I am covered by a modern award. Does the national minimum wage still apply to me?

No. If you are covered by a modern award, your minimum pay is set by that award, not the national minimum wage. Award rates are often higher. From 1 July 2026, award minimum wages increased by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification cannot fall below the national minimum of $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. Check your award using the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.

What is the minimum wage for a 17-year-old who is not covered by an award?

For award-free junior employees, the special national minimum wage applies. A 17-year-old receives 57.8% of the adult national minimum wage, which is $15.29 per hour ($19.11 per hour casual). These rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and are lower than the adult rate. If the junior is covered by an award, the award's junior rates apply instead.

Does the employer have to pay superannuation on top of the minimum wage?

Yes. The superannuation guarantee requires employers to pay an additional 12% of ordinary time earnings into a complying super fund. From 1 July 2026, super must be paid on the same day as wages (payday super). The minimum wage figures quoted are before tax and do not include super; super is an employer cost on top.

Average UK Salary Queries? Here's How Australian Award Coverage and Minimum Wages Compare

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, but most employees are covered by awards which set higher rates.

Award Coverage vs Award-Free Rates

If you've been searching for 'average uk salary' to compare with Australian pay, you'll want to understand how our minimum wage system works. Australia does not have a single 'average UK salary' figure, but we have clear pay floors set by the Fair Work Commission and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman. This article explains the difference between being covered by a modern award and being award-free, so you can see which rate applies to you.

The National Minimum Wage

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. This rate applies to employees who are not covered by a modern award or registered enterprise agreement. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate $33.05 per hour. The Fair Work Commission sets this rate each year in the Annual Wage Review. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides tools to check your correct pay.

Award Coverage

Most employees in Australia are covered by a modern award. Awards are legal documents that set minimum pay rates, penalty rates, allowances, and conditions for specific industries or occupations. From 1 July 2026, minimum award wages increased by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification in any award cannot fall below the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. Some awards have introductory rates for new employees (limited to the first six months) which must be at least $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week.

If you are covered by an award, your minimum wage is the rate in that award, which is often higher than the national minimum. Enterprise agreements can also set higher rates. Always check your specific award or agreement using the Fair Work Ombudsman's resources.

Award-Free Employees

If you are award-free and agreement-free, the national minimum wage applies. This includes some employees in industries not covered by an award, or those whose employer is not in the national system (e.g., some state public sector and local government employees in Western Australia). For award-free employees, special national minimum wages apply for:

Junior employees (under 21): percentages of the adult rate. For example, a 17-year-old earns $15.29 per hour ($19.11 casual); a 20-year-old earns $25.84 per hour ($32.30 casual).
Apprentices and trainees: rates based on the Miscellaneous Award 2020.
Employees with disability: rates may be a percentage of the national minimum wage if productivity is affected.

These special rates are set by the Fair Work Commission in the National Minimum Wage Order.

Superannuation on Top

All minimum wage figures are gross pay before tax. Employers must also pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, super must be paid on the same day as wages (payday super). This is an additional employer cost, not deducted from the employee's wage.

Comparing with UK Salary

While this article focuses on Australian pay floors, if you are comparing with an average UK salary, note that the UK has a different system with a National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage set by the UK government. The Australian system uses modern awards and the national minimum wage, which may result in different take-home pay. Always check the relevant authority for current UK figures.

Using Our Tools

To find your correct minimum wage, use our Which minimum wage applies guide to determine if you are award-covered or award-free. You can also check Rate tables for award-specific rates and junior percentages. Remember, the Fair Work Ombudsman provides the official Pay and Conditions Tool for precise calculations.

Key Takeaways

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour ($33.05 casual).
Most employees are covered by a modern award, which sets higher minimum rates.
Award-free juniors, apprentices, and trainees have lower special rates.
Superannuation of 12% is paid on top by the employer.
Always check your award or agreement, as it can require a higher rate than the national minimum.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.