Leave policy in Australia

When hiring employees abroad, it’s important to understand the country’s leave policy. In Australia, for example, employment law outlines clear minimum standards that all employers must follow.

Staying compliant with these regulations is crucial to reduce penalties, protect your business, and keep employees happy. Here’s what you should know about the standard employee leave policy in Australia.

Annual leave policy in Australia

The vacation leave (called annual leave) policy in Australia entitles full-time employees to a minimum of 4 weeks of paid vacation per year. This is a legal minimum under the National Employment Standards (NES) and is covered by the Fair Work Act 2009.

Annual leave accrues progressively throughout the year, starting from an employee’s first day of employment.

Public holidays may be separate from annual leave, and if a public holiday falls during an employee’s scheduled vacation, they’re not required to use a vacation day for it.

Public holidays in Australia

Employees in Australia are entitled to a paid day off on public holidays that fall on a day they would typically work. 

Public holidays in Australia vary based on the state. Here are some typical public holidays:

Holiday	Date
New Year’s Day	January 1
Australia Day	January 26
Good Friday	March or April, the day changes every year
Easter Monday	March or April, the day changes every year
Anzac Day	April 25
King’s Birthday	Typically, June (varies by state)
Labour Day	Typically, October (varies by state)
Christmas Day	December 25
Boxing Day	December 26

Sick and carer’s leave

In Australia, sick leave and carers’ leave are grouped under “personal leave”. Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid personal leave per year.

For part-time employees, it is pro-rated. This can be calculated as 1/26 of an employee’s ordinary hours of work in a year.

Paid personal leave can be used when an employee is unwell or needs to care for an immediate family or household member who is sick or injured. 

Maternity leave policy in Australia

Instead of having a maternity leave policy, in Australia, employees are entitled to “parental” leave. Parental leave applies to parents of any gender. This leave is available to employees who give birth, whose partner gives birth, or who adopt a child under the age of 16.

The leave policy in Australia for new parents includes both unpaid and paid leave. Compensation during paid parental leave may be provided by the government and/or the employer, depending on the type of leave. 

Unpaid parental leave

Employees who have worked with their employer for at least 12 months can take unpaid parental leave under the Fair Work Act. This leave is typically taken as a single continuous period of 12 months.

Government-funded Parental Leave Pay

Parents can access Parental Leave Pay (PLP) through the Australian government, at the National Minimum Wage. This payment can be accessed by both the primary carer and their partner. 

For births occurring after July 1, 2025, the Parental Leave Pay (PLP) entitlement in Australia is 22 weeks (110 days) for the mother and an additional 2 paid weeks for the father.

To qualify, the claimant must meet residency, income, and work requirements, and must have worked for 10 of the 13 months prior to the birth or adoption of their child.

Long service leave in Australia

Long service leave is a type of paid leave, separate from vacation leave, granted to employees who have remained with the same employer for an extended period. The amount of long service leave employees are entitled to varies by state.

State/Territory	Entitlement
Australian Capital Territory	6.0667 weeks after 7 years of continuous service
New South Wales	8.67 weeks after 10 years of continuous service
Northern Territory	13 weeks after 10 years of continuous service
Queensland	8.667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service
South Australia	8.667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service
Victoria	6.1 weeks after 7 years of continuous service
Western Australia	8.667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service
Tasmania	8.667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service

Other types of leave in Australia

Leave policy in Australia dictates that, along with vacation, personal, parental, and long service leave, employees may also be entitled to the following types of leave.

Compassionate and bereavement leave

Employees are entitled to 2 days of compassionate leave when a close family or household member dies or suffers a life-threatening illness or injury.

Community service leave

Employees can take leave to participate in eligible community service activities, such as serving as a volunteer emergency responder (unpaid) or fulfilling jury duty (paid).

Employees are generally entitled to “make-up pay” for the first 10 days of jury duty, which is the difference between their usual wages and any jury duty pay received. 

Domestic and family violence leave

All employees are entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave per year, which can be used to deal with the impacts of domestic violence (e.g., attending court hearings or relocating).

Defence service leave

Members of the Australian Defence Force Reserves may take unpaid leave to undertake approved defence service, including training, exercises, and deployments.

Cultural or ceremonial leave

Some employers allow employees to take unpaid leave for cultural or religious obligations and ceremonial duties.

Explore Payoneer Workforce Management in Australia

Managing employee leave policy in Australia can be complex, especially with variations across states and multiple types of leave available. By partnering with an like Payoneer Workforce Management, you get support with onboarding, payroll, time-off management, and more, without having to set up a local entity.

Book a demo today!

FAQs

1) How many days leave do you get in Australia?

Full-time employees in Australia get 20 days of paid vacation leave per year. These days begin to accumulate from the employee’s first day of work. 

2) How many public holidays are there in Australia?

Public holidays vary by state and territory. They are not uniform nationwide and vary based on the state. 

3)How long is paid maternity leave in Australia?

As of July 2025, paid parental leave is 110 days or 22 weeks for the mother and 2 weeks for the father, under Australia’s Parental Leave Pay service.