Long Service Leave Calculator Australia
Estimate long service leave across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory. See the accrued leave equivalent, estimated dollar value and the key access threshold for your jurisdiction.
Calculate your long service leave estimate
Use continuous service that counts under the relevant law. The calculator shows an accrual estimate; whether leave can be taken or paid out now can depend on service milestones, how employment ends, industry schemes and the applicable industrial instrument.
Choose a state to see the general rule used by this estimator.
General information only. This estimator does not decide legal eligibility, qualifying termination reasons, treatment of service breaks, portable-scheme coverage, public-sector rules, award/agreement overrides, or the exact pay formula for casual and variable-hours work.
Quick answer: Australia does not have one simple state-independent long service leave formula. Most employees rely on state or territory long service leave laws, while some older industrial instruments and portable schemes can apply instead. Common headline entitlements range from about 6.07 weeks after 7 years in Victoria/ACT to 8.67 weeks after 10 years in NSW/QLD/WA/Tasmania and 13 weeks after 10 years in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Written by Ruby Miller · HR & Employment Law Content Lead
How the Australia long service leave calculator works
The calculator converts your continuous service into an estimated long service leave balance using the headline accrual basis for the selected state or territory. It then subtracts any leave you say has already been taken or paid and multiplies the remaining estimated weeks by the representative ordinary weekly pay you enter.
That arithmetic is useful for planning, but long service leave is more complicated than multiplying years by a single national rate. Fair Work describes long service leave as part of the National Employment Standards framework through transitional arrangements; in practice, most employees who do not have an overriding older industrial instrument obtain their entitlement from the applicable state or territory law.
- Estimated accrued balance is a planning estimate, not automatically the amount available to take today.
- Estimated gross value uses the weekly pay you enter and does not calculate tax.
- Access threshold is the headline statutory milestone; pro-rata termination rights can arise earlier in several jurisdictions.
Long service leave by state and territory
The table below summarises the general private-sector headline rules used by this estimator. It deliberately separates the full access milestone from earlier pro-rata termination rules.
| Jurisdiction | Headline entitlement | Full access milestone | Earlier pro-rata position on termination |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 8.67 weeks for 10 years | 10 years | From 5 years in specified circumstances |
| Victoria | 1 week per 60 weeks of service | 7 years | General statutory entitlement starts at 7 years |
| Queensland | 8.6667 weeks for 10 years | 10 years | From 7 years for specified termination reasons |
| Western Australia | 8.667 weeks for 10 years | 10 years | From 7 years when employment ends, subject to serious-misconduct exception |
| South Australia | 13 weeks for 10 years | 10 years | Pro-rata payment from 7 completed years when employment ends, subject to statutory exceptions |
| Tasmania | 8⅔ weeks for 10 years | 10 years | From 7 years in specified circumstances |
| ACT | 6.0667 weeks after 7 years | 7 years | From 5 years in specified termination circumstances |
| Northern Territory | 13 weeks for 10 years | 10 years | Pro-rata rules can apply before full entitlement; check the NT Act and termination circumstances |
These are general-law figures. Construction, cleaning, community services, security and other portable long service leave schemes can replace the ordinary single-employer model in relevant industries.
Why “accrued” and “available now” are not always the same
A common payroll mistake is to treat every fraction of a year as immediately available leave. Some jurisdictions use milestone-style access rules. For example, NSW provides 8.67 weeks after 10 years and further statutory amounts at later milestones while employment continues, even though a pro-rata calculation can become relevant when employment ends. Queensland, WA and Tasmania also have their own milestone and termination rules.
Victoria is different: once an employee has at least 7 years of continuous employment, the entitlement is calculated progressively at one week for every 60 weeks of service. The ACT also has a 7-year full-access milestone, with a basic entitlement of 6.0667 weeks at that point.
Worked long service leave examples
When this calculator needs extra caution
Casual, part-time or changing hours
Several state laws use average-hours or specific ordinary-pay methods where working hours have varied. A single current weekly figure may therefore be a poor proxy for the legal payment calculation. Use the calculator as a planning estimate and check the relevant regulator method.
Breaks in service
“Continuous service” does not always mean an unbroken calendar period from the first day of work. Some absences count, some pause accrual, and some breaks can preserve continuity. Enter only service that counts under the applicable law.
Portable long service leave
Workers in covered industries may accumulate service across multiple employers under a portable scheme. This calculator is designed for the general state/territory model and does not calculate portable-scheme credits or levies.
Older awards and agreements
Fair Work notes that certain pre-modern awards and older industrial instruments can continue to determine long service leave. If one applies, the state calculator assumptions may not be the correct legal basis.
Long service leave mistakes that change the answer
- ✕Using one national rate. Australia has different state and territory schemes, plus industrial-instrument and portable-scheme exceptions.
- ✕Treating a pro-rata threshold as a right to take leave. In several states, the earlier threshold matters only when employment ends and only if statutory conditions are met.
- ✕Ignoring leave already used. Accrual earned over service is not the same as the remaining balance after previous long service leave.
- ✕Using current weekly pay for irregular work without checking the statutory pay formula. Casual and variable-hours calculations can require averaging.
Long service leave FAQs
Is long service leave the same across Australia?
No. State and territory laws set different access milestones, accrual rules and pro-rata termination conditions, and some employees are covered by an older industrial instrument or a portable long service leave scheme instead.
Do I get long service leave if I resign?
It depends on the jurisdiction and your service length. Once the full statutory entitlement has matured, unused long service leave is generally payable when employment ends. Before that point, some states allow pro-rata payments only for specified termination reasons, while WA has a broader post-7-year termination rule subject to serious misconduct.
Can casual employees get long service leave?
Many casual employees can qualify if they satisfy the relevant continuity and coverage rules. The payment calculation can differ from a simple current-weekly-pay calculation because average hours may be relevant.
Does long service leave accrue during every absence?
No. Whether an absence counts as service, preserves continuity but pauses accrual, or breaks service depends on the applicable state or territory law and the type and timing of the absence.
Is long service leave paid at my ordinary rate?
In many cases the calculation is based on ordinary pay, but the exact method depends on the source of the entitlement and can be more complicated for casual, part-time or variable-hours employees.
Can I cash out long service leave while still employed?
Rules vary. Some jurisdictions restrict payment in lieu while employment continues, while specific state legislation or industrial instruments may permit particular arrangements. Check the regulator for your jurisdiction before treating an accrued value as cashable.