Thank you to all the vets who participated in this year’s Salary Survey. There was a total of 285 respondents, which was disappointing compared to 595 respondents in 2019. We’ve been unable to use some of the information, in particular, location related, as there was insufficient data for a representative sample.

Minimum pay rates and conditions are set in the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020, which you can find using Google, or at https://awardviewer.fwo.gov.au/award/show/ma000118

You can download a printable pdf version of this report here Kookaburra Salary Survey 2022

Methodology

The pool of vets was contacted by direct emailing the main clinic email for all the clinics in Australia in the Kookaburra database & the vets currently registered as job seekers with Kookaburra (2.000 total), and by including advertising banners with a direct link to the survey on the Australian pages of the websites www.kookaburravets.com and www.vetsuppliersdirectory.com.au , and on all the correspondence sent out from Kookaburra during the survey period. We also asked the HR departments of the major Australian corporates to assist by distributing the link to the survey to their veterinary associates, however, in contrast to previous years where they have been happy to help, none agreed to participate this year. In addition, it was posted on Facebook on one of the Australian Veterinarian network closed group pages, on the Kookaburra Facebook pages, and on Linkedin. We’d like to thank The Lincoln Institute, who distributed the link to the survey to their members.

The survey was open from June 12^th to November 7^th 2022. It was hosted on Survey Monkey and analysis of results was carried out in Survey Monkey and using Microsoft Excel Office 365. The survey was anonymous, and no IP data was collected. There was a total of 34 questions.

For a Key to the box and whisker plots used, and a summary list of charts, please see the Key

Summary

Summary and links to Charts and Diagrams

1. Key to Box and Whiskers Plot
2. Hourly Pay Rates vs Years’ Experience
3. Hourly Pay Rates vs self-assessed experience level
4. Hourly Pay Rates for different General Practice Types (Small Animal vs Mixed vs Equine) for numbers of years since graduation
5. Hourly Pay Rates – comparing all Practice Types
6. Annualised pay rate for all full time, part time, and casual respondents
7. Actual annual pay rate for all full time, part time, and casual respondents using their actual hours worked per week
8. Paid Hours worked per week – comparing full time, part time, and casual
9. Paid Hours worked compared to Unpaid hours
10. Owners/Partners compared to Associates pay rate
11. Further Qualifications – effect on pay rate
12. Further Qualifications – proportions of respondents with additional qualifications
13. Locums – hourly pay vs experience
14. Locums – casuals vs. locums/short term
15. Locums – comparison of corporate & non-corporate pay rates
16. Happiness
17. 5 year Plans
18. Happiness and owner/partner vs. associate status
19. Happiness and corporate vs. non-corporate jobs
20. Satisfaction with pay rates
21. Preferred pay rate increase
22. Discussion
23. 2019 / 2022 comparison of job classifcations
24. 2019 / 2022 comparison of pay rates

Vets working as Casuals, Part-time, or Full-time

There were a total of 239 responses in this section – some vets gave data for more than one job, and each job was included as a separate data set.

Respondents were asked to self-assess their experience level for the job they were currently answering questions for, on a sliding scale from 1 (Basic Competency) through 5 (Confident and Competent) to 10 (Highly Skilled)

Locums

For data on Locums, we combined the data for jobs classified as Casual with those who answered ‘yes’ to the question “Are you currently working as a locum / doing short term contracts (under 6 months in length)”. There was a total of 51 respondents in these 2 categories.

Happiness and Future Plans

We asked “What do you think you should be paid for this job?” and the choices were “I don’t know”, “My current rate is fair” , or “My preferred hourly rate would be ….” – and the respondent could then nominate an amount (no-one nominated less than they were currently being paid!!)

Discussion

The amount of data collected in this survey was small, therefore it’s hard to discuss the results in a meaningful way. Kookaburra collected the data in order to make it available to vets and their practices in Australia. At Kookaburra, we are interested in the differences between this survey (2022) and our previous one, before COVID, in 2019.

Are more vets moving to working part time and casual?

Have pay rates gone up?

Pay rates have increased by above 30% for locums and casuals, and around 30% for part time and full time vets, between 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2022 (3 years).

© Copyright Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

29th November 2022

The Register of AVE candidates, and the Return to Work program are 2 useful services provided by the AVA.

AVA Register of AVE candidates

As there’s such a shortage of vets at the moment, some clinics may consider hosting an overseas qualified vet while they gain experience prior to sitting the AVE – and potentially be in a position to subsequently offer employment.

To assist AVE candidates to gain work experience and enable veterinary clinics to gain access to available AVE candidates, the AVA maintains a database that can link the two groups. In order to practice in Australia, veterinarians who gained their qualifications overseas are required to first pass the Australasian Veterinary Exam (AVE). Candidates who have passed the Preliminary (MCQ) Examination are encouraged by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Inc (AVBC) to gain practical experience at private veterinary practices to assist with their preparations for the Final (Clinical) Examination. They are also encouraged to take the appropriate steps to gain some form of limited, specific or conditional registration with the Veterinary Surgeons Board in the State or Territory in which they wish to gain work experience.

For more information and to request access to available AVE candidates, please visit the AVA website https://www.ava.com.au/member-services/vetsuccess/ave-candidate-hub/host-an-ave-candidate/ or contact them at 1300 137 309

AVA Return to Work Program

Now is a great time to return to working in clinical practice if you’ve been taking a break or pursuing other interests. Because of the intense competition between practices to secure vets, many practices will be very willing to listen to what you need in terms of hours, rosters and flexibility – and some are offering great packages, perks, relocation, and support. If pay rates contributed to you leaving the profession, then you could be pleasantly surprised at what some clinics are now offering.

On the other hand, if you are an employer seeking to support an employee returning to work – or encouraging a previous employee to return to work after a break – this can be part of your support toolkit.

About the AVA Return to Work Program

The Return to Work program is the AVA’s online self-paced learning program consisting of 5 clinical modules, 4 non-clinical modules and a practical skills guide. The program is recommended for veterinarians who wish to return to clinical practice after a career break or period of leave, or veterinarians in practice and industry who are seeking a refresher. It is also recommended for veterinary students.

Getting back to work and keeping up to date is important for building self-confidence, increasing social connections, recovering from an illness or injury, and for financial reasons. Work is beneficial to mental health and overall well-being. It’s a place to develop skills and enjoy a sense of purpose and identity.

For more information, visit the AVA website here https://www.ava.com.au/education-events/ava-return-to-work-program/

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

Temporary changes to the Working Holiday Makers Visa conditions may be of benefit to Vets currently working in Australia from overseas – and to their clinics!

From 19 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, the 6 month work limitation has been temporarily relaxed.

Until 31 December 2022, Working Holiday Makers ​no longer need permission from the Department to work for the same employer for more than 6 months.

This allows employers to retain trained staff.

Working Holiday Makers can work in any location, occupation or industry while in Australia. Under Condition 8547, work with any one employer is generally limited to 6 months. From 19 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 the 6 month work limitation has been temporarily relaxed. The Condition 8547 does not apply until after 31 December 2022.

Normally, Working Holiday Makers cannot stay in the same position in the same location with one employer for more than six months by using different employment agencies, business affiliates or sub-contracting arrangements. The 6 months starts from the day they start work. It includes full-time, part-time, casual, shift and voluntary work. It is based on the length of time that has passed since they started working, not how many hours or days worked. However, they do not need to ask (Immigration) permission to work with the same employer for up to 12 months if working in different locations and work in any one location does not exceed 6 months.

For more information visit the Home Affairs website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417/6-month-work-limitation

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

Australia, the UK, and New Zealand all have requirements for registered vets to keep up to date by recording a certain amount of continuing education. New Zealand and the UK have recently changed their focus from simply recording time spent on CE to actually evaluating and reflecting on the learning experience, in order to better support vets in practice, help vets find professional fulfilment, and to aid in retaining vets in the profession.

Australia

All Australian veterinary Boards have agreed, through the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), on a minimum requirement of 60 CPD points over a consecutive 3 year cycle. At least 15 of the required 60 CPD points must be structured points. The remaining 45 points may be either unstructured points or more structured points. You may use the AVA Vet Ed points scheme to record and validate your CPD achievement

https://www.ava.com.au/education-events/veted/veted-points/

Structured Points: Most courses, conferences and seminars are 1:1 (points:hour) & Workshops are 2:1 and require validation (eg by certificate)

Unstructured Points: eg. private reading, un-assessed computer based courses  are 1:2 (points:hour)

The registered veterinary practitioner who is currently undergoing formal post-graduate training with a view to the acquisition of a higher qualification in their chosen field of work or a related area of veterinary science, is considered to be fulfilling all the requirements for continuing education.

The  points allocation table is available from the NSW Vet Board website:

https://www.vpb.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/images/GR05%20CPD%20Points%20Allocation%20Table.pdf

UK

All veterinary surgeons listed on the RCVS Register as practising members must complete the minimum CPD requirement of 35 hours per year, regardless of whether they are working full-time or part-time.
Vet Nurses on the RCVS Register have to complete 15 hours CPD per year.

The RCVS has an online system for veterinary surgeons (and vet nurses) to record their CPD activities (1CPD). 1CPD is a new outcomes focused CPD system, and is available as a web portal or as a mobile app. From January 2022 it has become mandatory for all veterinary surgeons to use 1CPD. Reflection on CPD outcomes, an integral part of 1CPD, is now also mandatory from 2022 and can be done using the 1CPD app.

RCVS: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/cpd-guidance-for-vets/

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/continuing-professional-development-cpd/getting-started-with-1cpd/

All vets practising in the UK, whether they graduated overseas or in the UK, must comply with the RCVS requirement of 35 hours per calendar year. You may include CPD undertaken abroad, but you should ensure that your description of this, and the hours involved, are clearly recorded in English so that the details of what you have done are transparent to, and understood by, the RCVS and others with an interest in your CPD record, such as prospective and current employers.

There is no restriction on the number of hours of self-directed learning that can count towards your CPD as long as you document it or reflect on your CPD. Ultimately, the judgement of what should count as CPD will vary for each individual, and it is therefore up to you to decide how best to fulfil your own learning needs.

PDP – Professional Development Phase
This was a requirement for newly qualified graduates and those with less than one year’s clinical experience, regardless of where they qualified in the UK or overseas. It could also be used by anyone returning to work after a career-break. Average time taken to complete the PDP is 18 months depending on caseload, but it needs to be completed within 3 years. PDP required exposure to a general practice workload. The last enrolment for the PDP was in June 2021. It has been replaced by VetGDP – Veterinary Graduate Development Programme.

VetGDP – Veterinary Graduate Development Programme.  
This is a requirement for new veterinary graduates for any graduate vets employed from summer 2021 onwards – their employer must be signed up to VetGDP and there must be a VetGDP Adviser in the workplace to support them. It is focused on developing professional skills as well as clinical capabilities and is intended to be more supportive than the PDP. Vets who have been out of practice for 5 years or longer also have to take part in VetGDP. Overseas graduates who are new RCVS members who have less than one year of significant work experience as a veterinary graduate will be expected to enrol in the VetGDP. https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/vetgdp/

New Zealand

The CPD requirements in New Zealand changed from 2021 onwards. 2021 was a trial year. 

The previous CPD requirements focused on using points to quantify time spent on CPD activities, categorising activities and setting quotas that had to be met. This new framework departs from that approach and instead focusses on the process of planning, taking part in and evaluating learning. In simple terms, it requires that veterinarians must:

1. Prepare a CPD plan
2. Do CPD
3. Record their CPD
4. Review the CPD plan.

The requirements are different for new graduates in their first year of practice. This is to reflect that they have different needs as they adjust to professional life and the requirements for them focus more on collegial support in the form of mentoring.  There is flexibility in who can act as a mentor. For many new graduates, the mentor will be their employer or supervisor at work. However, it could equally be someone independent. There are no qualification or training requirements for acting as a mentor.
The Vet Council hasn’t set a minimum amount of CPD that must be undertaken. “Our expectation is that veterinarians will take part in CPD, completing all of the four steps above, and that the amount of CPD they undertake should be appropriate to their needs. We recognise that some people appreciate having a clear number to work to, so, as a guide, we believe that veterinarians should aim to undertake at least 20 hours of CPD per year. This isn’t a strict requirement, and we won’t rigidly enforce it. We emphasise that the quality of CPD and the process of planning and evaluating it is of far more importance than the quantity.”
https://www.vetcouncil.org.nz/Web/Veterinarians/Continuing_Professional_Development.aspx

Author:
Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of jobs available for vets at the moment? Every clinic in Australia seems to be desperate for more vets. How do you pick the right clinic for you?

1.     Create a profile of your ideal job and employer.

• First think about your current and previous jobs – and decide what you might like to avoid in your next job, and what might be missing in your current job.
• What is most satisfying in your current job.
• You may have a preferred geographical area – but remember to be open to jobs outside this area too. Your perfect job might be just a little farther away or in a suburb that you’ve not yet considered.
• What kind of workplace culture are you after? Vet Clinics are getting better at personalising their advertising, and giving an idea of their culture and mission.
• Do you want to work for a large company group? Benefits can include the opportunity for in house education, networking, work opportunities or transfers with other practices within the group, and a range of more corporate perks and benefits. Or is a smaller, more unique practice with hands on input from one or more Owner Vets more your style?

2.     Use your connections to research clinics

Don’t be afraid to interview the Clinic – ask to have a chat with current staff, including the vet nurses. Spend a few trial days at the Clinic if possible

3.     Register with Kookaburra Vet Employment

Let Kookaburra Vets help you narrow down suitable jobs – if you can give us a geographical area and type of practice that you are looking for, then we can send you personalised email alerts with newly listed job information. So if you’re looking for a job in Gippsland, we won’t send you job information for a clinic on the Gold Coast. Avoiding information overload helps you to focus on the best jobs for you.

Kookaburra also sends personalised texts with locum job alerts. We supply full clinic details – so you can decide whether to apply or not.

You can register here: https://www.kookaburravets.com/Australia/VregOz1.asp

4.     Bookmark the m.kookaburravets.com site

Every job on the main Kookaburra Vet Employment website is also listed here – but this one is easy to read on a mobile phone, it is database driven so you can apply filters, and the new jobs listed today will always be at the top of the list. It makes it easy to just keep an eye on new vacancies.

m.kookaburravets.com

Author:
Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.