Minimum wage in Australia 2026: AUD 26.44 an hour

The national minimum, award rates and casuals

Many roles are covered by a modern award, an industry or occupation instrument that sets its own minimum pay by classification. Award minimums cannot fall below the national minimum, and the 2026 decision lifted them by 4.75%, with a separate structural adjustment for the C13 and C14 classifications. The AUD 26.44 figure is the floor for adults with no award or agreement, and the base the awards build on. Before you set pay, find the award for the role.

• Casual employees get a 25% loading on top, so the casual minimum is 26.44 x 1.25 = AUD 33.05 an hour (our arithmetic).
• Juniors, apprentices, trainees and employees with disability have special national minimum wages, which are not covered on this page.
• Sydney, Melbourne, Perth: there is no city or state rate. One national figure applies to employers in the national system wherever the work is done.

Other minimum wage rates in Australia

Weekly, monthly and yearly figures

The Commission sets a weekly figure for 38 ordinary hours, AUD 1,004.90, and an hourly rate of AUD 26.44 derived from it. Australia does not publish a monthly minimum, so the conversions below are ours:

• Per year: 1,004.90 x 52 = AUD 52,254.80 (about $36,363)
• Per month: 52,254.80 / 12 = AUD 4,354.57 (about $3,030)
• Casual, 38 hours at AUD 33.05: AUD 1,255.90 a week

When the rate changes

The Annual Wage Review runs every year and takes effect from the first full pay period on or after July 1. The 2026 decision, [2026] FWCFB 3500, was handed down June 2, 2026. The next increase is due from July 1, 2027, and its amount will not be known until the Commission rules. Earlier rates were not confirmed on official pages for this update, so this page has no history table.

Super, payroll tax and the real cost of a minimum-wage hire

Superannuation is the big addition. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, and since July 1, 2026 Payday Super requires it to be paid with each pay run rather than quarterly. On the full-time adult minimum of AUD 52,254.80, super is AUD 6,270.58.

Payroll tax is charged by the state, only once the employer's total wages pass a threshold: NSW 5.45% over AUD 1.2 million, Victoria 4.85% over AUD 1 million, Queensland 4.75% over AUD 1.3 million and Western Australia 5.5% over AUD 1 million. A small local employer may never reach it; an EOR employing thousands of people does. In NSW:

• Super: 52,254.80 x 12% = AUD 6,270.58
• Payroll tax: 5.45% x (52,254.80 + 6,270.58) = AUD 3,189.63
• Total on top of wages: AUD 9,460.21, or 18.10%

Workers' compensation premiums vary by state and industry and are not priced here. There is no employer social security tax beyond super. The employer cost index compares Australia's 18.10% with other countries.

Paying an Australian employee without a local company

An employer of record registers for payroll tax, pays super each pay run and applies the right award. Published EOR list prices run from $99 (Native Teams, whose help center says EUR 99) to $699 (Oyster) per employee per month (checked October 16 and 18, 2026); Remote lists from $599. On a minimum-wage hire, $599 is about 20% of the monthly minimum of about $3,030, so check whether the role justifies a full employee before you sign.

The Australia EOR guide has a full monthly cost and the notice rules. Compare providers in our ranked EOR list and EOR fees side by side, and read when your own entity costs less. For pay above the floor, see average weekly earnings in Australia, or compare the New Zealand minimum wage.