You generally get long service leave in Australia after a long, continuous period with the same employer, usually between 7 and 10 years, depending on the state or territory. In most places, you also start to build a pro‑rata entitlement earlier (often from around 5–7 years) that may be paid out if your employment ends.

When do you get long service leave?

Long service leave is an extra block of paid leave you earn for staying with the same employer for many years. It is set by state and territory laws, not by the national Fair Work Act, so the timing and amount vary across Australia.

Key points:

  • You must have continuous service with the same employer (or with a business that has transferred to a new owner).
  • You become entitled to take long service leave after a qualifying period (usually 7–10 years).
  • If you leave after a certain minimum period but before full entitlement, you may get a pro‑rata payout instead of taking the leave.

Typical entitlements by state/territory

Below is a simplified overview for most private-sector employees (exact rules and some industries differ, so always check your local law or your award/enterprise agreement).

This is general information only, not legal advice.

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State / Territory When you can take long service leave Rough amount after first qualifying period
Victoria After 7 years of continuous service with the same employer.Accrues at 1 week per 60 weeks (about 0.866 weeks per year).
ACT Generally available after 7 years continuous service (sector‑specific schemes may vary).Similar accrual to Victoria, but check ACT long service leave legislation or industry scheme.
NSW After 10 years continuous service you can take long service leave.About 2 months (8.67 weeks) after 10 years, then 1 month for each further 5 years.
Queensland Entitled to take 8.6667 weeks after 10 years continuous service.8.6667 weeks after 10 years, then extra 4.3333 weeks for each additional 5 years.
Western Australia Long service leave available after 10 years continuous service.About 8.6667 weeks after 10 years, then further leave for each extra 5 years.
South Australia Entitlement after 10 years continuous service.13 weeks after 10 years, then 1.3 weeks for each further year.
Tasmania Entitlement after 10 years continuous service.8⅔ weeks for the first 10 years, then 4⅓ weeks for each additional 5 years.
Northern Territory Entitlement after 10 years continuous service.3 months (13 weeks) after 10 years, then further leave for later service.

Pro‑rata and payout rules

Many people worry about “just missing out” if they leave before 10 years, and there has been active forum discussion about this, especially in Victoria where access starts at 7 years.

Common patterns:

  • In several states, if your job ends after a minimum period (often 5–7 years) for reasons like redundancy, illness, or sometimes resignation, you can receive a pro‑rata payment for the long service leave you have accrued but not taken.
  • After 10 years in most states and territories, you are usually entitled to full long service leave, and any unused amount must be paid out if your employment ends for any reason.

Because the precise rules (especially for resignations vs redundancies vs dismissal) differ by jurisdiction and can change over time, checking your state regulator or a union/legal service is important.

How it’s paid and taken

  • Long service leave is usually paid at your ordinary pay rate (excluding overtime but generally including regular loadings or higher‑than‑award pay).
  • Some laws or agreements let you:
    • Take the leave in blocks or split it into smaller periods.
* Take **double length at half pay** (e.g., twice as many weeks at 50% pay), if allowed by your state’s rules.
  • If you do not use all of your entitlement before you leave your job, the unused balance is typically paid out like other leave entitlements.

What you should do next

Because “when do you get long service leave” depends heavily on where you live and your exact employment setup, a quick checklist helps:

  1. Confirm your state or territory and look up its long service leave authority (e.g., Business Victoria, Queensland Government, etc.).
  1. Check your award or enterprise agreement , which may contain additional rules but cannot reduce your minimum legal entitlement.
  1. Look at your payslips or HR system to see how much long service leave you have accrued so far.
  2. If you are close to a key milestone (7 or 10 years), consider getting tailored advice from your union, a community legal centre, or your state workplace authority.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.