Long service leave (LSL) is governed separately by each state and territory, not by a single national law, and while the accrual rate is nearly identical across most jurisdictions, when you can actually access it differs a lot — Victoria lets you take or be paid leave from 7 years of service, while NSW and Queensland generally require 10.
The accrual rate is almost the same everywhere
Most states accrue LSL at the same standard rate: roughly 8.667 weeks per 10 years of continuous service (0.867 weeks a year, sometimes described as 1 week for every 60 weeks worked). South Australia and the Northern Territory are more generous, at 13 weeks per 10 years (1.3 weeks a year).
Where the states actually differ: access, not accrual
| State | Accrual rate | Full entitlement (take while employed) | Pro-rata on leaving |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 5 years |
| VIC | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 7 years | From 7 years |
| QLD | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 7 years |
| WA | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 7 years |
| SA | 13 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 7 years |
| TAS | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 7 years |
| ACT | 8.667 wks / 10 yrs | 7 years | From 7 years |
| NT | 13 wks / 10 yrs | 10 years | From 7 years |
"Full entitlement" is when you can take the leave (or be paid it in full) while still employed. "Pro-rata" is a partial payout made on termination — resignation, redundancy or dismissal — once you have passed the threshold but before reaching full entitlement.
NSW vs VIC vs QLD, in dollars
Take an employee on $1,500 a week, with 8 years of continuous service, in each of the three biggest states:
- VIC: 7-year full entitlement means this employee has already passed the threshold. At 8 years, their 6.93 weeks accrued (8 × 0.867) is worth $10,400, and they can access it now — either by taking the leave or, on leaving the job for any reason, being paid it out in full.
- NSW: the same 8 years produces the same accrued value — 6.93 weeks, $10,400 — but this employee cannot take the leave while still employed, because NSW's full entitlement is 10 years. If they resign or are made redundant now, though, NSW's 5-year pro-rata threshold means they are still owed that $10,400 as a termination payout.
- QLD: identical accrual again — $10,400 — but Queensland's pro-rata threshold is 7 years, not 5, so this employee only qualifies for the pro-rata payout because they have passed 7 years, not because of any special QLD rule at 8 years specifically.
Same pay, same tenure, same accrued weeks — three different practical outcomes purely because of where the job is. Work out your own accrued weeks, gross value and after-tax payout with the Long Service Leave Calculator, which covers all eight states and territories.
Why NSW's 5-year pro-rata threshold stands out
NSW is the most generous state for early access on termination — a pro-rata payout is available from just 5 years of service, for any reason other than serious misconduct. Every other state and territory sets that threshold at 7 years. If you are weighing up leaving a long-term NSW role, that 5-year rule is worth checking even if you are nowhere near the 10-year full-entitlement mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
NSW accrues LSL at roughly 0.867 weeks per year of service (8.667 weeks after 10 years), with the full entitlement available to take after 10 years and a pro-rata payout available from 5 years if you leave for any reason other than serious misconduct.
Victoria's threshold for accessing LSL — either taking it or being paid out on termination — is 7 years, the lowest full-entitlement threshold of any state alongside the ACT.
South Australia and the Northern Territory accrue LSL at the highest rate (13 weeks per 10 years, versus 8.667 weeks in most other states), though their access thresholds (10 years full entitlement, 7 years pro-rata) are the same as most other states.
Generally no — LSL is tied to continuous service with the one employer, with limited exceptions (such as some public sector, cleaning and contract cleaning industry portable-leave schemes). Check your specific award or industry for any portable long service leave scheme.