FIFO & Contractor Loans
Roster income and contract work, assessed properly
Fly-in fly-out rosters, labour hire contracts and small business income all get treated differently by lenders than a standard payslip. We know how to present it so it works in your favour.
FIFO, contractors and small business owners on the Fraser Coast
Hervey Bay in particular is home to a large number of FIFO workers who live locally for the lifestyle and fly out to sites across Queensland, alongside tradespeople and contractors working across the Fraser Coast and further afield. None of these income types look like a standard nine-to-five payslip — which means a standard loan application often doesn't fit either, unless it's put together properly.
FIFO income
FIFO income is often higher than average but built from a mix of base salary, shift allowances, camp/site allowances and overtime — and lenders vary widely in how much of that they'll count toward your borrowing power. Some will only count base salary; others will factor in a consistent history of allowances and overtime. Roster stability matters too — a long tenure on a regular roster is viewed differently to someone early in a new FIFO role.
Contractors
Not all contractors are treated the same. If you're paid PAYG through a labour hire or recruitment agency, that's often assessed closer to standard employment income — even without permanency — provided there's a reasonable history and expectation of ongoing work. If you invoice through your own ABN as a genuinely self-employed contractor, you're generally assessed the way any self-employed applicant is, which usually means tax returns and Notices of Assessment rather than payslips.
Small business owners
Whether you're running a small business as your main income or alongside other work, we look at your full financial picture rather than treating business income as an automatic complication. If a deeper dive into self-employed income assessment is more relevant to your situation, our self-employed loans pagecovers that in more detail.
Why the right lender matters more here
Policy on assessing FIFO and contract income varies significantly between lenders. Applying to the wrong one first can mean a knock-back that shows up on your file and makes the next application harder — we help you apply to a lender that actually understands how you're paid, the first time.
Many FIFO workers and contractors also need to finance a vehicle for getting to site or for the business — see our vehicle & truck finance pageif that's relevant to you.
Find out what your income qualifies for
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Common questions
FIFO & contractor loan questions
Does a FIFO roster count against me when applying for a home loan?
It shouldn't, but it changes how your income is assessed. Lenders look at your base income, allowances and overtime differently depending on how consistent and provable it is — some are much more comfortable with FIFO income than others. We know which lenders on our panel handle it well.
I'm a contractor paid through a labour hire agency — am I treated as self-employed?
Not necessarily. If you're paid PAYG through a labour hire or recruitment agency, many lenders treat that closer to standard employment income than true self-employment, even without a permanent contract. If you invoice through your own ABN instead, you're generally assessed as self-employed. We'll work out which category actually applies to you.
How many payslips or rosters do I need to show?
It varies by lender, but typically several months of payslips plus your current roster or contract, and sometimes a letter from your employer confirming ongoing work. We'll tell you exactly what your chosen lender wants before you start gathering paperwork.
I run a small business on the side of my main job — does that complicate things?
It can, but it doesn't have to. We look at your whole financial picture — primary income plus business income — rather than treating the business income as automatically disqualifying. If the business side is the bigger part of your income, our self-employed loans page has more detail on that specifically.
Roster or contract income shouldn't hold you back
Get a straight answer on what you qualify for, based on how you're actually paid.
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