Long service leave calculator
Use this long service leave calculator to see how many weeks of long service leave you have accrued and what they are worth at your current pay. Pick your state, because long service leave in Australia is set by state and territory laws, and the rules for NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, the ACT and NT all differ.
Updated 12 November 2026 · Uses 2026-27 figures
Work out your long service leave
Choose your state, then enter your years of continuous service and weekly pay.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.
Looking for steady shifts or a permanent role? TQN Personnel places casual, contract and permanent staff across Australia.
Find workHow to use the long service leave calculator
- Choose the state or territory where you work. The calculator loads that state's entitlement and qualifying period.
- Enter your years of continuous service with the same employer. Decimals are fine, so 8 and a half years is 8.5.
- Enter your weekly ordinary pay before tax, without overtime.
- Read the weeks accrued, their dollar value, the full entitlement for your state and whether pro-rata pay may apply if you leave.
How long service leave is calculated in each state
Long service leave (LSL) is a reward for long continuous service with one employer. It is not part of the National Employment Standards for most workers. Instead it comes from state and territory Acts, so where you work decides how much you get and when you can take it.
The calculator works out leave accrued as: full entitlement ÷ qualifying years × your years of service, then multiplies the weeks by your weekly ordinary pay.
| State | Full entitlement | Pro-rata on leaving |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 8.67 weeks (2 months) after 10 years | From 5 years, for limited reasons |
| VIC | 1/60th of service, about 6.07 weeks at 7 years | Any reason after 7 years |
| QLD | 8.67 weeks after 10 years | From 7 years, for limited reasons |
| WA | 8.67 weeks after 10 years | From 7 years, except serious misconduct |
| SA | 13 weeks after 10 years | From 7 years |
| TAS | 8.67 weeks after 10 years | From 7 years, specified circumstances |
| ACT | 6.07 weeks after 7 years | From 5 years, specified circumstances |
| NT | 13 weeks after 10 years | From 7 years, specified circumstances |
After the first entitlement, further leave keeps accruing. In NSW, QLD, WA and TAS you get another 4.33 weeks for each further 5 years. In SA and NT you get 1.3 weeks a year, and in VIC and the ACT leave keeps accruing at about 0.87 weeks a year.
Worked example
Alex works in NSW, has 8 years of continuous service and earns $1,350 a week.
NSW gives 8.67 weeks after 10 years, so Alex has accrued 8.67 ÷ 10 × 8 = 6.93 weeks, worth about $9,360 at current pay.
Alex can't take long service leave yet, because the full entitlement needs 10 years. With more than 5 years of service, pro-rata pay may be payable if the employment ends for a reason that qualifies under the NSW Act.
Switch the state to VIC and the same 8 years gives the same 6.93 weeks, but Alex can already take it, because Victorian workers can use their leave after 7 years.
How long is long service leave after 10 years?
In NSW, Queensland, WA and Tasmania it is 8.67 weeks after 10 years, which is often described as 2 months. In Victoria and the ACT, leave accrues at about 0.87 weeks a year, so 10 years also gives about 8.67 weeks. South Australia and the Northern Territory are more generous at 13 weeks after 10 years.
How long is long service leave after 7 years?
In Victoria you have about 6.07 weeks after 7 years and can take it. In the ACT, 7 years gives 6.07 weeks and you can take it. In most other states you have accrued the leave by 7 years but can usually only access it as pro-rata pay when you leave for a qualifying reason.
How is long service leave paid?
Long service leave is paid at your ordinary rate of pay, usually your base weekly pay for your normal hours. Some states average pay for workers whose hours have changed. Leave loading is not normally paid on long service leave, unless an agreement says otherwise.
Pro-rata long service leave and leaving a job
Pro-rata long service leave is a payment for leave accrued before you reach the full entitlement. Whether you get it depends on your state, your years of service and why your job ended:
- Victoria: paid out for any reason once you reach 7 years.
- NSW: from 5 years if your employer ends the job for any reason other than serious misconduct, or you resign because of illness, incapacity or pressing domestic necessity.
- Queensland, Tasmania and NT: from 7 years in specified circumstances, such as illness, pressing necessity or termination by the employer.
- WA and SA: from 7 years when you leave, except in some cases of serious misconduct.
Once you reach the full entitlement, unused long service leave is paid out when you leave in every state. For more detail see our guides to long service leave in NSW and long service leave in Victoria.
Casuals, labour hire and portable schemes
Casual employees can get long service leave in every state when their work is regular and continuous with the same employer. Long gaps between engagements can break continuity, and each state has its own rules on how long a gap can be.
Some industries have portable long service leave schemes, where leave follows the worker from employer to employer. Examples include building and construction, contract cleaning and, in some states, community services and security. These schemes have their own rules and are not covered by this calculator.
Workers employed by a labour hire agency accrue long service leave with the agency, not the host business, as the agency is the employer. Looking for long-term work with one employer? Register with TQN Personnel.
Frequently asked questions
How is long service leave calculated?
Long service leave is worked out from your state's full entitlement and qualifying period. Divide the entitlement by the qualifying years and multiply by your years of continuous service. For example, in NSW 8.67 weeks ÷ 10 years × 8 years = 6.93 weeks. The value is that number of weeks times your weekly ordinary pay.
How long is long service leave in NSW?
In NSW you get 2 months (8.67 weeks) of long service leave after 10 years of continuous service with the same employer, then another month (4.33 weeks) for every further 5 years. Pro-rata pay can apply from 5 years in limited circumstances.
How does long service leave work in Victoria?
Under the Long Service Leave Act 2018, Victorian employees accrue 1/60th of their continuous service as long service leave, about 0.87 weeks a year. You can take it after 7 years, and it is paid out for any reason if you leave after 7 years.
How long is long service leave in QLD?
Queensland employees get 8.67 weeks after 10 years of continuous service, then 4.33 weeks after a further 5 years. Pro-rata pay can apply from 7 years in specified circumstances, such as illness, pressing necessity or dismissal for reasons other than conduct or performance.
Do casuals get long service leave?
Yes. Casual employees are entitled to long service leave in every state if their employment is regular and continuous with the same employer. Each state has rules on how long a break between engagements can be before continuity is broken.
Is long service leave paid out when you resign?
Once you have reached the full entitlement, any unused long service leave is paid out when you resign. Before that, pro-rata pay on resignation depends on your state. Victoria pays it for any reason after 7 years, while NSW, QLD, TAS and the NT only pay it for specific reasons.
Is super paid on long service leave?
Yes, super guarantee is payable on long service leave taken during employment, because it is ordinary time earnings. Super is generally not payable on unused long service leave paid out when you leave.
Related calculators
Sources and assumptions
- NSW Government: Long service leave
- Business Queensland: Long service leave entitlements
- Business Victoria: Long service leave
- WA Department of Commerce: Long service leave
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.