New graduate OT, speech pathology and physio jobs in Queensland: timing, entry pay and what to ask

Queensland Health’s new graduate pathway page says allied health new graduate positions are usually advertised between September and January, mostly for an early-year start, and each Hospital and Health Service sets its own dates. A graduate in a Queensland Health role starts at HP3.0, A$83,824 a year from 1 September 2026; in private practice the legal floor is the award’s A$1,308.80 a week (from 1 October 2026), about A$68,058 a year.

I’m a physio who has been a senior clinician responsible for other clinicians, and I now run a multi-site paediatric allied health practice in South East Queensland. Your first job shapes how fast you grow, so this page covers the timing, the pay and the questions worth asking.

Timing: apply earlier than you think

• Queensland Health grad rounds close months before you start. Positions are usually advertised between September and January for an early-year start. For example, the graduate OT (HP3) roles for a first year of practice in 2026 closed on 26 September 2025. The Metro South New Graduate Physiotherapist 2027 intake (12-month positions starting late January to early February 2027, for students finishing an approved physio degree in 2026) has already closed. The West Moreton Allied Health Graduate Program in Mental Health (a 2-year program that includes OT and speech pathology, starting February 2027) has also closed.
• Each service runs its own process. The September to January window comes from Queensland Health’s Allied Health First Nations new graduate pathway page, which describes hospitals and health services across Queensland. Treat it as a usual pattern, not a fixed rule. Metro North says not all of its allied health services have a graduate intake, and points to the Queensland Government graduate portal.
• Private practices set their own timing. They aren’t tied to the Queensland Health cycle, so a missed grad round isn’t the only door.

Work rights. Eligibility wording differs between the Queensland Government graduate portal and some programs; see graduate programs and work rights before you apply on a temporary visa.

What each profession needs before day one

• Occupational therapists: apply to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (through Ahpra) online in your final year. The Board’s advice (in a 2018 news item) is to apply 4 to 6 weeks before you’re due to finish; Ahpra finalises it once your university confirms you’re eligible to graduate. You can’t practise or call yourself an OT until your name is on the public register. Fees from 1 October 2026: A$250 application plus A$138 registration (A$130 in NSW). If you graduated from an approved program within the last 2 years, the recency of practice standard doesn’t apply to your first registration.
• Speech pathologists: you’re not registered with Ahpra. You join Speech Pathology Australia as a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with provisional status, applying as soon as you have your course completion documents. An 18-month new graduate membership is available if you apply between 1 December and 31 May (one year if you apply between 1 June and 30 November). To reach full Certified Practising status you need, within 3 years of finishing your degree: at least 12 months on provisional status, at least 200 practice hours (SPA says its new-graduate rules are changing, so check its new graduate page for the requirements that apply to you), 12 or more hours of supervision or mentoring (at least 6 one-to-one), and ethics and evidence-based practice education. You also need 20 hours of CPD a year.
• Physiotherapists: apply to the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (through Ahpra) in your final year, again 4 to 6 weeks before you finish (2018 Board news), and you can’t practise until you’re on the register. Fees from 1 October 2026: A$452 application plus A$220 registration (A$200 in NSW), so budget more than an OT friend would. Later, at each renewal, you declare that you meet the Board’s recency standard (450 hours in 3 years or 150 hours in the previous registration year); its page doesn’t state a new-graduate exemption.

Entry pay

On top of salary, your employer pays super of at least 12%. A Queensland Health graduate program advert quotes 12.75% super and 17.5% leave loading. Some older grad adverts still quote lower, pre-September 2026 salaries; the current HP3.0 rate is A$83,824. For the full tables and the rest of the package, see pay by setting.

Supervision: what’s required, and what’s a good-employer choice

For speech pathologists, Speech Pathology Australia sets a mentoring requirement: 12 or more hours (at least 6 one-to-one) during your provisional period, so your employer’s support directly affects when you reach full Certified Practising status. For OTs and physios, this page doesn’t rely on a Board supervision rule, so ask each employer what supervision it provides and get the answer in writing rather than assuming it.

What to ask any employer

1. Who supervises me, how often, and is it protected time? Ask for it in hours a week or a fortnight, and whether your supervisor is in your profession.
2. What’s the caseload or client-hours target in my first 3, 6 and 12 months?
3. Is there a graduate or early-career program, or will I be the only new grad?
4. What’s the professional development budget and leave, and is it in writing?
5. Speech pathologists: will this role give me the practice hours and mentoring I need to move from provisional to full Certified Practising status within 3 years? And if the role involves Medicare work, will I get a Medicare provider number while I’m on provisional status?
6. Am I an employee? As a new graduate, a genuine contractor arrangement means no paid leave or award minimum, though super may still apply if you’re paid mainly for your labour. See contractor or employee.

Your next step

• OTs: check your OT Board application date against your course end date.
• Speech pathologists: check when to apply to SPA to get the 18-month new graduate membership, and which employers can support your provisional hours and mentoring.
• Physios: check your Physiotherapy Board application date and budget for the fees.

If you’ve missed a grad round or want to compare a private role with a public one, a confidential chat is a quick way to see what’s open. Tell us what you’re after below.