Table of content
- What is long service leave?
- How does long service leave work in Australia?
- Long service leave entitlements by state and territory
- How much long service leave do you get after 7 years?
- How much long service leave do you get after 10 years?
- Is long service leave paid out when you resign?
- How is long service leave paid?
- What about portable long service leave?
- Long service leave example
- How employers can manage long service leave accurately
- Frequently asked questions
- How Workstem helps with long service leave
- Read more
Long service leave sounds simple: work for an employer for a long time and eventually earn an extended period of paid leave.
The problem is that Australia does not have one universal long service leave entitlement. The rules can differ significantly between states and territories, while awards, enterprise agreements, portable schemes and transitional arrangements can also affect what an employee receives.
This 2026 guide explains what long service leave is, how it works, how much employees can receive after 7 or 10 years, and how the rules differ across Australia.
Quick answer: Most Australian long service leave entitlements are determined by state or territory legislation, unless an applicable award or agreement provides the entitlement. Depending on the jurisdiction and applicable instrument, eligibility can begin after 7 to 15 years of continuous service.
What is long service leave?
Long service leave is paid leave that employees can become entitled to after a lengthy period of continuous service with the same employer.
Unlike annual leave, which is a National Employment Standards entitlement for employees covered by the Fair Work system, long service leave is generally governed by state or territory legislation or certain older industrial instruments.
The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that long service leave forms part of the NES, but the entitlement is transitional and interacts with state and territory laws, pre-modern awards and enterprise agreements.
That means an employer should not assume that one national long service leave formula applies to every employee.
How does long service leave work in Australia?
The first step is to identify the legal instrument that determines the employee’s entitlement.
For many employees, this will be the long service leave legislation in their state or territory. However, an applicable pre-modern award, enterprise agreement or portable long service leave scheme may change the result.
Employers should therefore check:
- The employee’s state or territory.
- Whether a federal pre-modern award applies.
- Whether an enterprise agreement applies.
- Whether the employee works in an industry with portable long service leave.
- The employee’s continuous service history.
- Any periods of leave or absence that may affect service.
The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that state and territory long service leave laws generally apply where there is no applicable award- or agreement-derived entitlement, subject to transitional rules.
Long service leave entitlements by state and territory
The amount of long service leave varies across Australia, so the employee’s location matters.
| State/Territory | General entitlement |
| ACT | 6.0667 weeks after 7 years’ continuous service under the relevant ACT legislation |
| NSW | 8.67 weeks after 10 years; additional 4.33 weeks after each further 5 years |
| NT | 13 weeks after 10 years, generally accruing at 1.3 weeks per year |
| Queensland | 8.6667 weeks after 10 years; additional leave accrues after 15 years |
| South Australia | 13 weeks after 10 years; 1.3 weeks for each subsequent completed year |
| Tasmania | 8⅔ weeks after 10 years; another 4⅓ weeks after each additional 5 years |
| Victoria | 1 week for every 60 weeks of continuous employment, generally accessible after 7 years |
| Western Australia | 8⅔ weeks after 10 years; another 4⅓ weeks after each additional 5 years |
These are general statutory positions, not a substitute for checking the particular employee’s award, agreement, portable scheme or circumstances.
ACT
In the ACT, an employee covered by the Long Service Leave Act 1976 can become entitled to 6.0667 weeks of paid long service leave after 7 years of continuous service.
The ACT legislation has important exclusions, including public sector employees and workers covered by portable long service leave schemes.
Employees in industries such as construction, contract cleaning and community services may therefore need to check the applicable portable scheme instead.
Refer here for the latest update
New South Wales
In NSW, most employees covered by the Long Service Leave Act 1955 receive 8.67 weeks of paid long service leave after 10 years of continuous service.
A further 4.33 weeks is available after each additional 5 years of service.
NSW also provides circumstances where an employee with between 5 and 10 years of service may receive a pro-rata payment when employment ends, such as certain dismissals, illness-related resignations or death.
Refer here for the latest update
Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory, eligible employees may receive 13 weeks of long service leave after 10 years of continuous service.
The entitlement generally accrues at 1.3 weeks for each year of employment.
However, NT Government employees, Australian Government employees and some construction workers are subject to different arrangements, so the applicable scheme should always be checked.
Refer here for the latest update
Queensland
In Queensland, employees generally receive 8.6667 weeks of paid long service leave after 10 years of continuous service.
After the first 10 years, a further 4.3333 weeks becomes available after another 5 years.
Queensland also provides for certain pro-rata payments after 7 years when employment ends, but eligibility depends on the circumstances of termination.
Refer here for the latest update
South Australia
In South Australia, employees generally receive 13 weeks of long service leave after 10 years of continuous service.
After 10 years, an employee receives a further 1.3 weeks for each completed year of service.
South Australia’s rules also provide for pro-rata payment after 7 years in qualifying circumstances.
Refer here for the latest update
Tasmania
In Tasmania, private-sector employees covered by the Long Service Leave Act 1976 generally receive 8⅔ weeks after 10 years of continuous employment.
A further 4⅓ weeks applies after each additional 5 years.
Employees who leave after 7 but before 10 years may qualify for pro-rata payment in specific circumstances.
Refer here for the latest update
Victoria
Victoria is different because long service leave accrues progressively at one week for every 60 weeks of continuous employment.
Most Victorian workers become eligible after 7 years.
For example, an employee with exactly 7 years of continuous service has accrued approximately 6.07 weeks of long service leave under the statutory formula.
Victoria’s rules can also cover eligible casual, seasonal and fixed-term employees, provided the continuity requirements are satisfied.
Refer here for the latest update
Western Australia
In Western Australia, most employees receive 8⅔ weeks of long service leave after 10 years of continuous employment with the same employer.
A further 4⅓ weeks is available after each additional 5 years.
Employees who reach at least 7 years but less than 10 years may qualify for a pro-rata payment when employment ends, subject to the legislation.
Refer here for the latest update
How much long service leave do you get after 7 years?
There is no single Australian answer because the 7-year rule differs by jurisdiction.
For example, ACT employees covered by the relevant legislation become entitled to 6.0667 weeks after 7 years.
In Victoria, long service leave accrues progressively and becomes accessible after 7 years.
In Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, 7 years can be important because it may trigger eligibility for a pro-rata payment when employment ends, subject to the applicable conditions.
This is why simply asking whether an employee has “worked for 7 years” is not enough to calculate their entitlement.
How much long service leave do you get after 10 years?
Ten years is a major long service leave milestone in several Australian jurisdictions.
Examples include:
- NSW: 8.67 weeks.
- Queensland: 8.6667 weeks.
- Tasmania: 8⅔ weeks.
- Western Australia: 8⅔ weeks.
- South Australia: 13 weeks.
- Northern Territory: 13 weeks.
Victoria uses a different accrual formula, while the ACT provides an entitlement after 7 years under its relevant legislation.
Is long service leave paid out when you resign?
Unused long service leave is generally paid out when employment ends, but the exact entitlement depends on the applicable law or industrial instrument.
The Fair Work Ombudsman states that unused long service leave generally has to be paid out at the end of employment.
Pro-rata payments before the normal qualifying milestone are more complicated. Some jurisdictions allow them only when particular circumstances apply.
For example, an employee leaving after 7 years may qualify in one jurisdiction but not another, or may qualify only for specific reasons.
How is long service leave paid?
Long service leave is generally paid according to the ordinary pay rules that apply under the relevant legislation or instrument.
The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that, in most cases, ordinary pay excludes items such as overtime, penalties, allowances and shift loadings, although the exact definition depends on the entitlement’s source.
This distinction matters when calculating an employee’s leave liability.
What about portable long service leave?
Portable long service leave allows eligible workers to retain service credits when they move between employers within a covered industry.
Portable schemes operate in industries including construction, contract cleaning, community services and security, depending on the jurisdiction.
For example, construction workers may be covered by a state-based portable scheme rather than relying solely on service with one employer.
Employers should identify whether a portable scheme applies before calculating an employee’s long service leave balance.
Long service leave example
Consider an employee who has worked continuously for the same employer for 10 years.
If the employee is covered by NSW’s standard statutory entitlement, they would generally have 8.67 weeks of long service leave.
If the employee were instead covered by South Australia’s standard statutory rules, the entitlement would generally be 13 weeks.
The employee’s state therefore changes the result even though both employees have exactly 10 years of service.
How employers can manage long service leave accurately
The safest approach is to calculate long service leave from the correct legal source rather than relying on a generic national formula.
A practical process is:
1. Identify the jurisdiction
Record the state or territory in which the employee’s entitlement is governed.
2. Check the industrial instrument
Review applicable awards, enterprise agreements and transitional arrangements.
3. Confirm continuous service
Check commencement dates, transfers, breaks in employment and relevant periods of leave.
4. Identify portable schemes
If the employee works in a covered industry, confirm whether a portable long service leave authority applies.
5. Calculate the balance
Use the correct statutory formula and pay-rate rules.
6. Keep the record current
Long service leave liabilities can accumulate for years, so payroll records should be updated whenever employment details change.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: What is long service leave?
A1: Long service leave is paid extended leave that employees may become entitled to after a lengthy period of continuous service. The rules vary by state or territory and can also depend on awards, agreements and portable schemes.
Q2: How long is long service leave?
A2: The amount varies. For example, standard statutory entitlements include 8.67 weeks after 10 years in NSW and 13 weeks after 10 years in South Australia.
Q3: How much long service leave after 7 years?
A3: There is no universal Australian entitlement after 7 years. Some jurisdictions provide an entitlement or pro-rata payment at that point, while others use 7 years as a qualifying threshold for particular circumstances.
Q4: How much long service leave after 10 years?
A4: The answer depends on the jurisdiction. Examples include 8.67 weeks in NSW and Queensland and 13 weeks in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Q5: Can long service leave be cashed out?
A5: Cashing out long service leave depends on the applicable state or territory law and, where relevant, the enterprise agreement. It should never be assumed to be permitted.
How Workstem helps with long service leave
We understand that managing long service leave across different states can be complex. For employers, accurate long service leave management is therefore less about remembering one formula and more about applying the correct rules consistently to every employee.
If your payroll team is still calculating long service leave manually, consider reviewing your leave-management process and consider Workstem’s leave management to help streamline leave tracking, employee records and payroll in one platform, making it easier to manage employee entitlements accurately.
Explore how to simplify leave and payroll management today!
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