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.
Paramedic recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help private ambulance and patient transport operators, event and industrial medical services, health services and remote-area providers across regional Australia hire registered paramedics and intensive care paramedics. Registration, the roster and the distances involved are part of the brief from the first conversation.
Paramedic hiring at a glance
Ambulance Officer and Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic are both rated in shortage nationally for 2026. Most of the workforce is in the eastern states, so roles elsewhere may need someone willing to move.1,2
- national rating for Ambulance Officer (ANZSCO 411111) and Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic (ANZSCO 411112) in 2026
- Shortage
- Both rated S (shortage) nationally on the ANZSCO 2022 sheet.1
- people employed as ambulance officers and paramedics
- 27,100
- Australia, February 2026.2
- of job ads with a location were for regional areas
- 38%
- 22 of 58 ambulance officers and paramedics ads placed in a major city or regional area, three months to September 2026.3
What does a paramedic do, and what registration do they need?
Paramedics attend accidents, emergencies and requests for medical help and provide pre-hospital care. They assess patients, give therapies and drugs under clinical protocols, resuscitate and defibrillate, operate life-support equipment and transport patients to hospital. Intensive care paramedics provide a higher level of pre-hospital care.2
Since 1 December 2018 paramedics must be registered with the Paramedicine Board of Australia and meet its registration standards to practise. Registration is recognised in every state and territory, and registered paramedics appear on the public register.6 The employer checks the register before an offer.
Which registration and checks does a paramedic need in each state?
Registration is national. Checks for work with children are run by each state; Queensland exempts a registered paramedic working in their professional role from the blue card.7 The ACT does not require WWVP registration where the only work with vulnerable people is in a job requiring Ahpra registration.8
Registration and each jurisdiction's check for work with children, as published by the issuers on 1 November 2026.
| State or territory | Registration | Check for work with children |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | General registration, Paramedicine Board of Australia6 | Working with Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian9 |
| Victoria | General registration (national) | Working with Children Clearance10 |
| Queensland | General registration (national) | Not needed for a registered paramedic in their professional role7 |
| Western Australia | General registration (national) | Working with Children Check, Department of Communities11 |
| South Australia | General registration (national) | Working with Children Check, Department of Human Services12 |
| Tasmania | General registration (national) | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People13 |
| Northern Territory | General registration (national) | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)14 |
| Australian Capital Territory | General registration (national) | Not needed where the only work with vulnerable people is in a job requiring Ahpra registration; check other duties and NDIS worker clearance8 |
What does a paramedic earn?
The Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award covers employers in the ambulance and patient transport industry. It defines an Ambulance Officer or Ambulance Paramedic as holding a paramedic degree or equivalent accredited qualification, and excludes employees covered by a state public sector award.5 From 1 July 2026 the full-time minimum is $1,309.50 a week in year 1, rising to $1,326.90 in year 3.4
The national median for ambulance officers and paramedics was $2,852 a week, or $71 an hour, in May 2025.2 That median covers everyone in the group, including employees outside the award, so we benchmark each offer against the local market as well as the award.
Ambulance officer full-time minimum rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Paramedic skills and continuing education allowances, where they apply, are paid on top.4
| Ambulance officer | Minimum a week | Minimum an hour |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $1,309.504 | $34.46 |
| Year 2 | $1,319.50 | $34.72 |
| Year 3 | $1,326.90 | $34.92 |
Where are paramedics in demand?
Online job ads for ambulance officers and paramedics averaged 60 a month in the three months to September 2026, up from 54 a year earlier. New South Wales had the most, rising from 12 to 17 a month, while Western Australia fell from 17 to 12.15
Regional ads rose from 17 to 22 a month, so regional areas account for 38% of ads with a location, against 29% for all jobs.3 The numbers are small, so a single regional vacancy can take a targeted search.
Online job ads for ambulance officers and paramedics by state and territory, three-month average to September 2026 and a year earlier.15
| State or territory | Job ads a month, September 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1715 | 12 |
| Victoria | 13 | 11 |
| Western Australia | 12 | 17 |
| Queensland | 11 | 8 |
| South Australia | 3 | 1 |
| Northern Territory | 2 | 2 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 2 | 1 |
| Tasmania | 1 | 1 |
Which paramedic roles do we recruit?
Open a setting for the work, the registration and what to put in your brief.
Private ambulance and patient transport
Paramedics for private ambulance and patient transport operators.
- The work
- Assessment, treatment, care and transport of emergency and non-emergency patients in a pre-hospital setting.5
- Award position
- The Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award covers this industry, including on-hire employees working for a business in it.5
- Registration
- General registration with the Paramedicine Board of Australia.6
- What to tell us
- Emergency or non-emergency work, the roster and on-call pattern, vehicle and crew model, and the area covered.
Event, industrial and remote sites
Paramedics for event medical services, industrial sites and remote-area health.
- The work
- Attending public events where accidents may occur, providing pre-hospital care, and instructing community groups and essential service workers in first aid.2
- Shortage
- Ambulance Officer is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1
- Checks
- Queensland exempts a registered paramedic in their professional role from the blue card; other states run their own checks.7
- What to tell us
- Site type, whether the role is residential, FIFO or DIDO, its point of hire and roster, solo or team practice, the medication scope you need and any site inductions.
Intensive care and clinical support
Intensive care paramedics and senior clinicians.
- The work
- Intensive pre-hospital care for injured and seriously ill patients, and emergency transport to medical facilities.2
- Qualification
- Under the award an Intensive Care Paramedic has completed a Graduate Diploma of Health Science or equivalent accredited qualification and is paid the paramedic skills allowance.5
- Shortage
- Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1
- What to tell us
- Clinical support, education or audit duties, the team you lead, and how the role links with your medical governance.
How we help you hire a paramedic
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Rosters, distances and relocation
Tell us whether the role is residential, FIFO or DIDO, its point of hire and its roster, how often the person is on call, how far they drive, and whether housing is on site or in town. We put those in the brief.
We search first among paramedics 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 paramedic role in the regions?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us your registration, the settings and rosters you have worked, your clinical scope and where you would like to work. Graduate, experienced and intensive care paramedics are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next paramedic hire
Tell us the role, the setting, the roster, 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 paramedics need to be registered?
Yes. Since 1 December 2018 paramedics must be registered with the Paramedicine Board of Australia to practise, and registration is recognised in every state and territory.6 Registered paramedics appear on the public register, which you check before an offer. Hire Australia builds registration into the brief and asks every candidate about it.
Which award covers a paramedic?
The Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award covers employers in the ambulance and patient transport industry, but not employees under a state public sector award.5 From 1 July 2026 a full-time ambulance officer earns at least $1,309.50 a week in year 1, plus any paramedic skills allowance that applies.4 Hire Australia works through the award position with you before the search.
Do paramedics need a working with children check?
It depends on the state and the duties. Queensland exempts a registered paramedic in their professional role from the blue card,7 and the ACT does not require WWVP registration where the only such work is in a job requiring Ahpra registration.8 Other states run their own schemes. Hire Australia raises the right check for your state with each candidate.
Are paramedics hard to find for regional roles?
Yes. Ambulance Officer and Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic are both rated in shortage nationally for 2026,1 and there were only about 60 online job ads a month for ambulance officers and paramedics nationally.15 Hire Australia starts with paramedics who have ties to your area, then reaches those planning a move.
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 paramedic role Hire Australia recruits, from graduate paramedics to intensive care and senior clinicians.
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, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026, Table 6 (states and territories). Share of people employed, by state. 6-digit occupations: 2021 Census, place of usual residence; 4-digit: February 2026. 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 ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay guide, Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award [MA000098], published 8 July 2026. Ambulance officer / paramedic table; rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award 2020 [MA000098], clause 4 and Schedule A. Coverage clause 4.1–4.2 (ambulance and patient transport industry); 4.5(c) excludes state public sector award employees; A.1.1 defines Ambulance Officer/Ambulance Paramedic. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Paramedicine Board of Australia, Registration. 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 ↑
- 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 ↑