Regional Queensland
Regional recruitment specialist for Queensland employers, from Cairns to Toowoomba and Mount Isa. See how hard each region is to hire in, and how we help.
Dietitian recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help hospitals, aged-care providers, community health services, NDIS providers and private practices across regional Australia hire dietitians, from new graduates to senior and lead dietitians. Credentialing, the caseload and the travel are part of the brief from the first conversation.
Dietitian hiring at a glance
Dietitian is not rated in shortage nationally, but job ads for nutrition professionals rose over the year, and regional employers carry a larger share of them than jobs overall.1,2
- national rating for Dietitian (ANZSCO 251111) in 2026
- Not in shortage
- Rated NS (no shortage) nationally on the ANZSCO 2022 sheet.1
- online job ads a month for nutrition professionals
- 129
- Three-month average to September 2026, up 9% from 118 a year earlier.3
- of those ads were for regional areas
- 35%
- 44 of 126 ads placed in a major city or regional area, against 29% for all jobs.2
What does a dietitian do, and what credential should they hold?
Dietitians apply the science of nutrition to help people understand the link between food and health, and to prevent and treat illness. The work includes assessing nutritional status, planning diets and menus, monitoring food intake, running nutrition programs and working with other health professionals on patients' dietary needs.4
Dietetics is not registered through Ahpra. The profession is self-regulated through Dietitians Australia, whose regulatory council sets credentialing standards and oversees complaints.6 The Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) credential is the national credential: APDs log 30 hours of professional development a year and maintain recent practice hours, and APDs with a provider number can offer Medicare and DVA rebates.7
Which credential and checks does a dietitian need in each state?
The APD credential is national. The check for work with children is set by each state, and Queensland's exemption covers registered health practitioners only, so a dietitian providing health services to children there needs a blue card.8
Credential and each jurisdiction's check for work with children, as published by the issuers on 1 November 2026.
| State or territory | Registration or credential | Check for work with children |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | No Ahpra registration; Accredited Practising Dietitian credential, Dietitians Australia7 | Working with Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian9 |
| Victoria | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Working with Children Clearance10 |
| Queensland | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Blue card needed for health services to children8 |
| Western Australia | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Working with Children Check, Department of Communities11 |
| South Australia | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Working with Children Check, Department of Human Services12 |
| Tasmania | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People13 |
| Northern Territory | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)14 |
| Australian Capital Territory | No Ahpra registration; APD credential | Working with Vulnerable People registration15 |
What does a dietitian earn?
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award lists dietetics at AQF level 7, 8 or 9, and the level of the qualification the dietitian holds sets the rate. From 1 October 2026 a first-year dietitian's full-time minimum runs from $1,308.80 a week at AQF level 7 to $1,444.90 at AQF level 9. The award covers health-industry employers and any employer engaging a health professional in its classifications; employees under a state public sector award are outside it.5
Nutrition professionals, a group that includes dietitians and nutritionists, had median full-time earnings of $1,667 a week, or $45 an hour, in May 2025, nationally.4 We agree the salary and any travel allowance with you before we approach candidates.
Health Professional employee Level 1 full-time minimum rates by the AQF level of the qualification held, from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026.5
| Classification | Minimum a week | Minimum an hour |
|---|---|---|
| AQF level 7, 1st year | $1,308.805 | $34.44 |
| AQF level 8, 1st year | $1,337.10 | $35.19 |
| AQF level 9, 1st year | $1,444.90 | $38.02 |
| AQF level 7, 7th year and after | $1,689.50 | $44.46 |
Where are dietitians in demand?
Victoria carries the most nutrition professional ads, followed by New South Wales and Queensland. Western Australia doubled over the year, from 8 to 17 ads a month, and Queensland rose from 20 to 24.3
Regional ads rose from 36 to 44 a month. In 2021, 31.2% of employed dietitians lived in New South Wales and 25.5% in Victoria, so smaller states draw on a thin local pool.2,4
Online job ads for nutrition professionals by state and territory, three-month average to September 2026 and a year earlier.3
| State or territory | Job ads a month, September 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 453 | 47 |
| Queensland | 24 | 20 |
| New South Wales | 24 | 24 |
| Western Australia | 17 | 8 |
| South Australia | 12 | 11 |
| Northern Territory | 4 | 4 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 2 | 3 |
| Tasmania | 0 | 1 |
Which dietitian roles do we recruit?
Open a setting for the work, the credential and what to put in your brief.
Hospitals and health services
Dietitians for acute wards, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation and community health.
- The work
- Nutrition assessment and management, monitoring patients' intake and consulting with the care team on dietary needs.4
- Award position
- Private hospitals and health services usually fall under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award; state public sector award employees are outside it.5
- Credential
- Ask for APD status, which carries annual professional development and recent-practice requirements.7
- What to tell us
- Wards and clinics covered, enteral and parenteral nutrition work, outreach clinics, and the supervision on offer.
Aged care
Dietitians for residential aged-care homes and aged-care groups.
- The work
- Planning diets and menus, supervising meal preparation and calculating the nutritional value of food served.4
- Credential
- APD status is the national credential for dietitians.7
- Shortage
- Dietitian is not rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1
- What to tell us
- Number of homes and residents, menu review and malnutrition screening work, visiting or employed model, and travel between sites.
Private practice, community and NDIS
Dietitians for private practices, community health and disability providers.
- The work
- Nutrition education and counselling, and planning and evaluating nutrition programs for groups and communities.4
- Funding
- APDs with a provider number can offer Medicare and DVA rebates, and APDs are recognised by many private health insurers.7
- Checks
- Child clients bring each state's check for work with children; Queensland needs a blue card for health services to children.8
- What to tell us
- Client groups, billing mix, feeding and swallowing work with the wider team, and home visits.
How we help you hire a dietitian
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Sole positions, outreach and relocation
Tell us whether the dietitian will be the only one on staff, which hospital, aged-care and outreach sites the role covers, and what professional support and supervision you provide for clinical advice.
We search first among dietitians who already live in or have ties to your region, then among those planning a move. Relocation help and housing support matter most in that second group. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for a dietitian role in the regions?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us your APD status, the settings and client groups you have worked with, and where you would like to work. New graduate and experienced dietitians are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next dietitian hire
Tell us the role, the setting, the location and your start date.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Do dietitians need to be registered with Ahpra?
No. Dietetics is self-regulated through Dietitians Australia, and the Accredited Practising Dietitian credential is the national standard.6 APDs complete 30 hours of professional development a year, and APDs with a provider number can offer Medicare and DVA rebates.7 Hire Australia asks every candidate about their APD status.
What does a dietitian earn under the award?
From 1 October 2026, where the Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers the role, a first-year dietitian earns at least $1,308.80 a week at AQF level 7, or $1,444.90 at AQF level 9.5 Nutrition professionals had a national median of $1,667 a week in May 2025.4 Hire Australia discusses your pay range before the search starts.
Can a new graduate dietitian take a regional role?
Yes. A graduate of an accredited Australian dietetics degree can join the APD Program directly within three years of graduating.7 Hire Australia recruits new graduate dietitians when the employer can offer supervision or access to a senior dietitian, and we tell candidates who will support them.
Are dietitians hard to find for regional roles?
Dietitian is not rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1 Even so, regional areas carried 35% of nutrition professional job ads with a location in the three months to September 2026.2 Hire Australia starts each regional search with dietitians who have ties to your area.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. The same terms apply to every dietitian role Hire Australia recruits, from new graduates to lead dietitians.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.
Sources (15)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO 2022 sheet). National ratings for 6-digit ANZSCO 2022 occupations, October 2026. S shortage, R regional shortage, NS no shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by remoteness (major cities and regional), September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026; SA4 regions grouped as major city or regional. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026 (released 21 October 2026), rounded. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026 (occupation descriptions, earnings and employment). Median full-time earnings: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, national; 4-digit occupation groups. Employment: February 2026, trend. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027], clause 17 and Schedule B. Rates from 1 October 2026 (PR814029), as in the pay guide of 22 October 2026. Coverage: clause 4; state public sector awards excluded. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Dietitians Australia, Dietitian and Nutritionist Regulatory Council. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Dietitians Australia, Apply to become an Accredited Practising Dietitian (credentialing of dietitians). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Blue Card Services, Queensland Government, Blue cards for health, counselling and support services (last updated 19 August 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Office of the Children's Guardian, Working with Children Check. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Working with Children Check Victoria, Victorian Government, Working with Children Check (Working with Children Clearance). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Communities, Government of Western Australia, Department of Communities (WA), Working with Children Check (last updated 22 September 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Human Services, South Australia, SA.GOV.AU, Screening checks (Working with Children Check; last updated 29 June 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Justice, Tasmania, Department of Justice (Tasmania), Registration to Work with Vulnerable People. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- SAFE NT, Northern Territory Government, NT.GOV.AU, Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card): apply and renew. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Access Canberra, ACT Government, Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) scheme. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑