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Western Australia Nurse Pay & Conditions 2025–26
What WA public-health nurses and midwives are entitled to in 2025–26, and the levers that lift your pay.
Pay pages by role:
Enrolled Nurse · Registered Nurse · Clinical Nurse (senior clinical grades) · Nurse Management (NUM / Director of Nursing)
Ways to maximise your income
- The single biggest study-driven income lever: a relevant AQF8+ postgraduate qualification triggers an ongoing Qualification Allowance of 3.5% (~$3,732/yr) for a Graduate Certificate, 4.5% (~$4,798/yr) for a Graduate Diploma, or 5.5% (~$5,865/yr) for a Masters/PhD/relevant MBA — paid fortnightly, pro-rata for part-time, ongoing. Midwives endorsed for scheduled medicines get an EXTRA $967/yr ON TOP of any qualification allowance.
- Every full-time/part-time RN and Midwife gets a standing Professional Development Allowance with no expense claim required: $700/yr (L1.1-1.7), $1,100/yr (L1.8-2.4 and SRN L1-5), $1,400/yr (SRN L6-10). This is automatic and commonly under-claimed money.
- Unsocial-hours penalties are large and paid on actual hours worked: afternoon +15%, night +35%, Saturday +50%, Sunday +75%. Saturday/Sunday loadings substitute for (don't stack on) shift loadings. A regular Mon-Fri day-worker required to work a Sunday gets DOUBLE TIME, not just the 75% loading.
- Overtime is time-and-a-half for the first 3 hours then double time Mon-Sat, double time Sunday, and double-and-a-half on public holidays. If the employer denies you the mandatory 9.5-hour rest break after overtime or after an on-call recall and makes you keep working, you are paid DOUBLE RATES until released.
- Every recall to work is a guaranteed minimum 3 hours at the overtime rate even if the actual job takes minutes. On-call availability pays 18.75% of the Level 1.3 RN hourly base for every hour on call, with an extra +50% on that rate on public holidays.
- Acting-up levers for Level 1 nurses: a Level 1 directed to act as designated Shift Coordinator for a whole shift is paid up to the Level 2 increment-1 rate (currently $109,599/yr equiv); carrying in-charge responsibility for a hospital with no Level 2+ on duty triggers a Responsibility Allowance. Any acting in a higher-classified role for even one day pays Higher Duties Allowance (the full pay gap).
Registered nurse pay scale
Base rates, in force from 12 October 2025 — before penalties, allowances and overtime.
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | Annualised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1.1 | $1,589.64 | $41.83 | $82,945 |
| Level 1.2 | $1,644.64 | $43.28 | $85,815 |
| Level 1.3 | $1,701.85 | $44.79 | $88,800 |
| Level 1.4 | $1,771.09 | $46.61 | $92,413 |
| Level 1.5 | $1,842.73 | $48.49 | $96,151 |
| Level 1.6 | $1,907.09 | $50.19 | $99,509 |
| Level 1.7 | $1,974.01 | $51.95 | $103,001 |
| Level 1.8 | $2,043.56 | $53.78 | $106,630 |
Progression beyond the base scale
Senior and specialty grades — the pay step up, and what each takes.
| Grade | Pay | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner classification | min SRN/M Level 3 = $137,294/yr (from 12 Oct 2025) | Registered Nurse with NMBA endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner appointed to a Nurse Practitioner position. |
| Qualification Allowance | L1 3.5% ($3,732/yr); L2 4.5% ($4,798/yr); L3 5.5% ($5,865/yr) (from 12 Oct 2025) | Full-time/part-time RNs and Midwives holding a qualification (AQF8+ unless otherwise specified) relevant to… |
| Higher Duties Allowance | Difference between own salary and higher-position salary; min 1 day | Any employee directed to work in a higher-classified position for one day or more. |
| Shift Coordination Allowance | Paid up to RN/M Level 2 increment-point-1 rate (currently $109,599/yr equiv) | Employee classified at Level 1 directed to act as designated Shift Coordinator for the whole of a shift. |
| Responsibility Allowance | Difference between top of Level 1 and Level 2 increment 1 | Level 1 public-hospital nurse/midwife taking responsibility for a hospital when no Level 2+ nurse/midwife is… |
| Professional Development Allowance | $700 / $1,100 / $1,400 per year by level | Full-time and part-time Registered Nurses and Midwives (not casuals). |
| Authorised Mental Health Practitioner Allowance | $3,732/yr (from 12 Oct 2025) | Nurse appointed as an Authorised Mental Health Practitioner. |
| Midwife Endorsement Allowance | $967 per year | Midwife with NMBA endorsement for scheduled medicines, employed as an endorsed midwife. |
| Staff Development Nurse/Midwife Allowance | $1,040 per year | Full-time/part-time Level 2 registered nurses and midwives employed as a Staff Development Nurse/Midwife. |
Allowances you can claim & rural/remote
Qualification allowance3.5% / 4.5% / 5.5% of base; $3,732 / $4,798 / $5,865 per year (12 Oct 2025)
Paid to full-time and part-time RNs and Midwives who hold/acquire a qualification relevant to their current practice. Three levels: Level 1 = Graduate Certificate /…
Mortuary duties (post-mortem) allowance$4.89 per body (12 Oct 2025)
Paid per body to a nurse/midwife carrying out mortuary duties in connection with post-mortem examinations.
Lead apron allowance$2.52 per hour (12 Oct 2025)
Paid per hour (or part thereof) for each hour a nurse/midwife is required to wear a lead apron — an environmental/special-duties allowance commonly overlooked by…
Uniform allowance$10.90 per week (12 Oct 2025)
Where the Employer does NOT provide a uniform free of charge, it reimburses a weekly uniform allowance provided the employee conforms to the employer's uniform standard.
Laundry allowance$3.49 per week (12 Oct 2025)
Where a uniform is required and is NOT laundered by the hospital, the employee is reimbursed a weekly laundry allowance. Claimable in addition to the uniform allowance…
Overtime meal allowance$12.67 per meal (12 Oct 2025)
When an employee is not notified the previous day or earlier that overtime is required, and works overtime for an hour or more, the Employer must provide the usual meal…
Commuted meal break allowanceExtra 30 minutes' pay per rostered occasion (at Ordinary Rate, plus shift/weekend penalty)
A Senior Registered Nurse/Midwife who is rostered to carry a pager and remain on-site during meal breaks, and whose breaks are regularly interrupted, may elect a…
Recall to work minimum paymentMinimum 3 hours at overtime rate (non-casual); casuals min 2 hours if cancelled
A recalled non-casual employee is paid a minimum of 3 hours at the appropriate overtime rate. Free transport home-to-hospital-and-return is provided, or the motor…
Motor vehicle allowanceUp to 185.5 c/km (metro, >2600cc, first 4,000 km); up to 203.9 c/km north of 23.5°S
An employee required to supply and maintain a car for official business is reimbursed per kilometre at rates varying by engine size, area (Metropolitan / South-west…
Motor vehicle allowanceUp to 98.6 c/km (car, north of 23.5°S, >2600cc); motorcycle 31.0 c/km
An employee NOT required to supply a car who voluntarily consents to use their own vehicle for approved official business is reimbursed at the (lower) voluntary-use…
District allowanceNot set in this agreement — incorporated by reference (District Allowance (Government Wages Employees) General Agreement 2010)
Nurses working in WA country/northern districts are entitled to a district allowance, but sets NO rate — it adopts the terms of the District Allowance…
Remote Area Nurse — overtime buy-out allowance25% of base salary, paid fortnightly (pro-rata if not full-time in a remote area)
Remote area nurses (employed as the 24-hour health-care provider in an isolated community at listed Group A/B sites) are paid an annual allowance equal to 25% of base…
Remote Area Nurse — availability allowance50% of the on-call allowance (i.e. 50% of 18.75% of L1.3 hourly base) per hour; Bremer Bay/Lake Varley instead get 3% of weekly wage
Remote area nurses on-call receive an availability allowance of 50% of the on-call allowance for all hours outside ordinary and overtime hours actually…
Remote Area Nurse — isolation leave1 week per 12 weeks (Group A); 1 week per 24 weeks (Group B)
Isolation leave compensates remote area nurses for long continuous on-call periods and is taken as recreation leave (not for staff development). Group A sites: 1 week…
Remote Area Nurse — additional staff development2 weeks extra in-service training per year (at least 1 week in a major centre)
In lieu of professional development leave, remote area nurses receive two weeks' in-service training in addition to study leave, at least one week…
Rural gratuity (Zone One) — CLOSED to new starters75% or 100% of an 8-week (initial) / 4-week (annual) base-wage gratuity, depending on location
A retention gratuity for permanent WA Country Health Service nurses in Zone One localities — but it applies ONLY to employees who were eligible at 17 June 2011 and is…
Leave & study
Annual (recreation) leave20 days (4 weeks)/yr
Every employee (except casuals) gets 20 paid days of annual leave per 12 months continuous service, accruing pro-rata weekly and cumulative year to year (max…
Annual leave loading17.5% (or shift/weekend penalty average if higher)
Annual leave is paid at ordinary salary PLUS a 17.5% loading, OR the average of shift/weekend penalties from the prior 6 pay periods — whichever is higher. Loading is…
Extra annual leaveUp to 1 extra week (5 days)/yr
A continuous shift employee (rostered afternoon/night shifts, or permanent nights over 7 days) accrues up to an additional one week of annual leave per year, pro-rata by…
Extra annual leaveUp to 5 extra days/yr
Employees regularly rostered on call (min 2 days per 4-week cycle on weekends/public holidays/RDOs over 12 cycles) accrue up to 5 extra days' leave/yr, pro-rata.…
Extra annual leave1 extra week/yr
Employees stationed in areas north of the 26th parallel of South Latitude get one week's additional annual leave per year.
Annual leave at half pay2x duration at half pay
By agreement, an employee may take twice the period of any portion of annual leave at half pay.
Personal leave15 days/yr (cumulative)
Each permanent full-time employee is credited 15 days personal leave per year of continuous service (8.5 days on appointment, +6.5 at 6 months = 15 at 12 months).…
Anticipated personal leave / substitutionUp to 5 days advanced
If personal leave is exhausted, employees with ≥12 months service may anticipate up to 5 days from next year's credit, or substitute accrued annual/long service leave…
Personal leave evidence thresholdNo evidence ≤2 days
Supporting evidence generally not required for single or two consecutive day absences; required for absences exceeding two consecutive working days.
Regional medical travel timeUp to 5 days/yr paid
Regional employees needing medical attention at a WA facility 240km+ from their workplace get paid travel time during ordinary hours, up to 5 days per annum (more by…
Paid parental leave14 weeks paid (or 28 weeks at half pay)
Primary care giver of a newborn or newly adopted child gets 14 weeks continuous PAID parental leave, which can be taken at half pay over 28 weeks. Requires 12 months…
Unpaid parental leaveUp to 52 weeks unpaid
Up to 52 weeks unpaid parental leave for birth or adoption (adoption child under 16, not lived with employee 6+ months). Can be shared between partners. Accrued…
More leave types
Bereavement leaveUp to 3 days paid per death
Up to three days' paid bereavement leave (need not be consecutive) on the death of a spouse/partner, child/step/foster/grandchild, parent/grandparent, parent-in-law,…
Compassionate leave for early pregnancy lossUp to 3 consecutive days paid
Up to 3 consecutive days paid compassionate leave at ordinary rate each time a pregnancy (the employee's or their partner's) ends without a living child, up to 20 weeks…
Hours, overtime, breaks & on-call
Ordinary hours per week38 hrs/week (worked 40/wk, 80/fortnight)
Ordinary hours average 38 per week. Actual hours worked are 40/week (80/fortnight); the extra 2 hours/week accrue toward Accrued Days Off (ADOs).…
Maximum shift length (day) and broken shifts8 hrs/day max (10 hr night by agreement)
Ordinary daily hours are a maximum of 8. No broken shifts. By agreement, night shifts can be up to 10 hours without overtime penalty.
Maximum consecutive shifts / max shifts per fortnight7 consecutive duties; 10/fortnight; 10-hr nights: 5 consecutive, 8/fortnight
Where practicable, no more than 7 consecutive duties (more only if the employee requests and Employer approves). No more than 10 duties per…
Days off / free time per week2 days/week or 4 days/fortnight off
Must be free from duty at least 2 full days each week or 4 full days each fortnight; where practicable days off are consecutive.
Break when changing between night and day duty20 hours
When changing TO or FROM night and day duty the employee must be free from duty for the 20 hours immediately before the changed duty commences.
Break when changing from evening duty to day duty9.5 hours
An employee moving from evening duty to day duty cannot be required to start until 9.5 hours have elapsed since ceasing evening duty.
Afternoon shift penalty15%
15% loading on the Ordinary Rate of Pay for a complete rostered afternoon shift commencing no earlier than 1200 and finishing after 1800 on weekdays.…
Night shift penalty35%
35% loading on the Ordinary Rate of Pay for a complete rostered night shift between 1830 and 0730 on a weekday.
Saturday shift penalty50%
50% loading on the Ordinary Rate of Pay on actual hours worked for ordinary hours rostered between 2400 Friday and 2400 Saturday. This substitutes…
Sunday shift penalty75%
75% loading on the Ordinary Rate of Pay on actual hours worked for ordinary hours rostered between 2400 Saturday and 2400 Sunday (continues to 0730…
Day worker required to work a SundayDouble time (200%)
An employee regularly rostered day duty Monday-Friday who is required to work a Sunday is paid double time for all time worked (instead of the 75%…
Public holiday penalty50% (permanent) / 150% (casual)
50% loading for ordinary hours actually worked on a public holiday (this is in addition to the public holiday entitlement itself). Casual employees…
All figures are drawn from the WA Health System – ANF – Registered Nurses, Midwives and Enrolled Nurses Industrial Agreement 2024 (2025 WAIRC 00098). Confirm your exact classification, step and allowances against the current instrument and your payslip.