Minimum wage in Australia 2026-27

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, before tax. Casual employees get at least $33.05 an hour, which includes the 25% casual loading.

Full-time adult	Before tax	After tax
Per hour	$26.44	$22.89
Per week (38 hours)	$1,004.90	$870
Per fortnight	$2,009.80	$1,740
Per year	$52,255	$45,229

Your minimum pay

Hours per week

Employment type

Age

Per hour

$26.44

Per week

$1,004.90

Per year

$52,255

Take-home per week

$870

Before tax. Take-home pay is after $135 a week of income tax and Medicare levy, worked out on a full year at these hours, claiming the tax-free threshold.Your employer also pays about $121 a week in super on top.

Junior minimum wage rates

Employees under 21 who are not covered by an award or agreement get a percentage of the adult rate. Awards set their own junior rates, which can differ.

Age	Share of adult rate	Per hour	Casual per hour
Under 16	36.8%	$9.73	$12.16
16	47.3%	$12.51	$15.63
17	57.8%	$15.28	$19.10
18	68.3%	$18.06	$22.57
19	82.5%	$21.81	$27.27
20	97.7%	$25.83	$32.29
21 and over	100%	$26.44	$33.05

How the minimum wage has changed

From 1 July of	Per hour	Per week
2026-27	$26.44	$1,004.90
2025-26	$24.95	$948.00
2024-25	$24.10	$915.90
2023-24	$23.23	$882.80

Minimum wage, awards and your pay

Most employees are covered by a modern award with its own minimum rates, penalty rates and allowances, usually above the national minimum wage. To see any salary after tax, use the take-home pay calculator, and for the tax rates behind these figures see the 2026-27 tax brackets.

Sources: Fair Work Commission: Annual Wage Review 2026 and Fair Work Ombudsman: minimum wages. Maintained by James Crawford; last updated 21 October 2026. How our calculators work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage in Australia?

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, before tax.

What is the minimum wage for casual workers?

At least $33.05 an hour. That is the $26.44 adult rate plus the 25% casual loading, which casuals get instead of paid leave.

What is the minimum wage after tax?

A full-time adult on the minimum wage earns $52,255 a year. After income tax and the Medicare levy in 2026-27, that is about $870 a week, for a resident claiming the tax-free threshold.

Does everyone get the national minimum wage?

It is the floor for employees not covered by an award or agreement. Most employees are covered by a modern award, which sets minimum rates for each classification. Award rates rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026, and the lowest ongoing award rate is the same as the national minimum wage.

When does the minimum wage go up?

Each 1 July, after the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review. The increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July.