How to Get Relief Teaching Work in Australia (2026)

On this page (8 sections)

What you need before your first day
How schools book relief teachers, state by state
What relief teaching pays in 2026
Getting your first bookings
How to get called back
From casual to contract to permanent
Your relief teaching kit
FAQs

The short answer

To get relief teaching work you need teacher registration in that state, a working with children clearance where it's separate, and the employer's approval to work casually. Then make yourself bookable. In NSW public schools that means approval to teach plus a ClassCover profile. Elsewhere it's usually ClassCover, an agency or direct contact with schools. Where a government daily rate is set, 2026 rates run from about $407 (SA Step 1) to $600 (NSW CT3). WA and Tasmania pay relief teachers by the hour instead.

NSW: register with ClassCover once approved; complete mandatory training modules first.
VIC: CRTs are employed by school councils at $425.80 a day; minimum 3-hour engagement.
Most relief rates include a loading (5% to 25%) instead of paid leave.
Regular days come from reliability, good handover notes and being easy to rebook.

What you need before your first day

Registration or accreditation with the state regulator (NESA, VIT, QCT, TRBWA, TRB SA, TRB Tasmania, TQI or TRB NT)
A working with children clearance if your state requires a separate one. VIT-registered teachers are exempt in Victoria
Employer approval: in NSW public schools, approval to teach from the Department
Mandatory training. NSW lists anaphylaxis, code of conduct, child protection, corruption prevention, data breach preparedness, e-Emergency care and WHS induction
A tax file number declaration and super choice form for each employer
A short CRT resume and a one-page 'about me' for schools

If you're new to a state or the country, registration is the bottleneck. Start with teacher registration in Australia or overseas teacher registration by state.

How schools book relief teachers, state by state

Booking and engagement rules (government schools; booking methods outside NSW, VIC and SA are general guidance)

State	How to get booked	Key rules
NSW	ClassCover, after approval to teach (the Department's preferred casual recruitment tool)	2-hour minimum; half a day's pay if called in and not needed
VIC	Employed by each school council; schools book directly or through agencies on the Department panel	Minimum 3 hours per engagement; daily rate after 6 hours
SA	ClassCover	Daily rates by step, including 25% loading
WA	Contact schools and the Department; paid hourly	Minimum 3 hours; one engagement at a school up to 4 weeks
ACT	Contact schools and the Education Directorate	Minimum 3 hours; 3 hours' pay if a firm booking is cancelled with under 24 hours' notice
NT	Contact schools and the Department	Full and half-day rates by experience tier
QLD	Supply (relief) teaching in state schools; contact schools and your region	Paid at Band 3 Step 1 plus 25% loading
TAS	Relief teacher classes, paid hourly at your level	Hourly rates; check your daily hours

In NSW, if you worked in a public school and left in the last 12 months, you can ask for casual approval using the casual approval after separation form. Returning teachers have their own pathway on Teach NSW.

What relief teaching pays in 2026

Government school casual/relief rates

State	Daily rate	From	Notes
NSW	$480.43 (CT1) / $538.73 (CT2) / $599.85 (CT3)	9 Oct 2026	Level depends on accreditation and years of service; 5% loading
VIC	$425.80 ($70.97 an hour)	1 Jul 2025	Ministerial Order 1389; includes 22% loading. Not covered by VGSA 2026
QLD	$515.75	1 Sep 2026	Band 3 Step 1 plus 25% loading
SA	$407.21 (Step 1) to $590.59 (Step 9)	8 May 2026	Includes 25% loading
WA	$52.67 to $76.30 an hour	6 Dec 2025	Hourly, includes 20% loading; no official daily rate (7.6 hours at Level 2.1 is about $400, our calculation); step up every 200 days worked
ACT	$451 (Rate 1) / $558 (Rate 2)	4 Dec 2025	25% loading; Rate 2 after 7 years' service or top-of-scale eligibility
NT	$460.93 / $482.95 / $504.96	Jan 2026	Tiers by experience; half days $230.46 to $252.48
TAS	Hourly by level (e.g. $46.88 at Level 5)	Mar 2026	No official daily rate published; a 7-hour day at Level 5 is about $328 (our calculation)

Full detail, including hourly maths and how to move up a level, is in casual relief teacher pay.

Free calculator

Casual relief teacher pay calculator

Enter your state, level and days per term to see your annual earnings, tax and super. School holidays are unpaid for casuals.

Work out my CRT income

Getting your first bookings

1

Complete your booking profile

On ClassCover or similar, list every subject and year level you can cover, a clear photo if the platform asks, and your availability. Schools filter by these.
2

Contact schools directly

Email or visit the front office of schools within your travel range with a one-page CRT summary: registration, subjects, availability, mobile. Ask who books relief.
3

Be available early

Many bookings are made early in the morning. Answer your phone and respond to app requests quickly.
4

Say yes to the first few

Early on, take the less popular days (Fridays, Mondays, tricky classes). That's how you get onto a school's list.
5

Consider an agency

In Victoria agencies on the Department's panel also place CRTs. Check their rate against the $425.80 Ministerial Order rate. The AEU says agencies aren't necessarily bound to pay it.

How to get called back

What makes a school rebook you

Arrive 30 minutes early, sign in, ask for the daybook, duty roster and emergency procedures
Teach the plan that was left. If none was left, have 3 to 4 ready-to-go lessons by phase or subject
Know the school's behaviour process and use it, rather than your own
Do your yard duty without being reminded
Leave a clear handover note: what was covered, who was absent, any incidents, work collected
Thank the office staff who booked you. They often decide who gets called next

Worked example

A handover note that gets you rebooked (example)

Class: 7C English, Period 2
Covered: Pages 14-16 of the novel read aloud; 22 of 25 finished the comprehension questions (in tray)
Absent: 2 students (marked on roll)
Behaviour: One student moved seats after two reminders, per school process; settled after
Follow-up: Three students asked for help with Q5 (inference); may need revisiting

Fictional example. Keep it short, factual and free of judgement.

From casual to contract to permanent

Casual work often leads to longer bookings, then a temporary or fixed-term contract when a teacher goes on leave. In Victoria, CRT work in Victorian schools since 2005 counts as approved experience when your starting salary is set. In the NT, 180 days of relief teaching counts as a year of service. NSW casuals move from CT1 to CT2 after at least 2 FTE years plus the relevant accreditation. Keep a log of days worked. Then read how to get a permanent teaching job.

Free calculator

Ready for a contract interview?

When a school offers you an interview for a term contract, practise with real questions first.

Open the calculator

Your relief teaching kit

Pack this every day

Lanyard or ID, registration and clearance details on your phone
Three or four generic lessons per phase or subject that need no photocopying
Whiteboard markers, a timer, sticky notes and a simple reward system
A notebook for handover notes and incident records
Lunch and water: you may not get a break until your duty is done

Working for several schools means several employers, each withholding tax as if it were your only job. If you claim the tax-free threshold from more than one, you may owe tax at the end of the year. Claim it from one employer only, and check that each employer pays super into the same fund. Casual relief teacher tax explains how to set it up.

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a relief teacher in NSW?

Get NESA accreditation and approval to teach from the NSW Department of Education. Complete the mandatory training modules, then register on ClassCover, which the Department calls its preferred casual recruitment tool. Schools then book you through it.

How much do relief teachers get paid per day?

In 2026, government schools that set a daily rate pay from about $407 (SA Step 1) to $599.85 (NSW CT3) a day. WA and Tasmania pay by the hour ($52.67 to $76.30 in WA; $46.88 at Level 5 in Tasmania). Victorian CRTs get $425.80 and Queensland supply teachers $515.75. Most rates include a 5% to 25% loading instead of paid leave.

Do relief teachers get paid in school holidays?

No. Casual rates include a loading in lieu of annual leave and other paid leave, so holidays are unpaid. Plan your budget across the full year.

Do I need a working with children check to be a CRT?

In most states, yes, as well as registration. In Victoria, teachers with current VIT registration are exempt from needing a separate WWCC. Check the rule in your state before you start.

What is ClassCover?

An online booking platform schools use to find and book relief teachers. The NSW Department describes it as its preferred casual recruitment tool, and SA government schools also book relief teachers through it.

How do I get more relief teaching days?

Be reliable and easy to rebook: answer early-morning requests fast, arrive early, follow the school's routines and leave a clear handover note. Contact schools directly as well as using booking apps, and widen your travel range.

Can a relief teacher get a permanent job?

Yes. Many permanent teachers started as casuals. Casual days lead to longer bookings and temporary contracts, which build the continuous service you need to convert to permanent in NSW and ongoing in Victoria.

Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-16

About this page

Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU editorial team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.

Keep reading

CRT tax

Relief teacher tax: how CRTs avoid a tax bill and claim what they can

How casual relief teachers are taxed, the multiple-employer trap, and what CRTs can claim.

Permanency

How to get a permanent teaching job in Australia: the routes that actually work in 2026

Every route to permanency in NSW, Victoria and WA, the service you need, and how to stack the odds.

Applications

Teacher resume for Australian schools: what to include, a 2-page template and worked examples

A two-page resume structure for Australian teaching jobs, with example lines for graduates and experienced teachers.

Registration

Teacher registration in Australia: every state's regulator, fees and rules compared

A state-by-state comparison of teacher regulators, 2026 fees, provisional and full registration, renewal rules and whether you also need a working with children check.