Long service leave is one of Australia’s most generous employee entitlements — a reward for staying with the same employer over many years. But unlike annual leave, it is not set by a single national rule: each state and territory has its own legislation, its own qualifying period, and its own formula for how much leave you earn.
The short answer: most states grant 8.67 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service, but South Australia and the Northern Territory grant 13 weeks. Victoria and the ACT let you start taking leave after just 7 years, and pro-rata cash payouts on termination follow different rules in every jurisdiction. To put a dollar figure on your leave, use the long service leave calculator with the figures from this guide.
Long service leave entitlements: state-by-state comparison
The table below gives the headline entitlement in each state and territory.
| State / Territory | Standard entitlement | Minimum qualifying period |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 8.67 weeks | 10 years’ continuous service |
| Victoria | ~0.867 weeks per year accrued | Leave can be taken after 7 years (~6.1 weeks accrued) |
| Queensland | 8.6667 weeks | 10 years’ continuous service |
| South Australia | 13 weeks | 10 years’ continuous service |
| Western Australia | 8.6667 weeks | Each 10 years’ continuous service |
| Tasmania | 8 and 2/3 weeks | 10 years’ continuous service |
| Northern Territory | 13 weeks | 10 years’ continuous service (6.5 weeks per additional 5 years thereafter) |
| Australian Capital Territory | 6.0667 weeks | 7 years’ continuous service |
Long service leave is generally paid at the employee’s ordinary rate of pay — the rate for your ordinary hours, excluding overtime and penalty-rate uplifts. This matters when you estimate the value of your entitlement: 13 weeks in South Australia is calculated at your normal wage or salary, not at an overtime-inflated figure.
What long service leave is (and who sets the rules)
Long service leave is paid leave granted to employees after a long period of continuous service — an extended break that rewards loyalty. Because it sits outside the National Employment Standards, the rules are set by each state and territory’s own act of parliament, and awards and enterprise agreements can improve on these statutory minimums but cannot reduce them. If your award or agreement has a better long service leave provision — a shorter qualifying period, a higher accrual rate, a more generous pro-rata rule — that provision applies instead, so check it before relying on the statutory default.
New South Wales: 8.67 weeks after 10 years
In New South Wales, the Long Service Leave Act 1955 provides 8.67 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service, with accrual continuing beyond that. NSW also has pro-rata provisions, but they are narrower than many assume: a payout after 5 or more years is only available in limited circumstances — dismissal for a reason other than serious misconduct, resignation due to illness, or resignation due to pressing domestic or other necessity. A voluntary resignation for a new job before 10 years generally attracts no pro-rata payment. Worth knowing: casuals are entitled in NSW, provided their employment is continuous and regular in the relevant sense.
Victoria: access after 7 years
Victoria accrues leave at roughly 0.867 weeks per year, and you can start taking it after 7 years of continuous service — about 6.1 weeks accrued — well ahead of the 10-year states. Accrual continues beyond that, so long-serving Victorian employees build a substantial balance over time.
Queensland: 8.6667 weeks after 10 years
Queensland’s entitlement is 8.6667 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service. Where Queensland differs from NSW is in pro-rata rules: a payout is available after 7 or more years in specific termination circumstances — so employees who leave before the 10-year milestone are not always left empty-handed. Check the precise circumstances that trigger the payout, because it is not a blanket entitlement for any resignation at the 7-year mark.
South Australia: 13 weeks after 10 years
South Australia offers one of the two most generous entitlements in Australia: 13 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service — nearly three months off at full pay, roughly 50% more than the 8.67-week standard in most other states. SA also provides a pro-rata payout after 7 or more years of service, so employees who leave before the 10-year milestone are not left empty-handed.
Western Australia: 8.6667 weeks per 10 years
Western Australia provides 8.6667 weeks of paid leave after each 10 years of continuous service — the entitlement recurs for each decade, so an employee who stays for 20 years earns a second block. If you are planning an extended break or a payout, confirm the current accrual and pro-rata rules that apply to your situation rather than assuming they match the eastern states.
Tasmania: 8 and 2/3 weeks after 10 years
Tasmania grants 8 and 2/3 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service — the same standard as NSW, Queensland and WA, expressed in traditional fractions, paid at the employee’s ordinary rate. As with every state, an award or enterprise agreement can improve on the statutory minimum, so check yours before relying on the default.
Northern Territory: 13 weeks after 10 years
The Northern Territory matches South Australia with 13 weeks of paid leave after 10 years of continuous service — and then goes further. For each additional 5 years of service beyond the initial 10, Territory employees accrue a further 6.5 weeks of leave, making the NT especially generous for very long-serving employees.
Australian Capital Territory: access after 7 years
The ACT grants 6.0667 weeks of paid leave after 7 years of continuous service, and allows a pro-rata payout after 5 years in specific circumstances — the shortest pro-rata threshold in the country, and a meaningful safety net since five years is a common professional tenure.
Pro-rata payouts: getting paid without serving 10 years
Pro-rata payment converts your accrued-but-not-yet-taken service into a cash payment when employment ends early. It is the most misunderstood part of long service leave, because every state sets its own threshold and qualifying circumstances.
- NSW: pro-rata payout after 5+ years, but only in limited circumstances — dismissal not for serious misconduct, resignation due to illness, or resignation due to pressing necessity.
- QLD: pro-rata payout after 7+ years in specific termination circumstances.
- SA: pro-rata payout after 7+ years.
- ACT: pro-rata payout after 5+ years in specific circumstances.
- VIC, WA, TAS, NT: pro-rata rules apply in defined circumstances — check the current legislation for your situation.
The key takeaway: never assume you will get nothing if you leave before 10 years. In many states you have a real entitlement to a pro-rata payment, but the trigger conditions matter — a voluntary resignation for a new job is treated differently from a dismissal, redundancy or health-driven resignation in several jurisdictions. When you do receive a pro-rata payout, it is calculated on your ordinary rate of pay for the period of service. Run your numbers through the long service leave calculator before you resign or negotiate an exit, so you negotiate from a position of knowledge.
What happens to long service leave when you resign or are terminated
Your long service leave balance does not simply vanish when employment ends — but it does not always follow you, either. What happens depends on where you worked, how long you served, and why the employment ended.
Resignation. Resign after completing the full qualifying period (10 years in most states, 7 in VIC and the ACT) and you are entitled to be paid out your accrued, untaken leave — or to take it before you go. Resign before the qualifying period and a pro-rata payment depends on your state’s rules and the reason for resigning: NSW only pays pro-rata in limited circumstances, while other states are more accommodating.
Taking leave in advance. Some states allow employees to take long service leave in advance by agreement with their employer — drawing on leave not yet fully accrued, with the employer recovering the advance if you leave before the entitlement vests. Get the terms in writing.
Portable long service leave schemes
The biggest weakness of traditional long service leave is obvious: it rewards staying with one employer, but many Australians change employers — or even industries — long before 10 years. Portable long service leave schemes solve this. Certain industries have portable schemes — notably construction, security and community services — in which your leave accrues across multiple employers within the industry. A central fund or authority tracks your service and your employers contribute on your behalf, so the entitlement does not reset every time you change jobs. Registration with the relevant authority is usually required, so confirm your registration status — unregistered workers can miss out on entitlements they have effectively earned.
Long service leave for casual employees
Casual employees are often told they have no leave entitlements, but long service leave is an exception in several states. In NSW, casuals are entitled where their employment meets the continuity requirements; other states apply their own tests, generally turning on regular and systematic work over the qualifying period. If you have worked regular casual shifts for the same employer for many years, do not assume you have no entitlement: the test is continuity of the relationship, not whether you were labelled permanent or casual.
Frequently asked questions
How much long service leave do I get after 10 years?
Most states grant 8.67 weeks (8.6667 weeks, or 8 and 2/3 weeks) after 10 years of continuous service; South Australia and the Northern Territory grant 13 weeks. Victoria accrues ~0.867 weeks per year with leave takeable from 7 years (~6.1 weeks accrued), while the ACT grants 6.0667 weeks after 7 years.
Do I get long service leave if I resign before 10 years?
Sometimes. NSW pays pro-rata after 5+ years in limited circumstances (dismissal not for serious misconduct, illness or pressing necessity), Queensland and South Australia pay after 7+ years, and the ACT pays after 5+ years in specific circumstances. A voluntary resignation for a new job is the scenario least likely to attract a payout.
Is long service leave paid at my full pay rate?
Long service leave is generally paid at your ordinary rate of pay — your normal wage or salary for ordinary hours. Overtime and penalty-rate uplifts are typically not included. Pro-rata payouts on termination use the same ordinary-rate principle.
Can I take long service leave in advance?
In some states, yes — you can take leave in advance by agreement with your employer. The employer may recover the advanced amount if you leave before the entitlement vests, so make sure the arrangement is documented in writing.
Do casuals get long service leave?
In some states, yes. NSW expressly entitles casuals where the employment is continuous in the relevant sense; other states apply continuity tests based on regular and systematic work. Long-term casuals should not assume they are excluded.
What is portable long service leave?
Portable schemes — covering industries such as construction, security and community services — let your long service leave accrue across multiple employers within the same industry, rather than resetting when you change jobs. A central authority tracks your service and your employers contribute on your behalf.
Know what your service is worth
Long service leave can be worth thousands of dollars — 13 weeks at an ordinary full-time salary is a significant sum, and even a pro-rata payout after 7 or 8 years is money you should not leave on the table. The state-by-state differences are large enough that two workers with identical service histories can walk away with very different entitlements simply because they live in different jurisdictions. Before you resign, negotiate a redundancy, or plan an extended break, work out exactly what you are owed: the long service leave calculator lets you enter your service period, pay rate and state to estimate your entitlement and any pro-rata payout — so you can have the conversation with your employer armed with real numbers.