On this page (9 sections)
The short answer
NSW public school teachers must give at least one month's notice, and if you are leaving over the holidays it must be one month before the last day of the preceding term. Victorian government teachers have no minimum notice. Queensland follows your award or agreement, with a 24-hour cooling-off period. Check SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT rules with HR.
- Leaving NSW at Christmas? Your notice is due about a month before Term 4 ends, so around mid-November.
- Once accepted, a resignation can be hard to withdraw: in Queensland you must ask at least 28 days before your end date.
- Thinking of a break, not leaving? Leave without pay may keep your job open.
Notice periods by state
Catholic and independent schools set notice in their own agreements or contracts, and these are often longer around the end of the school year. Read yours before you sign a new contract.
Work out your pay rise and back pay
⚙Your details
New pay rates
Default: the new rates' operative date, 9 October 2026.
When the back pay lands. Default: six weeks from today. New rates apply from the following pay.
E.g. a sign-on or cost-of-living payment in the agreement (gross).
Back pay owed (before tax)
$505
New salary
$92,882
+3.0% on $90,177
Rise per fortnight
$104
$71 after tax
Tax on back pay
$162
32% of the lump
Back pay in hand
$344
What this means
From 9 October 2026 you should have been paid $104 more each fortnight. Because the new rates weren't paid yet, the difference builds up and arrives as one back payment: about $505 before tax. After that, your fortnightly take-home goes from $2,723 to $2,794.
Payroll taxes back pay at your marginal rate rather than spreading it, so roughly 32% comes off. That's your actual tax on the money: it doesn't push the rest of your salary into a higher bracket. These are the latest rates already in force: if they are on your payslip, nothing is owed. This shows what you're owed if payroll was late applying them.
Estimate only. Back pay = (new − old) fortnightly pay × fortnights between the two dates, using the pay column in force at the start of each fortnight. Tax uses the ATO marginal-rate method on your annual salary for 2026–27; back pay for an earlier financial year over $1,200 may be taxed differently and is reported as a lump sum E. Old rates: 9 October 2025 column; Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024, verified 16 October 2026.
NSW in detail
NSW Department teachers submit their resignation through SAP's 'Request separation' (or the EDConnect form). Once submitted, it is treated as accepted. The Department can refuse to accept your notice if you are under investigation or another sensitive management process.
Timeline: a NSW teacher starting interstate in Term 1 next year
- Goal
- Finish at the end of the school year, start the new job in late January
- Effective date of resignation
- During the summer vacation
- Notice rule that applies
- 1 month before the last day of Term 4
- If Term 4 ends in mid-December
- Submit by mid-November
Check the exact Term 4 end date. Don't resign before you hold a written offer and, if moving state, before your new registration is under way.
Victoria and Queensland in detail
Victoria: teaching service employees have no minimum notice period, though the Department encourages as much as possible. Principal class staff give notice under their contract, typically 12 weeks or as agreed in writing. Fixed-term employment simply ends when the contract does. Once accepted, a resignation can't be withdrawn without the employer's approval, and an 'employment limitation' can stop a resignation being used to avoid a disciplinary process.
Queensland: you give notice as soon as practicable, and no later than the minimum in your award or agreement. A shorter period can be approved by an HR delegate. There is a 24-hour cooling-off period before your manager sends it to payroll. To withdraw, you must ask in writing at least 28 calendar days before your separation date.
Before you resign: things to sort out
- Have the new job offer in writing, with a start date.
- Check your notice rule and the end date of the current term.
- Look at your long service leave: in several states you can access it pro rata after 7 years, so check whether it is paid out on resignation.
- Check leave loading timing: NSW pays it to teachers with 12 months' service at 30 November, Victoria as at 1 December.
- Ask for a statement of your leave balances and final pay date.
- Move or update your super; your fund stays with you when you leave.
- Keep your teacher registration paid if you may return, or transfer it if moving state.
- Collect your service record and referee details while you still have access.
Free calculator
How much long service leave have you built up?
Check your accrued long service leave before you resign, so you know what may be paid out or lost.
Calculate my long service leaveWhat happens to your leave and pay
General position only. Your employer's HR team can give you a figure for your own balances.
For state-specific long service leave rules, see the LSL pages for NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA. If you have a defined benefit super scheme, read teacher super explained before you go, because leaving can change your benefit.
How to resign well
- 1
Tell your principal first
A short face-to-face conversation before the formal notice is courteous and keeps a referee on side. Give the date you plan to finish.
- 2
Lodge the formal notice
Use your system's process: SAP 'Request separation' in NSW, edHR in SA, or the form HR gives you elsewhere. Keep a copy and the date you submitted it.
- 3
Keep the letter short
State that you resign, your last day, and thanks if you wish. Reasons are optional, and you do not need to explain a new job.
- 4
Plan the handover
Leave programs, marks and student notes in order. It protects your students and your reputation, and teaching is a small world.
Catholic and independent school teachers should read the notice clause in their agreement or contract before signing anything new. These schools set their own rules, and end-of-year deadlines are common because schools need to staff the next year. The Catholic and independent pay guide explains which agreement usually covers you.
Resigning during an investigation
If you are under investigation, resigning may not end the process. NSW can refuse your notice, Victoria can use an employment limitation, and in WA an employer is reported to have to notify the Teacher Registration Board within 30 days if a teacher resigns during or after a misconduct investigation. Get union advice first; our guide to complaints and investigations explains why.
Alternatives to resigning
If you want a break
- Leave without pay: keeps your position for a set period
- Long service leave, on full, half or double pay in some states
- Part-time work or job share
- A deferred salary scheme to fund a paid year off
If you are leaving for good
- Resign with the right notice
- Keep registration current if there is any chance of return
- Check super and leave payouts
- Line up referees from your current school
See leave without pay and career breaks and part-time teaching and job share. If you are moving state, transferring your registration and the interstate move checker help you plan. If you are leaving the profession, jobs for ex-teachers covers the options.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a teacher need to give in NSW?
Do Victorian teachers have to give notice to resign?
When should I resign if I'm leaving at the end of the year?
Can I withdraw my resignation as a teacher?
Do I get my long service leave paid out if I resign?
Do I get sick leave paid out when I resign?
Can I resign during a misconduct investigation?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-17
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.
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