Locum vs Permanent Doctor Jobs in Australia

What Is Locum Work?

Locum tenens, commonly shortened to locum, refers to temporary or contract-based medical work. A locum doctor fills a position for a defined period, which may range from a single day to several months. Locum roles exist across virtually every specialty and setting in Australia, from metropolitan hospitals and general practices to regional and remote clinics.

Locum doctors are typically engaged on a sessional or daily rate rather than an annual salary. They may work through a recruitment agency, which handles placement, contracts, and often travel and accommodation logistics. Some doctors do locum work exclusively, while others take on locum shifts alongside a permanent role to supplement their income or broaden their clinical experience.

The demand for locum doctors in Australia remains consistently strong, driven by workforce shortages in certain regions and specialties, leave coverage requirements, and the natural fluctuations of staffing in both public and private healthcare facilities. You can explore current locum opportunities on our locum jobs page.

What Is Permanent Employment?

A permanent doctor position, whether full-time or part-time, involves an ongoing employment relationship with a hospital, health service, or practice. Permanent employees receive a regular salary, typically with entitlements such as annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, superannuation contributions, and access to professional development allowances.

In the public sector, permanent positions are usually governed by enterprise agreements or awards that set out pay scales, conditions, and progression pathways. In private practice, arrangements vary more widely and may include a base salary, a percentage of billings, or a combination of the two.

Permanent employment provides a degree of predictability and security that locum work does not. It also tends to offer clearer pathways for career progression, particularly within hospital systems where advancement through registrar, fellow, and consultant grades follows an established structure.

Flexibility and Autonomy

Flexibility is often cited as the primary advantage of locum work. As a locum, you have significant control over when, where, and how much you work. You can accept or decline assignments based on your preferences, take extended breaks between engagements, and experience a variety of clinical environments without committing to any single employer.

This level of autonomy is particularly appealing to doctors who value travel, who have family commitments that require a non-standard schedule, or who simply prefer the variety that comes with working across different settings. It can also be valuable during periods of career transition, allowing you to explore different specialties, locations, or practice types before making a longer-term commitment.

Permanent positions, by contrast, offer less day-to-day flexibility. Your roster, leave, and working hours are typically set by your employer, and changing them usually requires negotiation or formal approval. However, many permanent roles now offer part-time arrangements, job-sharing, and flexible rostering that provide a meaningful degree of work-life balance within a stable employment framework.

Earning Potential

Locum work generally offers higher hourly or daily rates than permanent positions. This premium reflects the temporary nature of the engagement, the absence of leave entitlements, and the fact that locum doctors often need to cover their own superannuation, insurance, and professional development costs. For doctors who work consistently, the gross income from locum work can be substantially higher than a comparable permanent salary.

However, the net financial picture is more nuanced. Permanent employees receive paid leave, employer superannuation contributions, and often other benefits such as salary packaging, professional development funding, and relocation allowances. When these benefits are factored in, the gap between locum and permanent remuneration narrows considerably. For a detailed breakdown of doctor remuneration across different settings, see our salary guides.

It is also worth considering income consistency. Locum income can fluctuate depending on the availability of assignments, seasonal demand, and your willingness to travel. Permanent employment provides a predictable pay cycle, which simplifies financial planning, mortgage applications, and long-term budgeting.

Career Progression

Permanent employment is generally more conducive to structured career progression. Within a hospital or health service, you can build a track record over time, develop relationships with colleagues and mentors, take on leadership roles, and access training positions and research opportunities that may not be available to locum doctors.

For doctors in training, permanent or fixed-term training positions are essential for meeting college requirements and progressing through fellowship programs. While some colleges accept locum experience in certain circumstances, the standard training pathway in most specialties is built around accredited positions within established departments.

That said, locum work offers its own form of professional development. Exposure to different clinical environments, patient populations, and practice styles can build clinical adaptability and breadth of experience. Many experienced doctors find that a period of locum work enriches their practice and broadens their professional perspective in ways that a single permanent role cannot.

Lifestyle Considerations

Your choice between locum and permanent work will significantly affect your lifestyle. Locum work can involve travel, temporary accommodation, and frequent adjustment to new teams and systems. Some doctors thrive on this variety, while others find it unsettling or isolating over time.

Permanent work, on the other hand, allows you to put down roots in a community, build lasting professional relationships, and establish a stable routine. For doctors with families, school-age children, or a preference for a settled home life, the predictability of permanent employment is often a decisive factor.

Leave entitlements also differ markedly. Permanent employees accrue annual leave, personal leave, and long service leave as part of their employment conditions. Locum doctors have the freedom to take time off between assignments, but that time is unpaid. Managing your own leave budget requires discipline and forward planning.

Professional Development and Support

Permanent employees typically have access to structured professional development programs, including funded conference attendance, study leave, and in-house education. Many employers also provide mentoring, supervision, and peer support as part of their employment framework.

Locum doctors are generally responsible for their own professional development. While the variety of clinical environments can itself be a learning experience, the lack of a consistent team and mentorship structure can make it harder to pursue sustained professional growth in a particular area.

Hybrid Approaches

It is worth noting that locum and permanent work are not mutually exclusive. Many doctors adopt a hybrid approach, maintaining a part-time permanent position while taking on locum shifts to supplement their income or satisfy a desire for variety. This can offer the best of both worlds: the security and progression of a permanent role, combined with the flexibility and earning potential of locum work.

Some employers are open to flexible arrangements that accommodate locum commitments, particularly in specialties or regions where workforce shortages make retention a priority. If a hybrid model appeals to you, it is worth discussing the possibility with your current or prospective employer, or with a recruiter who can help identify roles that support this kind of arrangement.

Who Suits Each Model?

Locum work tends to suit doctors who value flexibility and variety, who are comfortable with change, and who are at a career stage where structured progression is less of a priority. It can also be an excellent option for semi-retired doctors who wish to continue practising without the commitment of a permanent role, or for doctors exploring a new specialty or location.

Permanent employment tends to suit doctors who prioritise stability, career progression, and long-term financial planning. It is particularly well-suited to doctors in training, those building a reputation within a particular department or community, and those who prefer a consistent team environment.

How to Decide

There is no universally correct answer to the locum versus permanent question. The right choice depends on your individual circumstances, and it may change over the course of your career. Consider the following questions as a starting point:

• What are your primary career goals over the next two to five years?
• How important is income predictability to your financial situation?
• Do you have family or personal commitments that require a stable location?
• Are you in a training program that requires accredited positions?
• Do you value variety and new experiences, or consistency and depth?
• How comfortable are you managing your own tax, superannuation, and insurance?

If you are unsure, speaking with a medical recruiter can help you understand the current market for both locum and permanent roles in your specialty and preferred location. A good recruiter will help you weigh the options without pressure, and can provide insight into what other doctors in similar situations have chosen.