Early Childhood Teacher
How to Become an Early Childhood Teacher in Australia
If you wish to work as a teacher in Childcare and Kindergarten Centres, then this article explains what it takes to become an Early Childhood Teacher.
Early Childhood Teacher is an in demand occupation
Early Childhood Teachers is one of the most in demand occupations in Australia. Early Childhood Teachers teach very basic numeracy, literacy, music and art to pre-primary students (Students aged between 1 – 6 years old). Perhaps more important than teaching the students basic maths and language, is the promotion of young children’s social, emotional and physical development.
Early Childhood Teachers are in much more demand compared to primary or secondary teachers. The occupation of early childhood teacher is on the immigration MLTSSL and also on most state occupation lists (in normal times).
Employment Statistics
Some Employment Statistics for Early Childhood Teachers, as per Job Outlook:
The occupation of Early Childhood Teacher is expected to grow very strongly over the next 5 years.
The average weekly pay for an early childhood teacher is $1,488
98% of Early Childhood Teachers are female.
Finding Early Childhood Teacher Courses
What do you need to study to become an Early Childhood Teacher?
Teacher or Educator? A Quick Distinction
The terms are often used loosely, but under Australia's National Quality Framework they mean different things:
- Early Childhood Educators generally hold a Certificate III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care and work as group leaders or support staff in approved services.
- Early Childhood Teachers hold a bachelor degree (or higher) from an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) programme and are registered with a state or territory teacher regulatory authority. Teachers generally take on curriculum design, developmental assessment and programme leadership responsibilities, sit in a more senior position, and are the qualification specifically named on Australia's skilled migration occupation lists.
Quick Summary
Key differences between and Early childhood teacher or Early Childhood Worker
a higher role with more responsibility
often a more senior position above the Early Childcare Worker
requires relevant bachelor qualification or higher
a much higher salary
on the MLTSSL and many different state occupations lists
more visa opportunities compared to an Early Childhood Worker
Becoming an Early Childhood Teacher
Early Childhood Teachers plan and deliver learning for children roughly aged birth to five, supporting their early literacy, numeracy and social development in long day care centres, kindergartens and preschools. It's a degree-level profession, distinct from the Certificate III and Diploma-qualified early childhood educator roles found in the same settings, and it remains one of Australia's most consistently in-demand teaching occupations.
This guide sets out the qualification, placement, registration and job-search steps involved, along with where to check current course details and recognition requirements.
Early Childhood Teaching
The Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching prepare students as specialists in the teaching of children from birth to 12 years. You can work as a teacher in Australian Primary Schools and Kindergarten Centres.
Step 1: Choose an Approved Qualification
Two main study routes lead to registration as an Early Childhood Teacher:
Bachelor Route
A Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) or equivalent initial teacher education degree. This is generally a four-year, full-time programme (Western Australia has historically allowed some shorter accredited variations), combining coursework with embedded professional placements throughout the course.
Graduate Entry Route
For those who already hold a bachelor degree in another field, an accredited Graduate Diploma or Master of Teaching (Early Childhood). Duration varies by provider and by how much credit is given for prior study, so check the current course length directly.
Whichever route you choose, confirm the specific programme appears on AITSL's national list of accredited ITE programmes and, since these prepare teachers for centre-based early childhood settings, on ACECQA's list of approved early childhood teacher qualifications.
Course structures and entry requirements change between intakes, so treat the course pages above as the source of truth rather than this article.
Step 2: Complete Study and Placements
Accredited ITE programmes, at both bachelor and graduate level, build in a minimum amount of supervised professional experience in real early childhood settings, generally somewhere in the range of 60–100+ days depending on the provider and programme length.
Most students also need to pass the national literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education students (LANTITE) before they can graduate. Confirm the specific placement and assessment requirements with your chosen provider, as these are set at programme level.
Step 3: Check Registration Requirements
A completed qualification alone doesn't let you practise. You'll generally need to register with the teacher regulatory authority in the state or territory where you intend to work:
|
State/Territory |
Registering authority |
|
New South Wales |
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) |
|
Victoria |
Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) |
|
Queensland |
Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) |
|
Western Australia |
Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) |
|
South Australia |
Teachers Registration Board of South Australia |
|
Tasmania |
Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania |
|
Northern Territory |
Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory |
|
Australian Capital Territory |
ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) |
Requirements, fees and what settings are covered (for example, whether registration applies only to school-based roles or also to standalone early childhood services) vary between jurisdictions, so check directly with the relevant authority for your state, particularly if you plan to move between states later in your career.
Step 4: Seek Work
Once qualified and registered, Early Childhood Teachers can work across long day care centres, kindergartens, preschools and the early years of some primary schools, depending on the age range their qualification covers.
The occupation may also appear on some state and territory nomination lists from time to time, which can support job search in particular regions, so it's worth checking current listings when you're ready to apply for roles.
Employment and Salary Snapshot
According to Jobs and Skills Australia's occupation profile for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers (ANZSCO 241111), based on ABS Labour Force Survey and Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours data:
- Around 71,900 people were employed in the occupation, with annual employment growth of roughly 2,700 (JSA occupation profile, February 2026 data)
- Median full-time earnings were $1,906 a week (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) — noticeably above the $1,852 median across all occupations
- The workforce is heavily female-dominated, at around 95% (ABS Labour Force Survey, 2025)
Earnings and demand may vary by employer, location and experience, so treat these as national medians rather than a guarantee for any individual role.
Recognition and Migration Pathways
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) currently appears on Australia's skilled occupation lists, which generally opens both points-tested pathways (such as the 189, 190 and 491 visas) and employer-sponsored pathways (such as the 482 and 186 visas), subject to a positive skills assessment and the other standard visa requirements.
One important change for anyone researching this: since 7 December 2024, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is the assessing authority for this occupation for migration purposes, replacing AITSL (which remains the assessing authority for primary, secondary and other teaching occupations). If you're relying on older sources that name AITSL for early childhood teacher skills assessments, that information is now out of date.
For a full walkthrough of the assessment process,
See our Early Childhood Qualification Assessment guide. For a broader view of the visa options this occupation opens up, see our General Skilled Migration visa overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between an Early Childhood Teacher and an Early Childhood Educator?
Educators typically hold a Certificate III or Diploma and work as group leaders or support staff. Teachers hold a bachelor degree or higher from an accredited initial teacher education programme and are registered with a state or territory teaching authority, taking on curriculum design and programme leadership responsibilities.
What qualification do I need to become an Early Childhood Teacher?
Either a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) or equivalent ITE degree, generally four years full-time, or, if you already hold a bachelor degree in another field, an accredited Graduate Diploma or Master of Teaching (Early Childhood). Confirm the specific programme is on AITSL's national list of accredited ITE programmes and on ACECQA's list of approved early childhood teacher qualifications before enrolling.
Do I need to complete a practical placement?
Yes. Accredited programmes at both bachelor and graduate level include supervised professional experience in real early childhood settings, generally somewhere in the range of 60 to 100-plus days depending on the provider and programme length. Confirm exact placement hours with your chosen provider.
Is there a test I need to pass before I graduate?
Most students need to pass LANTITE, the national literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education students, before graduating.
Do I need to register as a teacher once I've qualified?
Yes. You'll generally need to register with the teacher regulatory authority in whichever state or territory you plan to work in, such as NESA in NSW or VIT in Victoria. Requirements, fees and which settings registration covers vary by jurisdiction, so check directly with the relevant authority, especially if you might move states later.
Can this qualification lead to a skilled visa in Australia?
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) currently appears on Australia's skilled occupation lists, which generally opens both points-tested pathways (such as 189, 190 and 491) and employer-sponsored pathways (such as 482 and 186), subject to a positive skills assessment and the other standard visa requirements.
Who assesses early childhood teaching qualifications for migration purposes?
Since 7 December 2024, ACECQA is the assessing authority for this occupation for migration purposes, replacing AITSL. AITSL remains the assessing authority for primary, secondary and other teaching occupations, so if an older source names AITSL for early childhood specifically, that's now outdated.
What's the job outlook and pay like for Early Childhood Teachers?
Jobs and Skills Australia's occupation profile lists around 71,900 people employed in the role, with median full-time earnings of $1,906 a week, above the $1,852 median across all occupations. Earnings and demand vary by employer, location and experience, so these figures are national medians rather than a guarantee for any individual role.