NT Junior Doctor Salary & Take-Home Pay | 2025–26

What determines your pay in NT?

• Your classification (Intern MO1, RMO MO2–MO5, Registrar REG1–REG6 / SREG1–SREG2).
• Whether you’re rostered as a shiftworker (outside 0600–1800 Mon–Fri and/or weekends/public holidays) – this drives shift penalties. (cl 44.5(d); cl 44.6)
• How many hours you work above 38 hours/week (or the 38-hour average over a 2–4 week roster cycle) – this drives overtime. (cl 45 – Rates of Payment)
• Whether you’re on restrictive duty/on-call, and whether you get recalled to duty (call-backs). (cl 48; cl 45 – Minimum Payment)
• Leave and allowances (annual leave, personal leave, professional development leave/allowance, meal allowance rules). (cl 57; cl 59; cl 34; cl 45.13; Schedule 1)
• Your take-home pay still changes a lot based on tax, HECS/HELP, and salary packaging (even if your base rate is the same).

Levels and base rates (NT)

NT EBA high-yield summary (junior doctors)

This section summarises roster-facing rules that matter day-to-day for interns, residents, and registrars in NT public hospitals.

Ordinary hours and roster basics

• Full-time = 38 ordinary hours per week. (cl 40)
• Ordinary hours are (as far as practicable) confined to 38 hours/week or an average of 38 hours/week over 2, 3 or 4 weeks, within 0600–1800 Monday to Friday. (cl 44.1(a))
• Meal break: unpaid break of at least 30 minutes, starting within 5 hours of shift start. If you can’t take it and it can’t be re-timed, you can be paid for the break at single time with supervisor approval. (cl 44.1(c)–(e))
• Roster notice: roster frameworks should be notified >= 28 days before the roster starts (with limited exceptions for unpredictable service demand). (cl 44.1(h); cl 54.3)

Shift penalties (shiftwork payments)

A doctor is a shiftworker if rostered for ordinary hours outside 0600–1800 Mon–Fri and/or on Sat/Sun/public holidays for an ongoing or fixed period. (cl 44.5(d))

Shiftwork payments are in addition to ordinary salary and are non-cumulative. (cl 44.6(a); cl 44.5(e))

Weekend / public holiday duty (non-shiftworker rules)

These provisions apply where you’re not a shiftworker under cl 44.5(d).

• Saturday ordinary duty: +50%. (cl 44.2(a))
• Sunday duty (not exceeding prescribed weekly hours): +100%. (cl 44.3(b))
• Public holiday duty (not exceeding prescribed weekly hours): +150% in addition to the ordinary rate, for actual time worked. (cl 44.4(b))
• Public holiday minimum: minimum extra payment of 4 hours for each separate attendance (if you’re not in a restrictive duty situation). (cl 44.4(c))

Overtime and call-backs (the bits that matter)

• Overtime is paid for duty in excess of 38 hours/week, or the 38-hour average over 2–4 weeks. (cl 45 – Rates of Payment)
• Overtime rates: time and a half weekdays, double time Saturdays and Sundays, double time and a half public holidays. (cl 45 – Rates of Payment)
• Minimum payment for a separate overtime attendance not continuous with ordinary duty: 4 hours at the overtime rate. (cl 45 – Minimum Payment)
• If you perform overtime while in a restrictive duty situation: minimum 3 hours at the overtime rate. (cl 45 – Minimum Payment)
• If you work overtime through recognised meal periods on weekends/public holidays and an unpaid meal break isn’t practicable: you’re provided a meal or paid a meal payment at the Commissioner’s determined rate (with approval). (cl 45.13)

Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL)

• Overtime is normally paid unless you request TOIL in writing and it’s granted. (cl 46)
• TOIL is hour-for-hour at ordinary time, taken at an agreed time. (cl 46)
• TOIL must be used within 8 months or it’s paid out at the overtime rate; TOIL accrual is capped at 40 hours. (cl 46)

On-call / restrictive duty (what juniors actually see)

Restrictive duty categories include Immediate roster, First roster (on-call), and Clinical advice by telephone. (cl 48.7)

• First roster (on-call): on-call allowance is paid at the rate in Schedule 1 / Commissioner Determination, adjusted annually, and is inclusive of telephone calls. (cl 48.8(b) + note; Schedule 1.2 note)
• Recall to duty while on-call: overtime is paid under the overtime clause. (cl 48.8(b) note; cl 45)
• Clinical advice by telephone (CAT): paid a Night or Day/Night rate (inclusive of calls) as specified in Schedule 1.2. (cl 48.8(c); Schedule 1.2)

Fatigue protection (9-hour break rule)

• If overtime (including a heavy load of clinical advice-by-telephone calls) means you don’t get at least 9 consecutive hours off between ordinary days, you may be released without loss of pay until you’ve had 9 hours off. (cl 47.1)
• If you’re instructed to resume/continue work without that 9-hour break, you’re paid double time until released, and you’re still entitled to the 9-hour break after release. (cl 47.3)
• The “9 hours off” includes reasonable travel time to/from your normal workplace. (cl 47.9)

Protected teaching time (Doctors in Training)

• Teaching time should be treated as core business and built into rosters.
• Where teaching time is allocated, units must allocate at least 2 hours per week for Doctors in Training.
• Teaching time should be uninterrupted; trainees should be free from clinical responsibilities and not required to answer pagers/calls unless extenuating circumstances and directed otherwise. (cl 88)

Leave that matters (quick hits)

• Recreation leave: 4 weeks + 2 weeks if stationed in NT; plus extra leave for seven-day shiftworkers. (cl 59.2)
• Extra recreation leave after long service: +1 week/year after 5 years, +2 weeks/year after 10 years (applies once you’ve completed those service thresholds). (cl 59.4)
• Personal leave: 3 weeks paid personal leave entitlement with detailed commencement rules (ongoing vs fixed period). (cl 57.2)
• Professional development: PD allowance + PD leave as set out in clause 34 and Schedule 1 (including an additional PD allowance claim up to $3000 subject to conditions). (cl 34; Schedule 1; note re cl 34.10)

Worked examples (NT)

* After tax and HECs repayments have been deducted

FAQ

Sources and disclaimer

• 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 the state/territory award/EBA and your employer’s HR/payroll.