ACT Casual Relief Teacher Pay 2026: $451 or $558 a Day

On this page (7 sections)

Casual relief teacher pay in ACT
Rate 1 or Rate 2: which do you get?
Hourly pay, part days and cancellations
What a year of relief teaching pays
Tax, super and leave for casuals
How to get on the ACT casual list
FAQs

The short answer

ACT public school casual relief teachers are paid $451 a day at Casual Rate 1 and $558 a day at Casual Rate 2, from 4 December 2025. Permit to Teach casuals get $329. Part days are paid at one-sixth of the daily rate per hour, about $75 an hour on Rate 1, with a 3-hour minimum.

Casual teaching in Canberra public schools is paid under the same enterprise agreement as permanent staff (clause Q3.5 and B14.4). The daily rate already includes the 25% casual loading, which is paid instead of annual leave, sick leave and public holidays. Like everyone else in ACT public schools, casual rates have been frozen since December 2025.

Casual relief teacher pay in Australian Capital Territory

Rate	Per day	Per 5-day week
Casual Rate 1	$451.00	$2,255
Casual Rate 2	$558.00	$2,790
Permit to Teach	$329.00	$1,645

Casual Rate 2 ($558) applies if you are eligible for top-of-scale pay, have been at the top of scale or in a promotion position, or have 7 years' recognised full-time service (Q3.5). Part days are paid at 1/6 of the daily rate per hour. Minimum engagement is 3 hours, and 3 hours' pay is due if a firm booking is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice. The 25% casual loading is already included (B14.4). Effective 4 December 2025.

Rate 1 or Rate 2: which do you get?

Most new casuals start on Casual Rate 1, $451 a day. You are paid Casual Rate 2, $558 a day, if any one of these applies:

You would be eligible for top-of-scale pay as a permanent teacher
You have been at the top of the scale or in a promotion position
You have 7 years' recognised full-time service

Hourly pay, part days and cancellations

Part days are paid at 1/6 of the daily rate per hour: about $75.17 an hour on Rate 1 and $93 on Rate 2.
The minimum engagement is 3 hours, so a short booking pays at least $225.50 on Rate 1.
If a firm booking is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, you are owed 3 hours' pay.

What a year of relief teaching pays

Worked example

Rate 1, 3 days a week for 40 school weeks (120 days)

Gross: $54,120
Income tax (after LITO): $6,568
Medicare: $1,082

Take-home $46,470 a year

On Rate 2 the same 120 days earns $66,960 and about $55,013 after tax.

Tax, super and leave for casuals

PAYG is withheld on what each pay contains, so a busy fortnight is taxed at a higher rate than a quiet one; it evens out at tax time. Claim the tax-free threshold with only one employer. You get employer super like permanent staff. You don't get paid holidays, but casuals in the ACT public sector can count service towards long service leave, which many states don't allow.

How to get on the ACT casual list

1

Register with the TQI

You need ACT Teacher Quality Institute registration ($115 a year in 2026) or a Permit to Teach.
2

Get WWVP registration

Apply for Working with Vulnerable People registration through Access Canberra.
3

Apply to the Education Directorate

Join the casual relief pool and nominate the schools and regions you can reach.
4

Contact schools directly

Introduce yourself to front offices and principals; many book regulars they know.

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Frequently asked questions

How much do relief teachers get paid in the ACT?

$451 a day at Casual Rate 1 and $558 a day at Casual Rate 2 in ACT public schools, from 4 December 2025. Permit to Teach casuals get $329 a day.

What is the hourly rate for a casual teacher in the ACT?

One-sixth of the daily rate for each hour worked: about $75.17 an hour on Rate 1 and $93 on Rate 2, with a 3-hour minimum engagement.

Who gets Casual Rate 2 in the ACT?

Casuals who would qualify for top-of-scale pay, have previously been at the top of the scale or in a promotion position, or have 7 years' recognised full-time service.

Do ACT casual teachers get holiday pay?

No. The 25% casual loading built into the daily rate replaces paid annual leave, personal leave and public holidays. You are not paid for school holidays.

Do ACT casual teachers get long service leave?

Yes. ACT public sector long service leave (3 months per 10 years) is available to casuals, under the eligibility rules in the ACT Public Sector Management Standards.

What happens if my relief booking is cancelled?

If a firm booking is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, you are paid 3 hours at your daily rate's hourly equivalent.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

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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.