How much do locum vets earn in Australia?
This is variable, but locum vets commonly earn anywhere between $75 and $85 per hour plus superannuation.
The amount a locum vet can earn compares very favourably with permanent salaries. For example, if you work for 38 hours per week at $80 per hour for 48 weeks a year, your annual income would be $145,920 plus superannuation.
Commonly asked questions:
Is there a good supply of locum work?
There are many variables to this, including where the vet is located, time of year, work history, ability to consistently do a very good job at each practice, willingness to travel for work and so on.
If you would like some ideas on how to be a locum ‘in demand,’ the following blog may be useful – Locum Vets: A Guide for the Novice Locum.
Do vets get paid a higher rate for short periods eg Saturday mornings?
Vets will often be paid higher rates for short periods of work.
Do very experienced vets get paid a premium?
Most practice owners require a locum to do a lot of routine work and are not prepared to pay extra for someone who is very experienced. This is obviously not always the case. Some practice owners will pay extra if the locum is required to take on some HR and other managerial duties and/or take on a high caseload of difficult medical and surgical cases.
How are locums paid for after-hours work?
I have been placing locum vets for 25 years and have never found a formula for after-hours remuneration that suits all situations. Many employers will pay the locum for after-hours using the same method as they use for their permanent staff.
Does the employer provide accommodation?
As a general rule practices in the city very rarely have accommodation on offer. Country practices are more likely to.
Does the employer provide a car?
If a car is needed for work, employers will either pay the locum mileage for using their own car or provide a vehicle.
Does Vetlink set the rates that locums are paid?
No. When asked, we simply let the employers and candidates know the current market rates.
Last Updated: July 2024
DISCLAIMER: The above information is for guidance purposes only. Vetlink takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information, which is not intended as advice. The salary information is based on our experience rather than a salary survey. Vetlink is not responsible for the accuracy of the salary information.