Teacher job application calendar 2026-27: when to apply in every state

How the Australian school hiring year works

There's no national hiring season, but every system runs on the same clock: the school year starts in late January or early February, and principals plan next year's staffing in Terms 3 and 4 once they know enrolments and budgets. That's when ongoing and permanent jobs for the following year appear, and when interviews happen. A second, smaller wave comes in Term 1, when schools fill gaps left by late resignations, enrolment surprises and parental leave.

What changes from state to state is how you get in front of a principal. NSW, Victoria and the Catholic sector lean on advertised jobs that you apply for one by one. Queensland, WA, the NT and the ACT lean on a central application or pool that principals search when they have a vacancy. If you're in a pool, timing matters less; if you're chasing advertised jobs, missing October can cost you a year.

Month by month: October 2026 to September 2027

State by state: system, how to apply and key window

If you're new to a state, registration is the slowest step and can't be rushed. Start it before you apply: see teacher registration in Australia and, if you're already registered elsewhere, moving your registration interstate. NSW public schools also need the Department's approval to teach, which includes a one-hour online interview: see the NSW approval to teach interview.

Graduates: the dates that matter most

• NSW: apply for approval to teach through the Graduate Recruitment Program in the final 12 to 18 months of your degree. The Department says high-performing students may be considered for early priority appointment up to 12 months before finishing. If you get an expression-of-interest call you have 48 hours to respond, and 24 business hours to accept an offer.
• Victoria: graduate jobs (GTRI) are ongoing and some carry a $5,650 pre-tax incentive. You must have graduated in the last 4 years and not already be a Department teacher when the job starts. Read Victorian key selection criteria before you write.
• Queensland: apply to Teach Queensland early in your final year; you don't need to wait to graduate. Our Queensland teacher application guide covers the recorded video interview.
• WA: the Graduate Teacher advertisement closes 31 December 2026. Principals pick from it in Term 4, so apply now. See the WA graduate teacher pool.
• NT: for graduates, the final practicum report replaces referee reports. LANTITE is required if you finished your degree at an Australian university after 1 July 2016.

Catholic and independent schools: earlier than you think

Catholic and independent schools don't run state-style pools. Most jobs are advertised by the school, so timing follows each principal's planning, and many start advertising next-year jobs in Term 3. Sydney Catholic Schools ads for January 2027 starts that we saw closed in September 2026, and Catholic Schools Broken Bay's graduate program closed on 26 June 2026. In Melbourne, MACS advertises on behalf of schools but each school selects its own staff.

Two things catch people out. First-time Sydney Catholic Schools applicants, or those away 12 months or more, need to complete its registration process. And religious education teachers in Catholic schools generally need accreditation to teach RE, which you'll be asked about at interview. Pay differs too: see Catholic and independent school teacher pay.

Your 6-week application plan

Common timing mistakes

Already permanent? Transfer windows in the calendar

If you're permanent and want a different school, the dates that matter are different. In NSW, transfer points for the year are set by where you are on Day 1 of Term 2, and incentive transfer applications can't go in before that date for a move the following year. Queensland's transfer pool is open all year, but you apply in the year you complete minimum service, and active applicants hear from HR in April and September. SA's Permanent Teacher Register for 2027 has already closed, and the NT runs its guaranteed transfer from remote schools once a year.

When interviews happen and what to expect

For jobs starting in Term 1, most interviews run from mid-September to early December. Advertised jobs usually interview within two to three weeks of closing. Pool systems are less predictable: you might get a principal's call on a Tuesday afternoon and an interview the next day. Queensland adds a short recorded video interview at the central application stage, and NSW requires its online suitability interview before you can be approved to teach.

Experienced teachers going for leadership jobs should expect a longer process with a presentation or written task. See head of department interview questions and principal interview questions. If you're already permanent and want to move rather than apply from scratch, start with transfer rounds by state.