What is the minimum wage for a 14-year-old in Australia?

For an award-free 14-year-old (not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement), the legal minimum is $9.73 per hour, or $12.16 per hour for casual work (including the 25% casual loading). However, many 14-year-olds work in industries covered by awards such as retail or fast food, which set higher junior rates. Always check the applicable award via the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay Calculator.

Does a 14-year-old get the same minimum wage as an adult?

No. The adult national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026). Award-free juniors under 16 receive 36.8% of that rate. Award-covered juniors receive a percentage of the adult award rate, which varies by award and age. The junior rate is intended to reflect lower productivity or experience, but it must not be less than the award-free junior floor if no award applies.

Can a 14-year-old be paid less than the junior rate?

Only if a specific exemption applies, such as a supported wage for a disability, or if the employee is an apprentice or trainee (though 14-year-olds are rarely in those roles). Otherwise, the junior rate is the legal minimum. Paying less is unlawful and can be reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman. Employers must also pay superannuation (12% of ordinary time earnings) on top of the hourly rate.

Minimum wage for a 14-year-old: Award-free floor and award coverage explained

The legal minimum for an award-free 14-year-old is $9.73 per hour (casual $12.16), but awards often set higher rates.

Minimum wage for a 14-year-old: What you need to know

If you are 14 years old and working in Australia, the pay you receive depends on whether you are covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement, or if you are award-free. The legal floor for an award-free 14-year-old is much lower than the adult national minimum wage, but many young workers are entitled to higher rates under an award.

Award-free minimum for 14-year-olds

For a 14-year-old who is not covered by any award or agreement, the Fair Work Commission’s national minimum wage applies at a junior percentage. Under the award-free junior rates (from 1 July 2026), employees under 16 receive 36.8% of the adult rate. That works out to $9.73 per hour for permanent employees, or $12.16 per hour for casual employees (including the 25% casual loading). These rates are the absolute legal minimum. Employers must also pay superannuation of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings—that is an additional cost, not deducted from the hourly rate.

Note that these award-free junior rates only apply if no modern award covers the job. Most 14-year-olds work in retail, hospitality, or fast food, which are covered by awards. So the award-free rate is often not the actual rate you should receive.

Award-covered minimum for 14-year-olds

If you work in an industry covered by a modern award—such as the General Retail Industry Award, Fast Food Industry Award, or Hospitality Industry (General) Award—the award sets its own junior rates. These are typically a percentage of the adult award classification rate, and they are almost always higher than the award-free junior floor. For example, under the Retail Award, a 14-year-old might receive 45% of the adult rate, which would be well above $9.73 per hour. The exact percentage varies by award and by age. You can find your award rate using the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay Calculator.

Importantly, the award rate cannot be less than the award-free junior rate for the same age. If an award’s junior percentage would produce a lower figure, the award-free floor applies as a backstop. But in practice, awards are designed to provide a higher floor. Enterprise agreements can also set higher rates.

How superannuation applies

Regardless of whether you are award-free or award-covered, your employer must pay superannuation guarantee contributions on your behalf. From 1 July 2026, the rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings. This is paid into a super fund and is on top of your hourly wage. For a 14-year-old working casual hours, the super is calculated on the ordinary time component (before the casual loading).

Comparison with other pay measures

The ABS May 2026 data shows full-time adult average weekly earnings of $2,083.70 for full-time adults, but that is for adult workers. A 14-year-old working part-time will earn far less. The award-free junior rate is a floor, not a target. Most 14-year-olds earn more than the floor because of award coverage or employer discretion. The ABS does not publish a specific average for 14-year-olds.

Which minimum wage applies? Which minimum wage applies explains how to determine your coverage. For detailed rate tables, see Rate tables.

Important notes

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage; the Fair Work Ombudsman enforces it.
If you are an apprentice or trainee, different rates apply under the Miscellaneous Award.
Always check your pay against the correct award or agreement. This guide is for orientation only and is not a pay determination.

Frequently Asked Questions

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