Ask "what tickets do I need for FIFO?" in any group and a training provider will answer "all of them". They would. Their business is selling tickets. After twenty years in HR across Australian mining and construction, and a FIFO household of my own, here is the honest version.
A ticket is a short course with a card at the end that says you can legally do a specific high-risk thing. Recruiters filter on them because a site cannot put you to work without them, and a candidate who already has the basics saves the employer time and money. So having no tickets is a real problem. But having every ticket is expensive, and half of them will not be asked for in the roles you can actually get first.
The starter set: budget A$2,000 to A$3,000
Put that much aside before you apply. This is roughly what to buy, in order, and what it typically costs from a registered provider in 2026. Prices vary by state and provider, so shop around.
| Ticket | Typical cost (A$) | Why first |
|---|---|---|
| White Card (general construction induction) | 50–150 | The entry stamp for any site. Nothing happens without it. |
| First aid (Provide First Aid) | 100–180 | Cheap, always welcome, and it quietly says "responsible adult". |
| Working at heights | 200–400 | Asked for on most general site roles. |
| Confined space entry | 200–400 | Same. These two together open a lot of trade-assistant doors. |
| Elevated work platform (EWP) | 250–500 | Scissor lifts and boom lifts. Common on construction and shutdown work. |
| Forklift licence | 250–500 | Only if you are aiming at stores, warehouse or yard roles. |
That set, without the forklift, comes in around A$800 to A$1,600. With it, up to A$2,100. That leaves room in the budget for a re-sit, a site-specific induction, or the medical if an employer does not cover it.
Buy these only when a role asks for them
A Heavy Rigid or Heavy Combination truck licence is a genuine door-opener for driving roles, but it costs A$800 to A$2,500 plus the test and takes time, so do it once you are going for those jobs specifically. Dogging, rigging and crane tickets are trade-adjacent and run A$400 to A$1,500 each. A Cert II in Security is required for camp and site security roles and costs around A$900 to A$1,800. A Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) is needed for offshore and some port work and involves a background check that takes weeks, so start early if offshore is the aim. Operator-specific site inductions are almost always arranged and paid for by the employer once you are hired. Do not pay for them speculatively.
Check the provider before you pay a cent
Tickets alone will not get you the call
Tickets get you past the first filter. What gets you the phone call is a CV that shows them in its top third, with expiry dates, alongside your roster availability and point of hire, and a public social media presence that does not worry the recruiter. And if you have the tickets and are still hearing nothing, the fix is usually labour hire for a month or two, or one of the apprenticeship and traineeship doors most people walk past.
The full playbook, from the hiring side
How to Get Into FIFO (and get asked back): the recruiter's screen, the ticket budget planner, your way in by starting point, the CV and interview, and the unwritten rules of your first swing, plus the Employer Map: 50 places to apply. A$49, opens in any browser, yours forever.
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