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.
Occupational therapist recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help NDIS providers, hospitals, community health services, aged-care providers and private practices across regional Australia hire occupational therapists, from new graduates to senior clinicians and team leaders. We build the client group, the funding and reporting work and the travel into the search from day one.
Occupational therapy hiring at a glance
Occupational therapists remain in shortage even though job ads have eased over the past year. Across health care and social assistance, 44% of recruiting employers had difficulty hiring in their most recent recruitment round (September quarter 2026).1
- national rating for Occupational Therapist (ANZSCO 252411) in 2026
- Shortage
- In shortage means rated S (shortage) or R (regional shortage).2
- online job ads a month for occupational therapists
- 1,464
- Three-month average to September 2026, down 9% from 1,610 a year earlier.3
- of those ads were for regional areas
- 31%
- 435 of 1,414 ads placed in a major city or regional area.4
What does an occupational therapist do, and which qualification do they hold?
Occupational therapists assess the functional limits that illness and disability cause, and provide therapy so people can manage their daily activities and work. They assess people's capabilities at home, at work and at school, recommend changes to those environments, provide equipment such as wheelchairs and splints, and contribute specialist advice in areas such as driver rehabilitation and compensation cases.5
Occupational therapists must be registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia and meet its registration standards to practise.7 Graduates of approved programs must be registered before they start work as an occupational therapist.8 Registration is national, so an OT moving interstate keeps the same registration.
Which registration and checks does an occupational therapist need in each state?
Many occupational therapy roles involve children, through paediatrics, schools and the NDIS. Each state runs its own check for that work. Queensland exempts a registered occupational therapist working in their professional role from the blue card.9 The ACT does not require WWVP registration where the only work with vulnerable people is in a job requiring Ahpra registration.10
National registration and each jurisdiction's check for work with children, as published by the regulators on 1 November 2026.
| State or territory | Registration | Check for work with children |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Occupational Therapy Board of Australia7 | Working with Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian11 |
| Victoria | National registration | Working with Children Clearance12 |
| Queensland | National registration | Not needed for a registered occupational therapist in their professional role9 |
| Western Australia | National registration | Working with Children Check, Department of Communities13 |
| South Australia | National registration | Working with Children Check, Department of Human Services14 |
| Tasmania | National registration | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People15 |
| Northern Territory | National registration | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)16 |
| Australian Capital Territory | National registration | Not needed where the only work with vulnerable people is in a job requiring Ahpra registration; check other duties and NDIS worker clearance10 |
What does an occupational therapist earn?
The award minimum for occupational therapists changed on 1 October 2026. Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, occupational therapy is an AQF level 7 profession, so the full-time minimum starts at $1,308.80 a week ($34.44 an hour) for a first-year OT and reaches $1,689.50 ($44.46 an hour) from the seventh year. Senior roles classified at Level 2.1 start at $1,945.40 a week.6
These minimums apply where the award covers the role, which includes health-industry employers and any employer engaging a health professional in the award's classifications; employees under a state public sector award are outside it.6 Occupational therapists' median full-time earnings were $1,913 a week, or $50 an hour, in May 2025, nationally.5
Where are occupational therapists in demand?
New South Wales has the most occupational therapy job ads, ahead of Victoria and Queensland. Ads fell in five states over the year, with Queensland down from 343 to 274 a month, while New South Wales held steady and South Australia and the ACT rose.3 Regional areas accounted for 31% of ads with a location, against 29% for all jobs.4
Online job ads for occupational therapists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 4303 | 427 |
| Victoria | 354 | 406 |
| Queensland | 274 | 343 |
| Western Australia | 164 | 189 |
| South Australia | 136 | 129 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 42 | 37 |
| Tasmania | 33 | 39 |
| Northern Territory | 32 | 39 |
Which occupational therapy roles do we recruit?
Open a setting for the work, the checks and what to put in your brief.
NDIS and disability
OTs for NDIS providers and disability services, working with adults and children.
- The work
- Assessing functional capacity, prescribing equipment and recommending home changes, and advising families and carers on adapting the environment.5
- Checks
- Child clients bring each state's check for child-related work. Queensland exempts a registered OT in their professional role from the blue card,9 and the ACT does not require WWVP registration where the only such work is in a job requiring Ahpra registration; NDIS worker clearance is checked separately.10
- Registration
- National registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.7
- What to tell us
- Client ages and disability types, the assessments and reports the role writes, assistive technology and home modification work, and travel between clients.
Paediatrics and schools
OTs for early intervention, paediatric clinics and school-based services.
- The work
- Assessing developmental and physical capabilities with clinical observation and standardised tests, and advising teachers and parents on adapting the school and home.5
- Shortage
- Occupational Therapist is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.2
- What to tell us
- Age groups, clinic or school-based delivery, group programs, sensory and fine-motor focus, and the supervision on offer for a newer OT.
Hospital, rehabilitation and aged care
OTs for wards, rehabilitation units, community health and residential aged care.
- The work
- Assessing clients' functional potential, planning therapy programs and working with other health professionals in each client's case management.5
- Award position
- Private hospitals and aged-care providers in the health industry are usually under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award; state public sector award employees are outside it.6
- Registration
- National registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.7
- What to tell us
- Wards or programs, discharge planning and home visits, falls and pressure care work, and the seniority you need.
Workplace rehabilitation and driving
OTs for injury management, return-to-work and driver assessment.
- The work
- Providing specialist advice for client groups such as driver rehabilitation, third-party compensation and medico-legal cases.5
- Award position
- Where the employer engages a health professional in the award's classifications, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award can apply outside the health industry.6
- Registration
- National registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.7
- What to tell us
- Insurer or scheme clients, report turnaround, worksite visits and travel, and any driver-assessment qualification the role needs.
How we help you hire an occupational therapist
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel, caseloads and relocation for regional OT roles
Tell us the area the role covers, how often it includes home and school visits, whether a car is supplied and how travel time is counted in the caseload. We raise these with candidates in the first conversation.
We search first among occupational therapists who already live in or have ties to your region, then among those planning a move. Relocation help and housing support make a real difference in that second group. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for an occupational therapy role in the regions?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us your registration, the client groups and settings you have worked with, and where you would like to work. New graduate and experienced occupational therapists are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next occupational therapy hire
Tell us the role, the clients, 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.
What does an occupational therapist earn under the award?
From 1 October 2026, where the Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers the role, a full-time occupational therapist earns at least $1,308.80 a week in their first year and $1,689.50 from the seventh year.6 The national median for occupational therapists was $1,913 a week in May 2025.5 Hire Australia discusses your pay range before the search starts.
Are occupational therapists hard to recruit in regional Australia?
Occupational Therapist is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.2 Job ads eased to 1,464 a month in the three months to September 2026, and 435 of them were for regional areas.3,4 Hire Australia starts each regional OT search with people who have ties to your area and plans around your start date.
Does Hire Australia recruit occupational therapists for NDIS providers?
Yes. Hire Australia recruits occupational therapists for NDIS and disability providers, as well as hospitals, aged care, schools and private practices. We ask about the client ages, the reports the role writes and the travel involved, and we raise the right check for work with children in your state with every candidate.11
Can a new graduate occupational therapist work in a regional role?
Yes. A graduate of an approved program can work as an occupational therapist once registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.8 Hire Australia recruits new graduate occupational therapists when the employer can offer supervision and a manageable caseload, and we tell candidates who will supervise them.
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 occupational therapy role Hire Australia recruits, from new graduates to team leaders.
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 (16)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey, September 2026 data file. Recruitment difficulty rate: recruiting employers who had difficulty hiring in their most recent round in the previous month; September quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- 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 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, 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, 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 ↑
- Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, Registration. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, New graduates. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Blue Card Services, Queensland Government, Blue cards for registered health practitioners (last updated 3 September 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Access Canberra, ACT Government, Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) scheme. 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 ↑