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QLD long service leave

Long service leave for Queensland teachers

Queensland state teachers earn 1.3 weeks of long service leave a year (13 weeks per 10 years) and can use it after 7 years. What it's worth and how to plan it

✓ Fact-checked against official sources Updated 16 October 2026 3 min read

Entitlement

13 wks

After

10 years

Worth at top step

$29,839

Half pay option

26 wks

On this page (6 sections)
  1. What it's worth
  2. How long service leave builds up
  3. What your long service leave is worth
  4. Planning your leave around the school year
  5. Moving interstate or between sectors
  6. FAQs

The short answer

Queensland state school teachers accrue long service leave at 1.3 weeks for each year of continuous service, which is 13 weeks for every 10 years. You can access it once you have 7 years of service. Thirteen weeks at Band 3 Step 4 ($119,357) is worth about $29,737 before tax.

Long service leave is one of the best perks of a career in Queensland state schools. It builds steadily from your first day, and unlike some states you don't have to wait a full decade: the Department lets you start using it after 7 years.

The accrual rate and access point are confirmed on Teach Queensland. Finer details, such as half-pay options and how interstate service counts, sit in Department directives that we couldn't read in full, so check those with HR or the QTU before you lock in plans.

What QLD long service leave is worth

1.3 weeks per year of continuous service (13 weeks per 10 years), which you can access after 7 years.

SalaryFull payValueHalf payValue
B0201/B2201 ($90,164)13 weeks$22,54126 weeks$22,541
B0304/B2304 ($119,357)13 weeks$29,83926 weeks$29,839

Gross value at current rates, before tax. Leave taken at half pay lasts twice as long for the same total value.

How long service leave builds up

Queensland teacher LSL at 1.3 weeks a year
Years of continuous serviceWeeks accruedCan you use it?
56.5Not yet
79.1Yes, from 7 years
1013Yes
1519.5Yes
2026Yes

Source: Teach Queensland pay and benefits. Weeks shown before any leave is taken.

Because it accrues at a flat 1.3 weeks a year, you can work out your balance with simple multiplication. Part-time service generally accrues pro rata, so a 0.6 FTE year builds less than a full-time year. Your current balance is on the Department's HR self-service or your leave history.

What your long service leave is worth

Worked example

13 weeks of LSL at Band 3 Step 4

Salary from 1 Sep 2026
$119,357
Fortnightly pay (annual / 26.089)
$4,575
13 weeks = 6.5 fortnights
$29,737
Gross value of 13 weeks about $29,737

Paid at your normal salary, so it is taxed like ordinary pay. If your salary rises before you take the leave, it is paid at the higher rate.

Free calculator

Long service leave calculator

Enter your start date, FTE and step to see your Queensland LSL balance and what it's worth.

Open the calculator

Planning your leave around the school year

  • Line it up with vacations. Taking LSL for a term and running into school holidays stretches your time away without using extra leave.
  • Apply early. Principals need time to staff your classes, and requests are usually made well ahead of the term you want off.
  • Watch pay rises. LSL is paid at your rate when you take it. Queensland's arbitration could lift rates in late 2026 or 2027, so leave taken after a rise is worth more.
  • Remote service. Teachers in eligible rural and remote schools also get an extra week of summer holidays under RoRRS, which is separate from LSL. See Queensland rural and remote teaching.

Moving interstate or between sectors

There is no national portability scheme for school teachers. If you move from another state's education department, or from a Catholic or independent school, whether your earlier service counts toward Queensland LSL depends on the Department's recognition rules. Ask before you resign from your old job, because leaving can mean losing an unused balance. Catholic diocesan schools in Queensland have their own agreement with separate LSL terms.

Frequently asked questions

How much long service leave do Queensland teachers get?
Queensland state school teachers get 1.3 weeks of long service leave for each year of continuous service, which is 13 weeks for every 10 years. It keeps accruing at the same rate after 10 years.
When can a Queensland teacher take long service leave?
After 7 years of continuous service. At that point you'll have about 9.1 weeks accrued, and you don't have to wait until 10 years as in some states.
Is long service leave paid at my current salary?
Yes, it is paid at your salary at the time you take it, not the rate when you earned it. If a pay rise comes through before your leave, you're paid at the new rate.
Do part-time teachers in Queensland get long service leave?
Yes. Part-time service generally counts and accrues pro rata to your FTE. Check how your mix of full-time and part-time years has been recorded in your leave history.
Does service in another state count toward Queensland LSL?
Not automatically. There is no national portability scheme for teachers, so recognition of interstate or non-government service depends on the Department's rules. Confirm it in writing before you leave your old employer.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

  1. 1.DoE Salary Schedule (xls, updated 1 Sep 2026)
  2. 2.QTU Updated Salary Schedule flyer (1 Oct 2026)
  3. 3.QTU: Salaries under CA2022
  4. 4.QTU: EB referred to arbitration (QTJ Vol 131 No 1)
  5. 5.QTU: Pathway to arbitration and QTU submissions (QTJ Vol 131 No 4)
  6. 6.Teach Queensland: Pay and benefits
  7. 7.Teach Queensland: Beginning teacher incentives and support
  8. 8.QIRC: CA2022 certificate CB/2022/135

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.