What is the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026?

The Fair Work Commission set the national minimum wage at $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. These rates apply to award-free and agreement-free employees in the national system.

How does the smart salary calculator help me?

Our smart salary calculator lets you enter your age, employment type, industry, and award coverage to instantly see the minimum pay floor that applies. It accounts for junior percentages, casual loading, and award classifications, and shows how your current pay compares to the legal minimum and the ABS average.

Can my pay be lower than the national minimum if I'm a junior or apprentice?

Yes. Junior employees (under 21) and apprentices have special minimum wages set as a percentage of the national minimum. For example, a 17-year-old award-free junior earns $15.29 per hour (57.8% of $26.44). Apprentice rates follow the Miscellaneous Award. Always check your award or agreement, as they may set higher rates.

Smart Salary Calculator: Find Your Minimum Wage Floor in Australia

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for award-free adult employees, with casual loading of 25%.

Smart salary calculator: know your pay floor

Understanding whether you are being paid correctly starts with knowing the legal minimum that applies to your job. Our smart salary calculator is designed to cut through the confusion by asking a few key details—your age, employment type, industry, and whether you are covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. It then shows you the exact minimum rate you must receive, including any casual loading or junior percentage, and compares it with the latest average earnings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The legal minimum: national minimum wage

For employees not covered by a modern award or registered agreement, the national minimum wage is the floor. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the Fair Work Commission has set this at $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, bringing the casual rate to $33.05 per hour. These figures are gross—before tax—and superannuation is paid on top at 12% of ordinary time earnings.

It is important to note that not every worker is entitled to the full adult rate. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that junior employees (under 21), apprentices, trainees, and employees with a disability may have a lower minimum wage. For example, an award-free 16-year-old earns 47.3% of the adult rate, or $12.51 per hour ($15.64 casual). Apprentice rates for award-free employees follow the Miscellaneous Award, not the junior percentages.

Award rates and enterprise agreements

Most Australian employees are covered by a modern award. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a Pay and Conditions Tool to find the correct award and classification. From 1 July 2026, minimum award wages increased by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification cannot fall below the national minimum of $26.44 per hour. Introductory rates (limited to the first six months) cannot be less than $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week.

If you are covered by an enterprise agreement, the base pay rate must be at least as high as the relevant award rate. Always check your agreement for the exact figures. Our Which minimum wage applies guide can help you determine your coverage.

Separating the minimum from the average

A common mistake is confusing the legal minimum with what people actually earn. The ABS May 2026 survey reported full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week and all-employees average total earnings of $1,579.20 per week. These are survey averages, not legal floors. A negotiated salary—what you and your employer agree on—can be higher than the award or minimum, but never lower. Our Rate tables show the full range of junior and casual rates.

Superannuation: an employer payment on top

Whenever pay is discussed, remember that superannuation is an additional employer contribution. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, and new payday super rules require employers to pay it at the same time as wages. This means if your minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, your employer must also contribute $3.17 per hour to your super fund.

Using the smart salary calculator

Our smart salary calculator is not a determination or legal advice, but a practical tool to give you a clear picture. Enter your details, and it will show:

Your applicable minimum wage (including casual loading or junior percentage)
How your current pay compares to that floor
The equivalent weekly and annual figures
The average earnings benchmark from the ABS

For more detail on how we calculate these figures, see our How the figures work page.

Important caveats

The national minimum wage applies to national-system employees who are award-free and agreement-free. Most private-sector employees are in the national system, but some state public sector and local government employees (and some Western Australian sole traders) are covered by state awards.
A modern award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate than the national minimum.
Junior, apprentice, trainee, and supported wage rates can be lower than the adult minimum.
The adult weekly national minimum is the published $1,004.90 figure; multiplying $26.44 by 38 lands 18 cents lower due to 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 a full explanation of the methodology and sources, visit our About this site page.