How long can probation last?
- Under the model standing orders, a probationer is provisionally employed to fill a permanent vacancy and has not completed six months’ service in it order 2(5).
- The period may be extended by up to three months after an assessment of performance order 2(5), proviso.
- A worker who satisfactorily completes the probationary period is a permanent worker order 2(2).
The model standing orders are for industrial establishments with three hundred or more workers (IR Code s. 28(1)), and your employer's certified standing orders may differ. Elsewhere, check your appointment letter, and see what applies at a smaller workplace.
The citations are to the service sector's model. These points read the same for manufacturing (order 2) and mining (order 2).
Last checked 1 Nov 2026 · written from the official text · not reviewed by a lawyer. This explains the law in general and does not decide your case.