Does forestry work count towards your 88 days?
Forestry work generally falls under the tree farming and felling category: for a 417 Working Holiday visa it counts when carried out in Regional Australia, and for a 462 Work and Holiday visa it counts in Northern Australia.
Forestry work can count towards specified work in some parts of Australia, but it does not qualify everywhere.
Which category it falls under
Tree farming and felling
- planting or tending trees in a plantation or forest that are intended to be felled
- felling trees in a plantation or forest
- transporting felled trees or parts of trees to a mill or processing site
Work must be in a plantation or forest where trees are intended to be felled.
Where it counts
417 Working Holiday
Counts when carried out in Regional Australia.
462 Work and Holiday
Counts when carried out in Northern Australia.
Location examples
Examples derived from the current official postcode classifications for the tree farming and felling category (subclass 417).
Read more about the whole category: 88 days forestry work → or see where it counts on the map. UK passport? You may not need 88 days at all.
Common questions
Does forestry work count for 88 days?
Forestry work generally falls under the tree farming and felling category: for a 417 Working Holiday visa it counts when carried out in Regional Australia, and for a 462 Work and Holiday visa it counts in Northern Australia.
Can I do forestry work in Sydney or Melbourne for my 88 days?
No. Sydney, Melbourne and the other major capitals are not within the eligible areas for tree farming and felling work, so the same job there won't count.
Do I need payslips for forestry work to count?
Yes. Specified work must be paid in accordance with Australian workplace laws, and payslips are the primary evidence Home Affairs lists. Cash-in-hand work is both unlawful pay and unprovable.
Official sources
Migration (Specified work and areas for subclass 417 visas) Instrument (LIN 22/012) 2022 — Compilation No. 3
Federal Register of Legislation · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Specified work for Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Migration (Specified work and areas for subclass 462 visas) Instrument (LIN 22/013) 2022 — Compilation No. 3
Federal Register of Legislation · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗Specified work for Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)
Department of Home Affairs · last checked 12 August 2026
View official government source ↗
Check forestry worker work in your exact location
Enter your visa, passport and town — the location rules decide whether this job counts for you.
Check my jobFree · takes about 30 seconds · no account needed
General information only, based on rules last checked 12 August 2026 — not immigration advice.