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NT Doctor Pay Overview 2025–26
NT intern base salary of $90,150 plus a relocation allowance of $678–$937/fortnight while relocating makes total compensation materially higher than the base figure alone. On-call (restrictive duty) pays $5.02/hr from NT Determination 1 of 2026, and leave loading is a flat $1,811/annum rather than the 17.5% percentage used in most other states.
NT Doctor Pay
Public hospital · 2025–26
- Intern base salary
- $90,150
- Ordinary hours
- 38/week
- Saturday loading
- 1.5×
- Sunday loading
- 2.0×
- Public holiday
- 2.5×
- Overtime
- 1.5×
- Annual leave
- 7 weeks
- Sick leave
- 15 days
Takeaways
- NT intern base salary is $90,150.
- Moving from intern to Resident - Year 1 adds $12,631 before penalties, overtime or packaging.
- Doctors relocating to NT receive $678/fortnight (employee only) or $937/fortnight (with resident family) in relocation allowance while relocating — confirmed from NT Determination 1 of 2026.
- Shift penalties include +15% evening, +22.5% night, +50% Saturday, +100% Sunday and +150% public holiday rates.
Which NT pay page should you use?
Interns, residents, RMOs and JMOs
Use the early-career page if you want early postgraduate-year pay, the intern-to-resident jump, study leave notes and intern/resident calculator presets.
Open NT Interns & Residents →Registrars and senior registrars
Use the registrar page if you want registrar progression, senior registrar rows, on-call, callback, overtime and heavier-roster take-home context.
Open NT Registrar pay →NT penalty rates & loadings
These are the main roster-driven loadings and overtime rules that move take-home pay above the base salary row. Use the NT Interns & Residents page or NT Registrar page for detailed penalty, on-call and callback modelling.
| Loading / penalty | Rate | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Evening shiftwork | +15% | Applies where ordinary shiftwork includes time between 18:00 and 24:00. |
| Night shiftwork | +22.5% | Night-heavy rotations can lift pay above the base row. |
| Continuous nights over 4 weeks | +30% | Longer blocks of continuous night work have a separate higher loading. |
| Saturday / Sunday ordinary duty | +50% Saturday; +100% Sunday | Weekend mix is one of the clearest roster-driven pay variables. |
| Public holiday ordinary duty | +150% | Public holidays are high-impact roster inputs. |
| Overtime | 1.5x weekdays; 2x weekends; 2.5x public holidays | Extra hours should be separated from ordinary shift penalties. |
| Separate overtime attendance | 4-hour minimum; 3-hour minimum in restrictive duty | Minimum payments can matter when called in outside ordinary duty. |
| Fatigue protection | 9-hour break; double time if directed back without it | Safe-hours rules can affect both roster design and pay. |
| On-call (restrictive duty) rate | $5.02 per hour | Confirmed from NT Determination 1 of 2026, cl.48.8(b): $5.02/hr flat rate while on restrictive duty (on-call). Adds materially to roster value on heavy on-call rotations. |
Salaried doctors vs VMOs: The rates on this page apply to salaried NT doctors. Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) are engaged sessionally or fee-for-service and are paid differently — the penalty, overtime and leave rules here may not apply to them. See the NT consultant & VMO pay page.
NT pay extras and entitlements
| Extra / entitlement | Why it matters | Applies mainly to | Where to check / model it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shift penalties and overtime | Evenings, nights, weekends, public holidays and overtime can move pay above the base row. | All rostered doctors | Model early-career roster |
| Restrictive duty, on-call and call-backs | Availability, clinical advice by telephone and recall/call-back are separate pay concepts. | Mainly rostered after-hours roles | See registrar detail |
| Recreation leave | The NT agreement summary lists 4 weeks plus 2 weeks if stationed in NT, with seven-day shiftworker settings also relevant. | All levels, depending on location and roster | See leave notes |
| Professional development | Professional development leave and allowance items are listed for junior and registrar levels. | Doctors in training and registrars | See professional development notes |
| Meal payments | Meal provision or payment can apply when overtime crosses recognised meal periods. | Overtime and roster dependent | Check NT agreement notes |
| HECS/HELP and packaging | HECS/HELP withholding and salary packaging can both change net pay even at the same gross — worth modelling for any grade carrying a study debt. | Doctors with study loans or packaging | HECS/HELP and packaging guide |
| On-call (restrictive duty) rate | NT Determination 1 of 2026, cl.48.8(b): the restrictive duty (on-call) allowance is $5.02 per hour flat — adds meaningfully to roster value on heavy on-call rotations. | All NT doctors rostered on-call | Check NT Determination |
| Relocation allowance | NT Determination 1 of 2026, By-law 28: doctors relocating to NT receive $678/fortnight (employee only) or $937/fortnight (with resident family unit) while relocating. Almost all NT doctors relocate — this is a meaningful financial benefit. | NT doctors relocating to take up appointment | Check NT Determination |
| Annual leave loading | NT Determination 1 of 2026, By-law 5: leave loading is a flat $1,811 per year (not a percentage) — the calculator applies this amount rather than the 17.5% standard used by other states. | All NT doctors | Check NT Determination |
NT pay snapshot by career stage
Rates effective current NT Determination · Medical Officers (NTPS) Enterprise Agreement — OCPE published rates of pay · source.
| Level | Base salary | Estimated take-home | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern | $90,150 | $68,001 | Open calculator |
| Resident / RMO | $102,781 to $122,264 | $74,696 to $85,022 | Open calculator |
| Registrar / Senior Registrar | $122,264 to $182,143 | $85,022 to $112,479 | Open calculator |
Estimated take-home is after income tax, Medicare levy, and HECS/HELP repayment. No salary packaging applied.
Worked example snapshots
Intern — mostly day shifts
- A representative early-career roster with the occasional weekend, some after-hours and limited night work. Open in the calculator to adjust to your own roster.
Gross: $104,498
Net*: $74,646
RMO — mixed shifts with some overtime
- A busier roster with more weekend and after-hours shifts and occasional overtime. Open in the calculator to adjust to your own roster.
Gross: $133,741
Net*: $89,970
Registrar — heavier overtime
- A heavier registrar roster with more weekends, after-hours and overtime. Open in the calculator to adjust to your own roster.
Gross: $203,554
Net*: $121,390
* After income tax and HECS/HELP repayments have been deducted.
Frequently asked questions
Which NT pay page should I start with?
Use this overview if you want to compare intern, resident and registrar pay at a high level. Use the NT Interns & Residents page for early-career pay, or the NT Registrar page for registrar progression, overtime, on-call and callback detail.
Why does NT take-home pay differ from the base salary?
Base salary is only the starting point. Take-home changes with HECS/HELP withholding, salary packaging settings, overtime, weekends, public holidays, after-hours work and other paid roster features.
Where should I check exact NT award wording?
Use the Northern Territory award/enterprise agreement and rates documents linked in the sources section. This page is an overview; exact entitlement wording should be checked against the source documents and your employer.
AussieClinicians is an independent Australian pay calculator built by Jacob Stretton (RN; final-year medical student). Estimates only — verify with your payslip, payroll, and the linked award/EBA + ATO sources. Not financial or tax advice.
Sources
- NT EBA 2022–2025
- Commissioner for Public Employment (NT) — Determination 1 of 2026 (Allowances)
- ATO study and training support loans rates and thresholds
Estimates only; confirm with your specific award/EBA, local HR, and roster rules.