Working in Australia: A$26.44 an Hour Minimum
Cross-agency · employment
Quick answer
Australia's National Minimum Wage is A$26.44 an hour or A$1,004.90 a week from 1 July 2026. It applies only to employees not covered by an award. For most jobs the minimum is set by the award covering that occupation, and can be higher.
Every figure on this page is from Fair Work Ombudsman's own published documents.
Last verified 1 source, listed below
Minimum wages1. PHGuides is independent and not affiliated with any agency.
Australia’s National Minimum Wage is A$26.44 an hour or A$1,004.90 a week from 1 July 2026. But quoting that figure alone is how most guidance to Filipino workers goes wrong, because for most jobs it is not the rate that applies.
The two-layer system
| Applies to | Set by | |
|---|---|---|
| National Minimum Wage | Employees not covered by an award or registered agreement | The Fair Work Act 2009 |
| Award minimum | Most employees, by industry or occupation | The award covering that industry |
| Registered agreement | Employees under an enterprise agreement | The agreement itself |
Fair Work’s own wording is direct: for most employees, the minimum wage is set by the award that covers their industry or occupation, and those award rates may be higher than the National Minimum Wage.
So the answer to “what does a nurse earn in Australia” is not A$26.44. It is whatever the nursing award sets for that classification, which is a different and usually larger number.
The National Minimum Wage
| From 1 July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Per hour | A$26.44 |
| Per week | A$1,004.90 |
Those two published figures imply a standard week of 38 hours, since A$1,004.90 divided by A$26.44 comes to just over 38. That division is arithmetic on the two figures, not a separate statement by Fair Work.
The minimum wage refers to pay before tax is taken out.
When it changes
The Fair Work Commission reviews both the National Minimum Wage and minimum award pay rates each year, in the Annual Wage Review. Most changes begin on the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
That wording matters on a payslip. A rate effective 1 July does not necessarily apply to a pay period already running on that date; it starts with the next full one.
The trap in the award system
Awards do not only pay more. Fair Work states that minimum award wages in some awards may now be less than the National Minimum Wage, giving the example of introductory rates for new employees in an industry, which usually apply only for a limited time until the employee progresses to the next level.
So an award can lawfully start you below A$26.44 an hour. Knowing which award covers you, and at what classification, is the whole question.
How to find your actual minimum
Fair Work publishes two tools rather than a list of occupational salaries:
| Tool | What it gives |
|---|---|
| Pay and Conditions Tool | The minimum pay rates, penalties and allowances for your award |
| Pay guides | A downloadable summary of current minimum pay rates under an award, by classification |
If you are under an enterprise or other registered agreement, the agreement itself carries the rates, and registered agreements are held by the Fair Work Commission.
Separate arrangements exist for apprentices and trainees, junior employees and employees with disability, and for piece rates, annualised wages and the social and community services industry.
What this page does not carry
No occupational salary figures. Australia does not publish “the nurse salary” or “the welder salary” as a single national number, and this page will not invent one. The award rate depends on the award, the classification level, the hours, and any penalty rates and allowances, all of which Fair Work’s own tool computes.
Visas are the Australian government’s decision, made under rules that change independently of pay rates, and are not reproduced here. The work visa requirements guide explains why the Philippine government controls the exit documents but not the visa.
Before you accept an offer
- Find the award, not the National Minimum Wage. The award decides your floor, and can sit above or below A$26.44 an hour.
- Check the classification level inside that award, since introductory rates expire.
- Check what you are being charged on the Philippine side. Charging above the allowable schedule is illegal recruitment under RA 10022, carrying 12 years and 1 day to 20 years and a fine of ₱1,000,000.00 to ₱2,000,000.00. A loan for placement fees may not bear interest above 8% per annum.
- Check the agency licence before paying anything.
The Philippine side
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| DMW processing, direct hire | USD 100, in peso equivalent |
| DMW processing, manual OEC through a landbased agency | ₱200.00 |
| OWWA membership | USD 25 |
| Pag-IBIG | ₱600.00 |
The OEC guide covers the exit certificate and its fees, including USD 25 for OWWA and ₱600.00 for Pag-IBIG, the recruitment agencies guide covers checking a licence before paying anyone, and the deployment bans and placement fees guide covers when no placement fee may lawfully be charged.
PEOS is free and online, and is meant to be taken before you apply rather than after you are hired.
Related
The working in New Zealand guide covers the nearest comparable destination, where a single national minimum wage applies instead of an award system, the nurse salary in Australia guide covers what the Nurses Award pays above this floor, the caregiver salary abroad comparison carries the Aged Care Award rates, the PEOS guide covers the pre-employment seminar, and the OEC guide covers the certificate every departing worker needs.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the minimum wage in Australia?
- The National Minimum Wage is A$26.44 per hour or A$1,004.90 per week as of 1 July 2026. That is gross pay, before tax is taken out.
- Does that rate apply to me?
- Only if you are not covered by an award or registered agreement. The Fair Work Ombudsman states that for most employees the minimum wage is set by the award that covers their industry or occupation, and those rates may be higher than the National Minimum Wage.
- So what is a nurse's minimum in Australia?
- It is set by the award covering nursing, not by the National Minimum Wage, and it varies by classification and level. Fair Work publishes it through its Pay and Conditions Tool and downloadable pay guides rather than as one figure, so no single number is stated here.
- Where does the National Minimum Wage come from?
- It is the minimum pay rate provided by the Fair Work Act 2009. The Fair Work Commission reviews it, and minimum pay rates under awards, each year in the Annual Wage Review.
- When do the rates change?
- Most changes begin on the first full pay period on or after 1 July each year. So a rate can be announced before it reaches your payslip, depending on where your pay period falls.
- Can an award rate be lower than the National Minimum Wage?
- Yes, in limited cases. Fair Work states that minimum award wages in some awards may be less than the National Minimum Wage, for example introductory rates for new employees in an industry, which usually apply only until the employee progresses.
- Are there different rates by age or employment type?
- Yes. Fair Work publishes separate arrangements for apprentice and trainee pay rates, junior pay rates, and pay rates for employees with disability, alongside special arrangements such as piece rates and annualised wages.
- Does the Philippine side still apply?
- Yes. Whatever Australia allows, you still need an Overseas Employment Certificate, OWWA membership and either a licensed agency or a qualifying direct hire before you can be deployed.
More Cross-agency guides
Sources
- Fair Work Ombudsman | Minimum wages, retrieved