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2026 Australian Healthcare Salary & Rates Guide

GP day rates, nurse agency rates, and permanent salary benchmarks — clearly split by on-hire / labour hire vs permanent.

Whether you're a practice manager benchmarking what a locum GP will cost, or a nurse weighing up agency versus permanent pay — this guide gives you the numbers you need without the runaround.

The 2026 guide covers, clearly separated by engagement type:

  • On-Hire / Labour Hire rates: Locum GP day rates by location (metro, regional, remote); RN and EN agency rates; PCW hourly rates for aged care
  • Permanent salary benchmarks: GP salary ranges by practice type and billing model; RN/EN/PCW permanent salary ranges
  • Aged care care-minute staffing cost modelling (RN, EN, PCW), covering both engagement types
  • IMG salary expectations for first-year Australian placements
  • Comparison: what on-hire / labour hire costs vs direct permanent hire

Updated: June 2026

Who uses this guide

GP practice owners and practice managers budgeting for on-hire (locum) cover or a permanent hire
Aged care DONs and facility managers benchmarking on-hire/agency costs against in-house rates
GPs and nurses assessing what on-hire (locum/agency) work pays vs permanent employment
Healthcare HR teams preparing recruitment budgets across both engagement types

A preview of what’s inside

Sample benchmarks from the 2026 guide

$2,200 – $3,200/day Locum GP (on-hire), regional NSW
$55 – $75/hour RN agency rate (on-hire), aged care night shift
$250k – $320k Permanent GP salary, mixed billing metro
$32 – $42/hour Aged care PCW hourly (on-hire / agency)

Full benchmarks by state, setting, role, and engagement type in the guide.

Download the 2026 Guide

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