How to Become a Casual Relief Teacher in Victoria: A Guide for 2023

Interested in becoming a casual relief teacher in Victoria? Here’s everything you need to know from what to study, where to find work, relief teacher pay, and more. 

How to Become a Casual Relief Teacher in Victoria 

So you’ve decided that you want to become a casual relief teacher in Victoria—congrats! You’re almost ready to join thousands of dedicated professionals across the state making a difference in the lives of students. Before you can do that, though, there are some criteria you will need to tick off to make sure that you are ready to step into the classroom. For those interested in relief teaching in Melbourne and other parts of Victoria, the training and certification is the same as that for full-time classroom teachers. Here’s what you will need to do before you can become a casual relief teacher in Victoria.

Gain your Teaching Qualifications 

In order to work as a casual relief teacher in Victoria, you first have to gain the necessary qualifications. This is either a four-year Bachelor of Education, or some combination of a double degree or bachelor’s degree, followed by postgraduate study that is an approved initial teacher education course, or ITE. Here is a full list of courses that are ITE approved.  

Register as a Teacher 

All teachers in Victoria—including casual relief teachers—must complete their registration before they can begin teaching. Relief teachers in Victoria don’t have their own category for registration, and instead can apply for either provisional or full registration depending on their experience. Here is an overview of the requirements for each registration category: 

Provisional Registration

Provisional registration is generally for recent graduates and those re-entering the industry after an extended break. Provisional registration is for those who can demonstrate their teaching qualifications but have not taught for 80 days in the past 5 years and who can’t demonstrate proficiency in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).  

Full Registration 

Full registration is for teachers who can demonstrate the above, have taught for a minimum of 80 days in the past 5 years, and have met the APST at the proficient level.  

Here is more information on registration requirements for teachers in Victoria.  

Maintain your Professional Development 

All casual relief teachers in Victoria who have full registration must complete at least 20 hours of professional development each year to maintain their registration. The definition for what constitutes professional development for teachers in VIC is fairly broad, and can include anything from seminars, conferences, workshops and online learning. Whatever professional learning you choose to do, it must be in line with the APST. Read on to learn about cost effective online PD options designed for relief teachers.  

Learn more about the professional development requirements for teachers in Victoria.  

Casual Relief Teacher Pay Victoria 

Casual teacher rates in Victoria are on an hourly basis, starting at $67.52 per hour, up to a daily maximum rate of $405.13. Per the state government, casual relief teachers in Victoria must be paid for a minimum of 3 hours work on any one day. While this information is correct for Victorian public schools as of May 2023, casual teacher pay rates in Victoria are set to rise on the 1st of July 2023 to an hourly rate of $68.20 and a maximum daily rate of $409.18. Independent schools may also offer different rates of pay to casual teachers. More information on casual teacher rates in Victoria.  

Casual Relief Teacher Jobs Melbourne and Victoria 

Once you have gained your accreditation to work as a casual relief teacher in Victoria, you’re ready to go out there and find work. For those looking for casual relief teaching jobs in Melbourne and the rest of the state, there are three main ways to do it. 

Reach out to schools directly 

The original way for casual relief teachers to find work is of course to connect with schools directly, either by giving them a call or stopping by in person to drop off a CV. These days, while there are a lot of alternatives that can save time for teachers, some people still choose to reach out to schools directly to build relationships. While there is something to be said for introducing yourself in person, the time it takes to physically reach out to multiple schools can be cumbersome and put you on the back foot when you are trying to find work quickly.  

Work with an agency 

Another solution to find work is by partnering with an agency. While these businesses can make life easier by finding work for relief teachers, they typically take a percentage of the teacher’s daily rate as a finders fee. If you do opt to sign up with a teaching agency, it’s a good idea to read your contract thoroughly as many agencies lock teachers in and prevent them from finding and accepting work elsewhere for example, if a school directly offered you an extended contract.  

Connect with schools near you on ClassCover 

ClassCover was launched over 10 years ago by two former teachers who wanted to create a better way to connect casual relief teachers with schools. These days, tens of thousands of relief teachers in Victoria and around Australia use ClassCover on a daily basis to find and book work. The platform is completely free for teachers, meaning you will always be paid your full rate for every day you teach. 

So how does it work?  

The first thing you need to do is create your free teacher profile — click here to do that. Once you have completed your profile there are two ways to connect with new schools. 

Reach out to schools in your area 

Once you have created your teacher profile, you’re ready to start connecting with schools in your area. From the Find New Schools page, browse the list of schools near you or filter by post code, school name and more. 

Here’s what it looks like searching for schools in Melbourne: