Does the minimum wage apply to all workers?

No. The national minimum wage applies only to employees not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. Most workers are covered by an award or agreement that sets a higher minimum rate. Junior employees (under 21), apprentices, trainees, and supported-wage employees may be paid less than the adult rate. Award-free juniors have specific percentage rates (e.g., $9.73 per hour for under 16).

What Is the Minimum Wage in Australia? Award Coverage vs Award-Free Rates

Q: What is the current national minimum wage in Australia?

From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the adult national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate $33.05 per hour. These rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and apply to award-free and agreement-free national-system employees.

Q: How does the minimum wage compare to average earnings?

The national minimum wage of $1,004.90 per week is well below the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) average full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026). The average for all employees (including part-time) is $1,579.20 per week. These averages include higher-paid roles and overtime, so the minimum wage is a floor, not a typical wage.

The national minimum wage in Australia from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult, with casual loading of $33.05 per hour.

What Is the Minimum Wage in Australia?

If you are asking what is the minimum wage in Australia, the answer depends on whether you are covered by a modern award, an enterprise agreement, or none at all. The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage, and from 1 July 2026 the adult rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate $33.05 per hour. On top of these amounts, employers must pay the superannuation guarantee of 12% into your super fund.

Legal Minimum vs Award Rates vs Market Rates

It is important to separate the legal minimum from other pay concepts:

Legal minimum: The national minimum wage is the lowest hourly or weekly rate an award-free adult employee can be paid. It is set by the Fair Work Commission and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Award rates: Modern awards cover specific industries or occupations and usually set higher minimum rates than the national minimum. For example, the lowest ongoing classification in any award cannot be less than $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026. Introductory award rates (first 6 months) are capped at $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week.
Enterprise agreement rates: These are negotiated between employers and employees (or unions) and must leave each employee better off overall than the relevant award. They often pay above the minimum.
Market rates: What employers actually pay in the market can be much higher than the minimum. The ABS reports average full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026), but this is not a legal floor.

Who Gets the National Minimum Wage?

The national minimum wage applies to national-system employees who are not covered by any modern award or enterprise agreement. Most private-sector employees are in the national system. However, some state public sector and local government employees, and some Western Australian sole traders and partnerships, are covered by state awards instead. If you are unsure, check with the Fair Work Ombudsman or Which minimum wage applies on this site.

Award-Free Junior and Apprentice Rates

For award-free employees under 21, the national minimum wage is reduced by a percentage based on age:

Under 16: 36.8% → $9.73/h ($12.16/h casual)
16: 47.3% → $12.51/h ($15.64/h casual)
17: 57.8% → $15.29/h ($19.11/h casual)
18: 68.3% → $18.06/h ($22.58/h casual)
19: 82.5% → $21.82/h ($27.28/h casual)
20: 97.7% → $25.84/h ($32.30/h casual)
21 and over: 100% → $26.44/h ($33.05/h casual)

Apprentices and trainees who are award-free follow the Miscellaneous Award rates, not the junior percentages.

How the Minimum Wage Compares to Average Earnings

The national minimum wage of $1,004.90 per week is significantly lower than the ABS average full-time ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026). The average for all employees (including part-time and casual) is $1,579.20 per week. This gap shows that the minimum wage is a safety net, not a typical wage. Most workers earn above the minimum because they are covered by awards, agreements, or market forces.

Superannuation Is Paid on Top

All rates mentioned here are base pay. Employers must also pay the superannuation guarantee of 12% on ordinary time earnings. For example, an adult earning $26.44 per hour would receive an additional $3.17 per hour into their super fund. This is not deducted from wages.

Historical Rates

The national minimum wage has increased over recent years:

1 July 2023: $23.23/h ($882.80/week)
1 July 2024: $24.10/h ($915.90/week)
1 July 2025: $24.95/h ($948.00/week)
1 July 2026: $26.44/h ($1,004.90/week)

Important Notes

This site provides orientation only, not a pay determination or legal advice.
A modern award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate than the national minimum.
The adult weekly national minimum is the published $1,004.90 figure. Multiplying $26.44 by 38 lands 18 cents lower because of rounding in the order.
Casual weekly figures on this site are the published casual hourly rate times 38 ordinary hours, with no penalty rates.

For more detailed tables, see Rate tables. To understand how figures are calculated, visit How the figures work.

Summary

When you ask what is the minimum wage in Australia, the answer is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult award-free employee from 1 July 2026. But your actual minimum may be higher if you are covered by an award or agreement. Always check your award or agreement first, and remember that super is an additional employer cost.