Victorian paramedics are poised to receive pay rises of between 12 and 28 per cent to reflect the increasingly demanding nature of their job.

Key points: An experienced paramedic will get an extra $18,000 a year in pay

An experienced paramedic will get an extra $18,000 a year in pay Cost to budget will be $54 million this financial year, Government says

Cost to budget will be $54 million this financial year, Government says Ruling recognises the considerable skills of paramedics, Ambulance Victoria says

As part of its election pledge to end the former Napthine Government's long-running wage dispute with paramedics, the Andrews Government referred their case to the industrial umpire to asses the value of their work.

The Fair Work Commission has ruled paramedics deserve a pay rise to reflect changes in their training and duties over the past decade.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the Government accepted the commission's recommendations, at a cost to the budget of $54 million this financial year.

"The work our paramedics do is more demanding and requires more skills and qualifications than it did 10 years ago - and it's only right their wages reflect this change," she said.

"Paramedics are not taxi drivers, they are clinical professionals. That was not recognised in their pre-existing wage rates."

The pay rates vary according to classifications, but under the changes an experienced mobile intensive care paramedic would get an $18,000 rise, from a base rate of $69,000 a year to $87,000.

A first-year graduate paramedic would get a $7,000 rise, to $58,000 a year.

Paramedics are now required to have a Bachelor's degree, have additional responsibility for mental health patients, and administer complex new drugs and procedures that were previously only done in hospitals.

The higher wages will be backdated to July 2015, with additional increases to be paid in July and December 2016.

Ambulance Employees Australia's Victorian secretary Steve McGhie said the decision would make Victorian paramedics some of the highest paid in the country.

Ruling recognises paramedic skills: Ambulance Victoria

The ruling recognised the considerable skills of paramedics, Ambulance Victoria's Mick Stephenson said.

"Paramedics in Victoria are among the best trained in the world and the most skilled in the world. It's nice to see their value has finally been recognised," he said.

But Opposition spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge said the Andrews Government had handed another "sweetheart deal" to unions as payback for election campaigning.

"Paramedics and indeed all public sector workers are entitled to fair and reasonable wage increases, including the opportunity for higher increases based on productivity," she said.

"Once again, Daniel Andrews is handing out blank cheques to his union mates signed by the Victorian taxpayer."