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.
Podiatrist recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help private practices, community health services, aged-care providers and hospitals across regional Australia hire podiatrists, from new graduates to senior clinicians and practice leads. Registration, endorsements and the clinic and visiting mix are covered in the brief from the first conversation.
Podiatrist hiring at a glance
Podiatrist is rated in shortage nationally for 2026. Regional job ads fell over the year while major-city ads rose.1,2
- national rating for Podiatrist (ANZSCO 252611) in 2026
- Shortage
- Rated S (shortage) nationally on the ANZSCO 2022 sheet.1
- online job ads a month for podiatrists
- 216
- Three-month average to September 2026, against 222 a year earlier.3
- of those ads were for regional areas
- 32%
- 67 of 208 ads placed in a major city or regional area, down from 80 regional ads a year earlier.2
What does a podiatrist do, and which registration do they hold?
Podiatrists prevent, diagnose and treat disorders of the feet. They examine and treat foot problems caused by conditions such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease and arthritis, prescribe footwear and orthoses, perform minor surgery and advise patients on continuing foot care.5
All podiatrists and surgical podiatrists must be registered with the Podiatry Board of Australia. Podiatric surgeons hold specialist registration.6 An endorsement for scheduled medicines identifies podiatrists with the additional qualifications to prescribe or use those medicines, so ask about it if the role needs it.7
Which registration and checks does a podiatrist need in each state?
Registration is national. Checks for work with children are run by each state; Queensland exempts a registered podiatrist working in their professional role from the blue card.8 The ACT does not require WWVP registration where the only work with vulnerable people is in a job requiring Ahpra registration.9
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 | General registration, Podiatry Board of Australia6 | Working with Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian10 |
| Victoria | General registration (national) | Working with Children Clearance11 |
| Queensland | General registration (national) | Not needed for a registered podiatrist in their professional role8 |
| Western Australia | General registration (national) | Working with Children Check, Department of Communities12 |
| South Australia | General registration (national) | Working with Children Check, Department of Human Services13 |
| Tasmania | General registration (national) | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People14 |
| Northern Territory | General registration (national) | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)15 |
| 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 clearance9 |
What does a podiatrist earn?
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award lists podiatry at AQF level 7. From 1 October 2026 the full-time minimum rises with experience, from $1,308.80 a week in the first year to $1,689.50 from the seventh year at Level 1.4 The award covers health-industry employers, including private podiatry practices, and any employer engaging a health professional in its classifications; employees under a state public sector award are outside it.4
No national median earnings figure is published for podiatrists, so we benchmark each offer against the award, the local market and what the role asks of the person.5 If your practice pays a share of billings on top of salary, tell us how it works.
Health Professional employee Level 1, AQF level 7, full-time minimum rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026.4
| Experience at Level 1 | Minimum a week | Minimum an hour |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $1,308.804 | $34.44 |
| 2nd and 3rd years | $1,409.00 | $37.08 |
| 4th to 6th years | $1,565.30 | $41.19 |
| 7th year and after | $1,689.50 | $44.46 |
Where are podiatrists in demand?
Victoria carries the most podiatry ads, ahead of Queensland and New South Wales, and Queensland rose from 41 to 48 a month over the year. Western Australia fell from 19 to 10.3
Victoria also has the largest share of the workforce, with 35.8% of employed podiatrists in February 2026.5 Regional ads fell to 67 a month while major-city ads rose, against a 29% regional share for all jobs.2
Online job ads for podiatrists 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 | 773 | 73 |
| Queensland | 48 | 41 |
| New South Wales | 42 | 46 |
| South Australia | 24 | 28 |
| Western Australia | 10 | 19 |
| Tasmania | 7 | 4 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 4 | 5 |
| Northern Territory | 3 | 6 |
Which podiatry roles do we recruit?
Open a setting for the work, the registration and what to put in your brief.
Private practice
Podiatrists for general and sports podiatry practices and multi-site clinics.
- The work
- Examining feet, prescribing and fitting pads, supports and orthoses, and advising patients on continuing care.5
- Registration
- General registration with the Podiatry Board of Australia.6
- Shortage
- Podiatrist is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1
- What to tell us
- Patient mix, nail surgery and orthotic work, pay structure (salary or billings share), satellite clinics and the support staff on site.
Community health and aged care
Podiatrists for community health services, high-risk foot clinics and aged-care visiting.
- The work
- Examining and treating foot problems caused by diabetes, vascular disorders and arthritis, and referring to and from medical practitioners.5
- Award position
- Health-industry employers are usually under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award at AQF level 7; state public sector award employees are outside it.4
- Checks
- Queensland exempts registered podiatrists in their professional role from the blue card; other states run their own schemes.8
- What to tell us
- High-risk foot and wound work, home and aged-care visits, outreach days and vehicle arrangements.
Hospital and surgical podiatry
Podiatrists and podiatric surgeons for hospitals and day-surgery settings.
- The work
- Performing minor surgery to remove and improve abnormal conditions, and working with medical practitioners on referrals.5
- Specialist registration
- Podiatric surgeons hold specialist registration with the Podiatry Board.6
- Endorsement
- An endorsement for scheduled medicines shows additional qualifications for prescribing.7
- What to tell us
- Theatre access, the procedures the role covers, the endorsement you need and on-call duties.
How we help you hire a podiatrist
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Clinic days, visiting work and relocation
Tell us how the week splits between the main clinic, satellite towns and aged-care or home visits, the travel time, and whether the practice supplies a vehicle and equipment for visits. We raise these with candidates in the first conversation.
We search first among podiatrists 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 podiatry role in the regions?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us your registration and any endorsement, the settings you have worked in, and where you would like to work. New graduate and experienced podiatrists are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next podiatrist hire
Tell us the role, the clinic, 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 registration does a podiatrist need?
All podiatrists and surgical podiatrists must be registered with the Podiatry Board of Australia, and podiatric surgeons hold specialist registration.6 An endorsement for scheduled medicines shows additional prescribing qualifications.7 Hire Australia asks every candidate about their registration type and any endorsement before an interview.
What does a podiatrist earn under the award?
From 1 October 2026, where the Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers the role, a full-time podiatrist earns at least $1,308.80 a week in the first year and $1,689.50 from the seventh year.4 If you pay above the award or add a billings share, Hire Australia puts that to candidates early and discusses your pay structure before the search starts.
Are podiatrists hard to recruit in regional Australia?
Podiatrist is rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1 Regional podiatry ads fell to 67 a month in the three months to September 2026 while city ads rose.2 Hire Australia starts each regional search with podiatrists who have ties to your area and plans around your start date.
Can a new graduate podiatrist work in a regional practice?
Yes. A new graduate needs general registration with the Podiatry Board before starting.6 Hire Australia recruits new graduate podiatrists when the practice can offer mentoring from an experienced podiatrist, and we tell candidates how their first months will be supported, including visiting and solo days.
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 podiatry role Hire Australia recruits, from new graduates to practice leads.
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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Podiatry Board of Australia, Registration and endorsement. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Podiatry Board of Australia, Endorsement for scheduled medicines. 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 ↑