FIFO Rosters Explained: 2/1, 8/6 and 4/3
Understand common FIFO roster notation, compare time on and off, and identify the travel and pay questions to ask before accepting a role.
A FIFO roster tells you the pattern of work and time away from work, but the shorthand does not tell you the full conditions. Confirm the units, travel days, shift length and any rotation between days and nights with the employer.
The comparisons below explain the arithmetic of common patterns. They do not establish what a particular employer offers or which roster pays more.
What does 2/1 mean?
When the advertisement means two weeks on and one week off, the cycle is 21 days: 14 on and seven off. That is two-thirds of the cycle on roster before considering travel and the precise shift arrangement.
Ask whether travel sits inside the working block or uses part of the time off. Also ask how leave, training and roster changes are treated. Do not assume 14 days on means 14 identical shifts.
What does 8/6 mean?
If expressed in days, the cycle is eight days on and six days off, or 14 days total. Eight out of 14 days is about 57% of the cycle on roster. The actual hours depend on shift length and how the employer counts mobilisation and travel.
An eight-day block may include different work or travel arrangements from another employer’s eight-day block. Compare the written details rather than the label alone.
What does 4/3 mean?
If expressed in days, four on and three off makes a seven-day cycle, with about 57% of the cycle on roster. It has the same simple on/off proportion as 8/6, but shorter blocks can mean a different travel pattern and different practical effects at home.
Check the units. Some advertisements use weeks rather than days, so ask when the notation is ambiguous.
How do even-time rosters compare?
A pattern such as seven days on and seven off divides the cycle equally. That arithmetic does not mean the offer has the same annual hours, pay, leave or travel conditions as another even-time role.
Compare actual shift hours and the stated employment arrangements. Ask the employer for an explanation of the offer rather than estimating earnings from the roster ratio alone.
Questions to ask before choosing
- Which days are travel days, and when do shifts start and finish?
- Is the roster days only, nights only or rotating?
- What is the departure point and who arranges each part of the journey?
- Can the roster change, and how is notice given?
- How do leave and training interact with the cycle?
- What accommodation and transport arrangements are included?
- How are the stated pay and any allowances calculated?
Record the answers and compare the whole arrangement. There is no single best roster for every worker or household.
How to describe availability on your resume
Use accurate wording such as “Perth-based and available to discuss an 8/6 roster” if that reflects your circumstances. Only describe previous FIFO roster experience when you actually have it. Do not claim unlimited flexibility if it will not work for you.
Use the resume examples to prepare your application. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s hours-of-work information is a starting point for employment-condition information; your applicable arrangements need their own review.