National system · award-free or award backstop
Which minimum wage applies
The adult national minimum is the floor for award-free work. Casual loading, age, and an award each move that floor. Super is paid on top. It is not inside the weekly packet.
$26.44
per hour
$1,004.90 across 38 ordinary hours
- Take-home estimate
- Income tax and Medicare
- Super, outside your pay
- Your 38-hour week
Take-home about $865.64 this week. Tax about $139.26. Super on top $120.59, which is not part of your pay. Fifty-two such weeks is $52,254.80 before tax. The tax slice includes a flat 2% Medicare estimate.
Age scale for award-free juniors
Under 21, the floor is a percentage
These percentages are for employees with no award and no agreement. Hospitality, retail, fast food, and pharmacy awards set their own junior scales, and some of those scales are moving.
| Age | Share of adult rate | Hourly | Casual hourly | 38-hour week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 36.8% | $9.73 | $12.16 | $369.74 |
| 16 | 47.3% | $12.51 | $15.64 | $475.38 |
| 17 | 57.8% | $15.29 | $19.11 | $581.02 |
| 18 | 68.3% | $18.06 | $22.58 | $686.28 |
| 19 | 82.5% | $21.82 | $27.28 | $829.16 |
| 20 | 97.7% | $25.84 | $32.30 | $981.92 |
| 21 and over | 100% | $26.44 | $33.05 | $1,004.90 |
Casual hourly rates include 25% loading. The adult week shows the published $1,004.90, which is 18 cents above 38 × $26.44. Other weeks are the hourly rate × 38.
Four decisions, one week
The Commission resets the adult floor on 1 July. The current week is $1,004.90. Casual adults on that floor are paid $33.05 an hour.
- 1 July 2023$23.23$882.80
- 1 July 2024$24.10$915.90
- 1 July 2025$24.95$948.00
- 1 July 2026$26.44$1,004.90
Guides
Read the situation, then the rate
- Using a Salary Calculator to Compare Your Pay with the National Minimum Wage
The adult national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, with casual loading to $33.05 per hour.
- Minimum Wage Australia: Award Coverage vs Award-Free Rates
The national minimum wage in Australia from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for award-free adult employees, with casual loading to $33.05 per hour.
- Smart salary: understanding your pay floor and how to compare
From 1 July 2026 the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for award-free adults, but most workers are covered by a modern award that may set a higher rate.
- Salary sacrifice and the minimum wage: a practical check with your hourly rate
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, but salary sacrifice arrangements cannot reduce your pay below this floor; your actual rate depends on your award or agreement.
- Average Salary Australia: Understanding the Pay Floor and What the Figures Really Mean
The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (adult, award-free), while the ABS average total earnings for all employees is $1,579.20 per week – a survey average, not a legal floor.
- Take Home Pay Calculator: See Your Weekly Packet After Tax and Medicare
The adult national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, with super guarantee of 12% paid on top.