- the number of days you volunteered.
Is your area declared?
The declared areas are postcode lists. Check yours in the postcode checker, and look for bushfire recovery or disaster recovery in the results. In the calculator, choose one of those work types and you can add volunteer days.
Questions people also ask
I worked on a farm for food and a bed. Does it count?
No. Work in exchange for food and accommodation isn't paid work under Australian law and awards, so it isn't specified work.
How do volunteer recovery days count?
Home Affairs says that for volunteer bushfire or disaster recovery work, any day on which you worked can be counted as one day.
What proof do I need for volunteer recovery work?
A signed letter from your volunteer coordinator or host with your personal details including passport number, a description of your duties, the location including postcodes, and the number of days you volunteered.
Does recovery work count on a 462 visa too?
Yes. The 462 rules also allow volunteer work related to recovery in bushfire-declared areas or other declared natural disaster areas.
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
417 vs 462: what counts as specified work on each visa?
The 417 and 462 visas count different work in different places. Mining is 417 only. On a 462, fishing and tree farming count only up north. A clear comparison.
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.
Counting daysDo public holidays, sick days and rain days count for 88 days?
Paid public holidays and paid sick days count towards your 88 days. Unpaid days off, including rain days, don't. The official rule and what to do about it.