QLD Intern & Resident Pay 2026–27
This page covers the QLD intern, resident, RMO, JHO and SHO rows, without the registrar lines. It focuses on base salary, estimated take-home, the intern-to-resident jump, and the roster inputs that move Queensland payslips most.
By Jacob Stretton, RN & final-year medical student · figures sourced from the public EBAs & the ATO · About & methodology →
Key takeaways
- Resident - Year 1 is $105,119: a $7,610 base increase before roster effects.
- Early-career penalty settings include 15% afternoon, 20% night, 150% Saturday and 200% Sunday rates.
- Pay by level
- Early-career penalty-rate table
- Leave, allowances and development on top of base salary
- Worked examples
QLD Intern & Resident Pay Levels (Base Salary and Estimated Take-Home)
Filtered to the early-career QLD rows so you can compare intern and resident/RMO-style pay without registrar lines getting in the way.
| Level | Base salary | Estimated take-home | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern | $97,509 | $71,589 | Open calculator |
| Resident - Year 1 | $105,119 | $75,622 | Open calculator |
| Resident - Year 2 | $112,867 | $79,729 | Open calculator |
This page covers intern, resident, RMO and house officer pay in Queensland.
Rates effective 1 July 2026, including the +0.5% CPI Uplift Adjustment published by Queensland Health on 28 July 2026 (the certified agreement PDF does not show the adjusted figures) · Medical Officers’ (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (No. 7) 2025 (MOCA7), QIRC CB128 of 2025, as adjusted on the Queensland Health wage rates page · source.
What changes intern & resident take-home pay in QLD?
- Classification and year level set the base row before roster effects.
- Afternoon, night, Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and overtime inputs can move pay beyond ordinary salary.
- Ordinary full-time hours are 76 per fortnight under MOCA7, so model extra hours as overtime rather than ordinary pay.
- PDA, VTS, meal allowance and vehicle allowance are practical checks when they apply to your appointment or roster.
- HECS/HELP withholding and salary packaging settings still decide what lands in your bank account.
Early-career penalty-rate table
Use these QLD rates to model the roster you actually work; the base salary row does not include roster-driven additions.
| Roster item | QLD rate/loading | Why it matters | Where to model/check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoon ordinary hours | 15% loading | Matters for late ordinary shifts that finish by midnight. | Open intern calculator |
| Night ordinary hours | 20% loading | Night-heavy terms can lift take-home above base salary. | Open intern calculator |
| Saturday ordinary hours | 150% of base | Weekend ordinary hours are a major payslip driver. | Open resident calculator |
| Sunday ordinary hours | 200% of base | Sunday work is higher value than Saturday in the current QLD settings. | Open resident calculator |
| RMO overtime | 150% first 3 hours, then 200% | Extra hours can change income quickly when shifts run long. | Model overtime |
| Public holiday overtime | 250% | Public holiday overtime is a high-impact roster input. | Model public holiday work |
Leave, allowances and development on top of base salary
These items are paid on top of the base salary rows above. The PDA and VTS amounts are the 1 July 2025 figures, an earlier operative date than the base salary table.
| Item | Rate | Applies / conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | 5 weeks | 6 weeks for continuous rotating shift workers; 5.5 weeks for weekend roster workers not receiving shift loading. |
| Exam leave | Exam day plus 3 paid days | Per approved exam. There is no general study leave for interns. |
| Sick leave | 10 days per year | All early-career classifications. |
| PDA | $2,787 per year (1 July 2026) | RMOs who are not interns and are not receiving VTS. |
| VTS | $4,647 per year (1 July 2026) | Eligible vocational trainees. |
| Overtime meal allowance | $14.10 per occasion | Specified overtime circumstances. |
| Motor vehicle allowance | $0.82 per km | Where you are authorised to use a private vehicle. |
| Meal break not provided | Paid at overtime rates | Where a rostered meal break is not given. |
Worked examples (QLD)
* Estimated after tax and HECS/HELP. Your actual payslip will depend on roster mix, allowances, and deductions.
Frequently asked questions
Which QLD grades are included on this page?
Why can two QLD residents take home different amounts?
Where should I check the full QLD pay guide?
What QLD professional development item matters early?
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