General Conditions
Leave entitlements (per annum)
| Recreation Leave | 6 weeks |
| Stand down (school holidays) | 6 weeks |
| Personal leave (sick leave) | 3 weeks |
| Emergency leave | 2 days |
| Compassionate leave | 5 days |
Parental leave (primary caregiver)
| Length of service (continuous) | Paid leave | Maximum period of leave (including paid and unpaid) |
| Less than 39 weeks (or eligible casual employee) | Nil | 52 weeks |
| 39 weeks – 12 months | 1 – 14 weeks | 52 weeks |
| At least 12 months | 14 weeks | 3 years |
| At least 4 years and 35 weeks | 15 – 18 weeks* | 3 years |
| At least 5 years | 18 weeks | 3 years |
Partner leave
| Length of service | Paid leave | Maximum period of leave (including paid and unpaid) |
| Less than 12 months | Nil | 52 weeks |
| At least 12 months | 1 week | 3 years |
| At least 5 years | 2 weeks | 3 years |
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The Employee Assistance Program provides employees and their families with up to three sessions of professional and confidential counselling for each issue.
Salary
Classroom Teachers are paid according to their years of experience in the teaching profession. A graduate commences at the CT1 level and progresses one increment each year until they reach CT9. Find out how much teachers get paid.
Allowances
Teaching Allowances (per annum)
| Teacher in a designated school | $3,484 |
| Teacher of a special class | $3,484 |
| Principal in a designated school | $5,595 |
| Teacher in charge of a preschool with two or less teachers |
$4,058 |
| Teacher in charge of a preschool with three or more teachers |
$8,392 |
| Aboriginal Team Teacher or Classroom Teacher in charge of a homeland learning centre |
$1,696 |
| Highly accomplished teacher | $13,363 |
| Lead teacher allowance | $27,981 |
Last Update: 11 October 2024
Retention allowance
Classroom teachers based in Central region urban schools are eligible for a retention allowance of $4,500 per annum.
Katherine based educators are eligible for a retention allowance of $4,500 per annum.
Relocation allowances
If you need to relocate to take up a teaching position in an NT school, relocation assistance is available for appointments of six months or more.
If you are appointed for under six months, you may receive assistance with some expenses including airfares and luggage.
Employees relocating to Katherine may receive up to 15 fortnightly relocation payments.
Employees relocating to Alice Springs may receive up to 10 fortnightly relocation payments.
Remote benefits
Teachers who live and work in a remote location receive additional allowances including a:
fortnightly Remote Incentive Allowance to contribute to the cost of freight to remote areas.
Use our interactive incentive and benefits calculator to calculate how much you may be entitled to when you teach in a remote school in the Northern Territory, based on your personal circumstances and location.
Remote benefits (per annum)
| Remote Incentive Allowance | $1,451 - $11,836 |
| Special Remote Study Leave | 2 – 5 points |
| Fares out of isolated locality | 2 – 3 fares |
| Rental Concession | 100% |
| Business days | Up to four days per year to access services not available in the community |
| Satellite television or internet services | A payment of up to $500 to offset costs |
Special Study Leave
When you teach in remote localities in the NT you accrue credit points towards special study leave. Once you have accrued 20 credit points you may apply to be considered for one school semester of study leave on full-pay or two semesters on half-pay. Conditions apply.
| Remote Category | Points accrued per annum |
| Category 1 | 2 points |
| Category 2 | 3 points |
| Category 3 | 5 points |
Take a look at our schools to determine your school's remote category.
Air fares out of isolated locations (FOIL)
Teachers and their dependents in remote areas of the NT can access free airfares to either Darwin or Alice Springs. Depending on the location, teachers will receive either two or three FOILs per year.
A kilometre allowance may be paid instead for teachers who drive their own vehicle instead of flying.
Remote Localities
An employee:
- based at Laynhapuy Homelands School who works a minimum of 3 days a week in a Category 3 Homelands Centre will be eligible for Category 3 remote entitlements; or
- based at the Tennant Creek Primary School who works a minimum of 3 days a week at the Mungkarta Homelands Centre will be eligible for Category 2 remote entitlements.
Rental Concession
Teachers in remote locations who live in accommodation supplied by the department receive a 100 per cent rental concession.
Business Days
Up to four business days are available for employees to take leave from work to access services not available in the remote community where they are living.
Guaranteed transfer
Classroom teachers are eligible for a guaranteed transfer to Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine or Alice Springs after three years of employment in a remote location.
