Fly-in fly-out

Fly-in fly-out is a method of employing people in remote areas by flying them temporarily to the work site instead of relocating employees and their families permanently. It is often abbreviated to FIFO when referring to employment status. This is common in large mining regions in Australia and Canada.

Similar to the fly-in fly-out roster are the DIDO (drive-in drive-out), BIBO (bus-in bus-out) and SISO (ship-in ship-out) rosters.

Rather than relocating employees and their families to a town near the work site, the employees are flown to the work site, where they work for a number of days, and are then flown back to their hometowns for a number of days of rest.

Fly-in fly-out is very commonly used in the mining and oil and gas drilling industries, as mines and wells are often in areas far from towns. Generally, such sites use portable buildings since there is no long-term commitment to that location (e.g., the mine will close once the minerals have been extracted, the drilling rig will be moved once the well is dug). The local communities prefer for FIFO workers to purchase homes in the area and have more permanent opportunities because it would benefit the local economy. However, mining companies prefer not to provide permanent residencies such as company towns to FIFO workers because it saves the company money. The use of FIFO is a response to the precarity of resource extraction sectors: the workers can be shipped in quickly during resource booms and sent away during busts.

Usually, a fly-in fly-out job involves working a long shift (e.g., 12 hours each day) for a number of continuous days with all days off spent at home rather than at the work site. As the employee's work days are almost entirely taken up by working, sleeping, and eating, there is little need for any recreation facilities at the work site. However, companies are increasingly offering facilities such as pools, tennis courts, and gyms as a way of attracting and retaining skilled staff. Employees may be drawn to such arrangements since their families are often reluctant to relocate to small towns in remote areas where there might be limited opportunities for spouses' employment, limited educational choices for children, and poor recreational facilities.

Fly-in fly-out employment can put stress on family relationships, and the phenomenon may stifle regional development. There is a high mental cost to the workers and their families, with several government inquiries into its detrimental effects.

The impact of absent FIFO parents (primarily fathers) on their children and schooling has yet to be the subject of a major study, but it is likely that the separation anxiety experienced by the children of FIFO workers is similar to that of military families before, during and after deployment. Research published in Australia in 2014 suggests that children of fly-in fly-out parents suffer emotionally from the parent's absence, more frequently become the targets of schoolyard bullying, and may evince additional bad behaviour. However, such children often receive greater incentive to succeed academically, and some such children appreciate the extended time at home available for FIFO parents.

Organisations dedicated to the wellbeing of FIFO families have emerged in response to the unique challenges presented by this lifestyle. The FIFO Family Project is a not-for-profit organisation providing proactive support, educational resources and community programs to assist families in navigating the pressures of periodic separation and adjustment. In 2025, The FIFO Family Project published The FIFO New Parents Guide, recognised as the first parenting guide created specifically for FIFO families. This resource offers practical strategies, expert perspectives and personal accounts designed to address the mental health and relationship challenges associated with FIFO work arrangements. Its publication aims to bridge gaps in mainstream support and contribute to improved outcomes for families affected by FIFO patterns.