Skip to content

VIC parental leave

Parental leave for Victorian teachers in 2026

Victorian teachers get 16 weeks' paid primary carer leave (32 at half pay) and 20 days for secondary carers, plus 26 weeks of government PPL from July 2026.

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

Employer paid

16 weeks

Government PPL

26 weeks

Super on PPL

12%

Employer super

12%

On this page (5 sections)
  1. Paid leave at a glance
  2. What the Department pays
  3. Government Parental Leave Pay
  4. A typical sequence
  5. FAQs

The short answer

Victorian government school teachers get 16 weeks' paid primary caregiver leave, which can be taken at half pay over 32 weeks, and 20 days' paid secondary caregiver leave. For births from 1 July 2026 you can also claim 26 weeks of government Parental Leave Pay, with 12% super paid by the ATO.

Paid parental leave for Victorian teachers comes from the Victorian Government Schools Agreement. The current VGSA 2022 already gives 16 weeks' paid leave. The proposed VGSA 2026, approved by staff in September and awaiting Fair Work Commission approval, keeps the 16 weeks and removes the qualifying service periods.

On top of that, Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay from Services Australia runs for 26 weeks for babies born or adopted from 1 July 2026.

16 weeks' paid primary caregiver leave (can be taken at half pay) and 20 days' paid secondary caregiver leave. Proposed VGSA 2026 removes qualifying service periods and adds 6 weeks' surrogacy leave. The 26-week government PPL is on top.

SalaryFull payGross valueHalf payGross value
1-1 ($79,589)16 weeks$24,48932 weeks$24,489
2-6 ($118,063)16 weeks$36,32732 weeks$36,327

Employer-paid leave only, gross, at current rates. Government Parental Leave Pay (26 weeks for births from 1 July 2026) is paid on top by Services Australia, subject to its work and income tests.

What the Department pays

Paid parental leave for Victorian government school staff
LeaveVGSA 2022 (in force)Proposed VGSA 2026
Primary caregiver16 weeks paid (full or half pay)16 weeks paid, no qualifying service period
Secondary caregiver20 days (152 hours) paid, within 52 weeksSame, no qualifying service period
SurrogacyNot separately provided6 weeks' surrogacy leave

Source: VGSA 2022 and the proposed VGSA 2026 text. Until the FWC approves VGSA 2026, the 2022 qualifying periods still apply; check them with HR if you are new to the Department.

Worked example

16 weeks of primary caregiver leave at CT 2-6

Salary paid now (VGSA 2022)
$118,063
16 weeks at full pay
about $36,330 gross
Or 32 weeks at half pay
the same total, spread over twice as long
At the proposed 1 Oct 2026 rate ($133,456)
about $41,060 for 16 weeks
Plus government Parental Leave Pay 26 weeks on top

Our calculation: salary x 16/52, before tax.

Government Parental Leave Pay

For a child born or adopted on or after 1 July 2026, Parental Leave Pay is 26 weeks (130 days). It is paid at the national minimum wage, reported as about $1,005 a week before tax; check the current rate with Services Australia. The income test is $186,487 individual income for 2025-26, or $386,525 for the family test. Every Victorian classroom teacher's salary is under the individual limit.

A typical sequence

  1. 1

    Tell your principal and HR

    Give written notice and confirm whether you are the primary or secondary caregiver for VGSA purposes.

  2. 2

    Choose full or half pay

    16 weeks at full pay, or stretch to 32 weeks at half pay. Many teachers time this around school terms.

  3. 3

    Claim Parental Leave Pay

    Lodge through myGov with Services Australia. Check the work test and any days reserved for each partner before you decide who claims.

  4. 4

    Plan your return

    See returning to teaching after parental leave and part-time teaching and job share.

Catholic school teachers are on a different agreement. In June 2026, Victorian Catholic employers offered 18 weeks' paid parental leave in bargaining for a new agreement, but that deal was not settled when we last checked. See Victorian Catholic school teacher pay.

Free calculator

Model your parental leave income

Combine 16 weeks of Department pay (full or half) with 26 weeks of government pay and see the week-by-week picture.

Open the calculator

Frequently asked questions

How much paid parental leave do Victorian teachers get?
16 weeks' paid leave for the primary caregiver, which can be taken at half pay over 32 weeks, and 20 days' paid leave for the secondary caregiver.
Can Victorian teachers get government Parental Leave Pay as well?
Yes. Government Parental Leave Pay of 26 weeks for births from 1 July 2026 can be claimed on top of the Department's paid leave if you meet the income and work tests.
Does VGSA 2026 change parental leave?
Yes, once approved. It removes the qualifying service periods for paid parental leave and adds 6 weeks' surrogacy leave. The 16 weeks stays the same.
Can I take parental leave at half pay in Victoria?
Yes. Primary caregiver leave can be taken at half pay, giving 32 weeks off for the same total pay.
How much secondary caregiver leave do Victorian teachers get?
20 days (152 hours) of paid leave, which can be split and taken within 52 weeks of the birth or placement.
Is the income test a problem for Victorian teachers?
No. The individual limit is $186,487 of 2025-26 income, well above the top classroom rate of $118,063 being paid now.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

  1. 1.Proposed Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2026 (PDF, Department of Education)
  2. 2.Proposed VGSA 2026: Agreement Explanation (PDF)
  3. 3.Proposed VGSA 2026: Approval Process and FAQs (PDF)
  4. 4.Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (PDF)
  5. 5.Enterprise Bargaining: Overview (Department PAL)
  6. 6.Casual Relief Teacher Employment Handbook
  7. 7.Relocation incentives: Targeted Financial Incentives and Regional Relocation Incentive
  8. 8.Workforce support and initiatives: Attraction (Department PAL)

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.