Do I register in the state where I studied or where I want to work?

Where you want to work. Registration is granted by the state or territory regulator for that jurisdiction — QCT, NESA, VIT, TRBWA, TRB SA, the Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania, ACT TQI or TRB NT — regardless of where your degree was completed.

Can I transfer my registration if I move interstate?

You apply to the new regulator under mutual recognition. It is generally straightforward for a fully registered teacher, but it is a fresh application with its own evidence, fees and processing time — not an automatic transfer, and you cannot teach before it is granted.

What is the difference between registration and accreditation?

Mostly terminology. NSW calls it accreditation and NESA administers it; the other seven jurisdictions call it registration. In substance all eight assess your qualification, suitability and practice against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Do I still need a working with children check if I am registered?

It varies. In Victoria, VIT registration exempts you from a separate clearance for teaching duties. In Queensland, QCT registration covers school teaching but you need an exemption card for other child-related work. In NSW, the ACT, the NT and Tasmania you hold both registration and a separate clearance.

The Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education — a compulsory test that initial teacher education students must pass to graduate. It sits separately from your degree assessment and separately from registration.

Does the modern award set my pay?

For most independent and some Catholic schools, the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 (MA000077) is the reference instrument. Government school teachers and most Catholic systemic teachers are covered by state or diocesan enterprise agreements, which sit above the award.

Can I teach with an overseas teaching qualification?

You apply to the regulator in the state where you want to teach. Each assesses overseas qualifications individually and may require additional study, English language evidence or supervised practice. There is no national assessment that covers all eight.

Primary School Teaching jobs in Australia

Primary school teachers teach the full range of curriculum learning areas to children from the foundation year through to year six, usually as the main teacher of a single class. Every primary teacher in Australia must hold an accredited initial teacher education qualification and be registered or accredited with the teacher regulatory authority in their own state or territory.

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Vacancies

Current vacancies

No primary school teaching roles are listed on Valont right now. Licensing and local context below still apply — this page updates when a matching role is published.

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Locations

Where we cover primary school teaching

AdelaideSA AlbanyWA Albury-WodongaNSW/VIC Alice SpringsNT ArmidaleNSW BairnsdaleVIC BallaratVIC Batemans BayNSW BathurstNSW BendigoVIC Blue MountainsNSW BrisbaneQLD Broken HillNSW BroomeWA BunburyWA BundabergQLD BurnieTAS BusseltonWA CairnsQLD CanberraACT Central CoastNSW Charters TowersQLD Coffs HarbourNSW DarwinNT DevonportTAS DubboNSW EchucaVIC EmeraldQLD GeelongVIC GeraldtonWA GladstoneQLD Gold CoastQLD GoulburnNSW GriffithNSW GympieQLD Hervey BayQLD HobartTAS HorshamVIC IpswichQLD KalgoorlieWA KarrathaWA LauncestonTAS LismoreNSW LoganQLD MackayQLD MandurahWA MaryboroughQLD MelbourneVIC MeltonVIC MilduraVIC Mount GambierSA Mount IsaQLD Murray BridgeSA NewcastleNSW NowraNSW OrangeNSW PerthWA Port HedlandWA Port LincolnSA Port MacquarieNSW QueanbeyanNSW RedlandsQLD RockhamptonQLD RomaQLD SaleVIC SheppartonVIC Sunshine CoastQLD SydneyNSW TamworthNSW TareeNSW ToowoombaQLD TownsvilleQLD TraralgonVIC Wagga WaggaNSW WangarattaVIC WarrnamboolVIC WarwickQLD WhyallaSA WollongongNSW

Licensing

Licensing by state

Teacher registration in Australia is a state responsibility, and this is the single biggest thing to get right. There is no national teacher registration. Eight separate regulators issue the authority to teach, each under its own legislation, with different fees, registration terms, professional experience requirements for moving from provisional to full status, and continuing professional development obligations. NSW uses the term accreditation rather than registration. Moving interstate requires an application to the new regulator under mutual recognition, not an automatic transfer. Child-related clearance also differs by state, and in several jurisdictions current teacher registration removes the need for a separate clearance for school teaching duties but not for other child-related work.

the Australian Capital Territory: Registration with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI), which requires around 200 days of teaching to move from provisional to full registration on a five-year cycle, plus Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration from Access Canberra.
New South Wales: Accreditation with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), which uses accreditation rather than registration and requires maintenance of accreditation through professional development. A separate Working With Children Check clearance from the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian is required and must be verified by the employer.
the Northern Territory: Registration with the Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory (TRB NT), which requires around one year of teaching for full registration and offers a three or five-year registration term. A Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card) through SAFE NT is also required and runs two years.
Queensland: Registration with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) — provisional first, then full registration once professional experience requirements are met. Registered teachers do not need a blue card or exemption card to teach in a Queensland school; an exemption card from Blue Card Services is required for other regulated child-related work such as tutoring, an early learning service or a children's sporting club.
South Australia: Registration with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia (TRB SA); registration includes a working with children screening requirement. A Working with Children Check from the DHS Screening Unit applies to child-related work outside registered teaching.
Tasmania: Registration with the Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania, which requires at least 100 days of teaching to move from provisional to full registration and runs on a five-year cycle. Teachers also hold Registration to Work with Vulnerable People through CBOS.
Victoria: Registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), moving from provisional to full registration after meeting the required teaching days and evidence. VIT registration exempts you from needing a separate Working with Children Clearance for your teaching duties; a clearance from Working with Children Check Victoria is needed for other child-related work.
Western Australia: Registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA). Registered teachers are covered for their teaching work; a Working with Children (WWC) Check from the Department of Communities is needed for child-related work outside teaching.

Role

What the job involves

Plan, prepare and teach lessons across all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum as implemented in your state
Differentiate teaching for students at different levels, including students with disability and English as an additional language learners
Assess student learning, moderate results with colleagues and report formally to parents
Establish classroom routines and manage behaviour to keep learning time productive
Administer and analyse assessments including NAPLAN and school-based diagnostics
Communicate with parents and carers about progress, wellbeing and concerns
Supervise playground duty, camps, excursions and school events
Undertake professional learning and maintain evidence against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

Training

Qualifications and training

An accredited initial teacher education qualification — typically a four-year Bachelor of Education (Primary)
A two-year Master of Teaching (Primary) as the graduate-entry pathway for people who already hold a relevant bachelor degree
The programme must be accredited against the national standards administered by AITSL and approved by your state teacher regulator — an unaccredited education degree will not lead to registration
Entry to initial teacher education requires meeting non-academic and literacy and numeracy requirements, and graduates must pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE)
Some states offer employment-based pathways that let you teach while completing the qualification, on conditional or provisional registration

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Curriculum planning and differentiation across all learning areas · Explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy · Classroom management and positive behaviour support · Formative and summative assessment, and data-informed teaching · Communication with parents and carers, including difficult conversations · Inclusive education and individual learning plan implementation · Collaboration and moderation with year-level teams · Child protection awareness and mandatory reporting

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about primary school teaching work in Australia.

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Sources

Primary School Teaching — occupation data · verified 2026-08-04. ABS ANZSCO 2022, Unit Group 2412 Primary School Teachers (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/anzsco-australian-and-new-zealand-standard-classification-occupations/2022/browse-classification/2/24/241/2412); AITSL initial teacher education accreditation and Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (https://www.aitsl.edu.au); Fair Work Ombudsman (https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000077.html); Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections May 2024 – May 2034 (https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/employment-projections); Queensland College of Teachers (https://www.qct.edu.au/registration/blue-card); NSW Education Standards Authority (https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa); Victorian Institute of Teaching (https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/maintain/wwc); Teacher Registration Board of WA (https://www.trb.wa.gov.au); Teachers Registration Board of SA (https://www.trb.sa.edu.au); Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania (https://trb.tas.gov.au/recognition-of-interstate-and-nz-registration/); ACT Teacher Quality Institute (https://www.tqi.act.edu.au); Teacher Registration Board NT (https://www.trb.nt.gov.au/registration/eligibility-registration); NSW Office of the Children's Guardian (https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check); Working with Children Check Victoria (https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check); WA Department of Communities (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/working-children-check); SA DHS Screening Unit (https://dhs.sa.gov.au/how-we-help/screening-and-background-checks); Tasmania CBOS (https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/work-with-vulnerable-people); ACT Access Canberra WWVP (https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/business-and-work/working-with-vulnerable-people); SAFE NT (https://pfes.nt.gov.au/police/community-safety/safe-nt)

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