Locum doctor rates, April to June 2026

As Zeep celebrates nine years of supporting Australia’s locum doctors, we’d like to thank the thousands of clinicians who have trusted us throughout that journey. Your continued support has helped shape one of Australia’s leading medical workforce communities, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.

The April to June quarter saw locum demand continue its seasonal winter rise, with consultant, registrar and resident vacancies all increasing compared with the previous quarter. Overall demand is now well ahead of the same period in 2025, reinforcing that workforce pressures across Australia’s public hospitals remain significant. Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, Psychiatry and Surgery all recorded particularly strong activity, while Obstetrics & Gynaecology continued to offer attractive opportunities despite demand returning to more typical levels following an exceptionally busy start to the year.

Consultant pay rates remained largely unchanged across the quarter and continue to sit near historic highs. Registrar rates continued their steady upward trajectory, reflecting ongoing competition for experienced middle-grade doctors. Anaesthetics remained one of the highest-paying specialties, averaging $2,862 per day, while several procedural specialties maintained consistently strong remuneration.

As demand continues to grow, hospitals are placing greater emphasis on efficient credentialing and faster onboarding. That’s why Zeep continues to invest in Easy Sign, our digital credentialing platform designed specifically for locum doctors. Easy Sign securely stores your credentials, pre-populates documentation, reduces repetitive paperwork and helps you become work-ready faster, giving you more time to focus on patients and less time completing forms.

The data is compiled from information sent to Zeep by hospitals and is indicative only. All daily rates are an average of 8 hours worked. Zeep Medical makes no warranty, representation or statement, express or implied, about the accuracy, availability, completeness or usefulness of the information, and accepts no legal liability or responsibility for any loss or damage arising from its supply or use.

Corrected 27 October 2026: the middle-50% ranges for Intensive Care, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Surgery residents are now weighted by days, to match the averages.