• 01 Why graduate programs matter — and why CRT is not your only option 3
• 02 NSW: Graduate Recruitment Program — eligibility, assessment, rural incentives 4
• 03 Victoria: Graduate Teacher Program and Career Start — GTRI incentive, induction 5
• 04 Queensland: Teach Queensland — priority areas, regional incentives 6
• 05 Western Australia: Graduate Teacher Pool — salary, induction, country teaching 7
• 06 South Australia: Edujobs — registration, intakes, rural incentives 8
• 07 Tasmania: TIPP and general recruitment — scholarship, BeTTR mentoring 9
• 08 ACT: New Educator Support Program — three years of structured support 10
• 09 Northern Territory: Graduate Teacher Program — salary, remote packages 11
• 10 Application timeline: all states at a glance + Catholic diocese pathways 12
• 11 How to make your application competitive — what works, what does not 13
• ? Frequently asked questions 14

Casual relief teaching (CRT) gives you flexibility and classroom exposure, but it does not fast-track you to a permanent position. Government graduate programs do exactly that — and in several states you can enter the pipeline while you are still studying.

The scale of demand helps explain why these programs exist. In NSW, 6,261 teachers were appointed to their first permanent role at the start of 2024 alone. Vacancies that peaked above 3,000 in August 2022 had fallen to 962 by Term 3 2025, still concentrated in shortage subjects and regional areas. Nationally, 83% of Australian schools reported staffing gaps in 2024.

The programs described in this guide are the government sector's primary response to that demand. They are not widely advertised outside official department pages, which is why many graduates discover them only after accepting CRT work.

Regardless of state, these subject areas attract the strongest recruitment response from graduate programs:

• Mathematics (all levels, especially 7–12)
• Physics and general Science
• Special Education and Inclusion
• EAL/D (English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• Technologies (Digital Solutions, Industrial Design, Engineering)

Primary generalists face more competitive application pools in metropolitan areas. If your specialisation is in shortage, note that explicitly in every application.

Sources: NSW DoE 2024; teachingjobs.com.au 2024; OECD Education at a Glance 2025 (as reported by AEU Federal, 2025).

The Graduate Recruitment Program (GRP) is NSW DoE's main structured pathway for pre-service and recent graduate teachers.

You can apply during the final 12–18 months of an accredited Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program at an NSW or ACT university, La Trobe University, or Griffith University. You must hold or be eligible for conditional NESA accreditation and meet a minimum credit average.

Applications are accepted year-round — there is no single annual deadline. Apply as soon as you are eligible: the GRP can result in a permanent offer up to 12 months before you complete your studies, conditional on successful course completion.

You submit an online interview, academic transcripts, professional experience reports, and subject specialisation and location preferences. NSW DoE then assesses you for fast-tracked permanent, temporary, or casual appointment based on vacancy demand.

Source: NSW DoE, Rural and Remote Incentives, 2026. educationstandards.nsw.edu.au

Victoria runs two complementary programs: the Graduate Teacher Program (GTP) for recruitment, and Career Start for first-year induction support.

GTP positions are advertised on Schools Vic Careers with "GTRI" in the title. Successful applicants may receive the Graduate Teacher Recruitment Incentive (GTRI): a $5,650 (pre-tax) one-off payment, pro-rata for part-time roles, with a minimum 12-month commitment to retain it.

Eligibility: graduated within the last 4 years; registered or eligible for VIT registration; not currently employed as a teacher by the department; never previously received GTRI. Graduate starting salary: $79,589. Applications are rolling year-round via careers.vic.gov.au. No mandatory country-first posting.

Career Start is the department's structured first-year support program, available in 13+ regions statewide. Participation is not automatic — your principal nominates you. Once enrolled, you receive:

• Reduced face-to-face teaching load (funded via the Student Resource Package)
• A dedicated mentor teacher with 0.10 FTE release time specifically for your support
• Learning Alliance Leaders overseeing regional cohorts of first-year teachers
• Six full-day professional learning workshops over the year, plus optional extras
• Structured peer networking across your region

Source: Victorian DoE, 2026. careers.vic.gov.au

Queensland does not run a single branded graduate program. Instead, applications flow through the Teach Queensland portal (apply.teach.qld.gov.au), where graduates are matched to vacancies by subject specialisation and location preference. Final-year students can apply before graduation for positions commencing Term 1 of the following year.

Queensland's formally designated priority areas give applicants in these fields a competitive advantage:

• Special Education and Inclusion
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• English
• Mathematics (Essential, General, Methods, Specialist)
• Technologies (Industrial Design, Engineering, Hospitality Practices, Digital Solutions, ICT)

Financial incentives, relocation support, and subsidised accommodation are available for regional and remote postings. Use the incentives calculator at teach.qld.gov.au to estimate your entitlement.

teachqld@qed.qld.gov.au | apply.teach.qld.gov.au

Source: Teach Queensland Priority Teaching Areas, 2026; QLD Government, 2025.

WA runs two distinct pools for new entrants.

Base salary Level 2.1: $88,178/year. Additional first-year entitlements:

• $2,000/year graduate teacher allowance (first 2 years)
• $150 curriculum materials allowance
• 8 days additional non-contact time via the Graduate Teacher Induction Program
• Funded professional learning modules
• Half-day PL session within the first 6 months

No mandatory country posting, but country incentives are available: $5,000–$13,730/year, relocation grants up to $10,000, and housing assistance. The Remote Teaching Service is a separate voluntary pool for teachers specifically seeking remote community placements.

Source: WA DoE, 2026; WA Public School Teachers Industrial Agreement, December 2025. Verify salary against current Agreement via the Public Sector Commission.

SA does not have a named graduate program. Applications go through Edujobs (edujobs.sa.gov.au) in three steps: build your resume, search vacancies, and apply directly to positions.

Ongoing vacancies for 2027 are expected from Term 3 2026 in two intake rounds. Temporary positions are advertised year-round.

Rural incentives include additional yearly pay, locality allowances, relocation costs, housing support, and a guaranteed return-to-metro pathway after a country posting. Contact recruitment@education.sa.gov.au for current support details.

No official SA graduate salary figure was confirmed at the time of writing. Check edujobs.sa.gov.au for current advertised pay rates aligned to the SA Teaching Employees Enterprise Agreement.

Source: SA DoE, 2026. edujobs.sa.gov.au

Tasmania has two distinct pathways depending on where you study.

Expressions of interest for the 2027 cohort are open as at May 2026. Contact TIPP@decyp.tas.gov.au.

Apply through general vacancies advertised weekly on jobs.tas.gov.au. Positions are open for 12-day application windows — monitor the site regularly. Permanent and fixed-term roles for Term 1 commence in early February. Applicants select region and municipality preference.

BeTTR (Beginning Teachers Thinking and Reflecting) is a structured mentoring program with reduced loads, available to early-career teachers in government schools regardless of which pathway you entered through.

Source: DECYP Tasmania, 2026. jobs.tas.gov.au

The ACT runs one of the most structured first-year support programs in the country: the New Educator Support Program (NESP).

The Pre-service Teacher Pathway Program offers paid employment ($80,184/year) while you complete your ITE — before you graduate. The UC STEP program provides a $20,000 scholarship for mid-career changers.

All new ACT public school teachers are enrolled in NESP, which runs for three years and includes:

• 5-day orientation (offered twice yearly: start of year and mid-year intake)
• In-school mentor with weekly or fortnightly meetings, classroom observations, co-planning, and team teaching
• Reduced face-to-face teaching hours in years 1–3
• 2 additional New Educator Days per year
• 6 full-day professional learning sessions across the three years (positive behaviours, inclusion, trauma-informed practice, wellbeing)
• Optional coaching program aligned to AITSL standards

Starting salary: $89,501. Experienced range: $106,553–$126,853. Interstate or overseas qualified teachers can access up to $12,000 relocation assistance, plus $2,000 per dependent. Teachers can commence on a Permit to Teach while completing TQI accreditation.

Source: ACT Education Directorate, NESP, 2026. Salary: ACT Public Sector Education and Training Directorate Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026 — verify current step rates.

The NT has genuine pipeline pressure. The Graduate Teacher Program (Teach in the Territory brand) supports all graduate teachers entering the profession in the NT.

The GTP includes multiple online seminars and in-person workshops across the year, peer networking across NT schools, and targeted training in:

• Cultural responsiveness (working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities)
• EALD (English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• Classroom management and differentiation
• Targeted mentor training

Graduate base salary: $96,180 — the highest base graduate starting salary of any state or territory.

Teach Local scholarships: $5,000/year for 15 places for Territorians studying teaching. Teach Up North: $5,000 one-off payment for interstate pre-service teachers via CDU (2025 initiative — verify currency). The Remote Teaching Service is a separate voluntary pool for teachers specifically seeking remote community placements.

Source: Teach in the Territory, 2026; NT Teachers' Enterprise Agreement, 2026. Verify current salary rate via NT Government. teachintheterritory.nt.gov.au

Use this table as a starting point. Dates shift between years — always verify against the relevant department website before submitting.

Government sector programs operate at the largest scale, but several Catholic dioceses also run structured graduate programs worth knowing about.

Independent schools recruit individually and do not run graduate cohort programs at system scale. Sources: Diocese of Wollongong, Rockhampton Catholic, Townsville Catholic Education, CESA, 2025/2026.

Most graduate program applications are assessed on the same core elements: academic performance, professional experience placement reports, subject specialisation, and location flexibility.

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1. Do I have to start as a casual relief teacher, or can I get a permanent position straight out of university?

No. CRT is one pathway but not the only one. NSW GRP can result in a permanent offer up to 12 months before you complete your degree. WA's Pre-Service Teacher Fixed-Term Pool offers up to 0.8 FTE employment while you are still studying. ACT's pre-service pathway pays you $80,184/year while completing your ITE. Tasmania's TIPP guarantees a permanent position on program completion. All four states allow you to enter structured employment without CRT as an intermediate step.

2. When does the NSW Graduate Recruitment Program open and is there an annual deadline?

The NSW GRP accepts applications year-round. There is no single annual deadline. You can apply as soon as you are in the final 12–18 months of an accredited ITE program and have conditional NESA accreditation. Early application is advisable: permanent offers can be made up to 12 months before graduation, and vacancy matching happens on a rolling basis throughout the year.

3. Does Victoria's Graduate Teacher Program guarantee a job, and is the $5,650 GTRI incentive still available?

GTP positions are competitive — they are advertised as vacancies and require selection. The GTRI incentive is separate from the position itself and is subject to annual allocation. The 2024/25 allocation was exhausted before the end of the program year. Check current year availability at vic.gov.au/graduate-teacher-recruitment-initiative before counting on this payment.

4. Do I have to work in a rural school as a new graduate in NSW?

No. NSW does not require new graduates to accept a rural posting. The Rural Teacher Incentive ($20,000–$30,000 depending on remoteness) and associated relocation and retention payments are structured to make rural positions financially attractive, but the choice is voluntary.

5. If I am willing to teach in a rural or remote area, which states pay new graduates the most?

The NT offers the highest base graduate salary ($96,180) plus remote locality allowances, housing subsidies, and travel assistance. Packages for the most remote postings can exceed $130,000, though this is not typical for all NT positions. NSW offers the Rural Teacher Incentive ($20,000–$30,000 upfront) plus annual retention payments of $5,000/year for up to 10 years. WA provides country incentives of $5,000–$13,730/year plus relocation grants up to $10,000. QLD incentives vary by region — use the teach.qld.gov.au incentives calculator for current figures. Minimum service periods apply in all states.

6. What mentoring will I actually receive in my first year?

This varies significantly by state. VIC Career Start provides a dedicated mentor with 0.10 FTE release time, six full-day PL workshops, and Learning Alliance Leaders — but participation requires your principal's nomination. ACT NESP provides a three-year structured program with a weekly in-school mentor, reduced teaching hours, and six full-day PL sessions across three years. TAS TIPP includes a 0.10 FTE mentor during your final year; BeTTR continues structured support into your first teaching year. NT GTP includes workshops, seminars, and targeted mentor training. NSW and QLD provide school-level induction support, but no nationally branded graduate mentoring program was confirmed at the time of writing.