What is the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026?

The national minimum wage 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. These rates apply to award-free and agreement-free adult employees in the national system.

Can my employer pay me less than the national minimum wage?

Only in specific circumstances: if you are a junior (under 21), an apprentice or trainee, have a disability affecting productivity, or are on an introductory award rate (limited to the first 6 months, minimum $25.74/h). Otherwise, the national minimum wage or the relevant award rate (whichever is higher) applies.

Does the smart salary phone number give me the correct minimum wage?

No. This site is not a sign-in page and does not collect passwords or tax file numbers. The only authoritative sources for minimum wages are the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission. Use their Pay and Conditions Tool or check your award. A single phone number cannot replace the need to identify your correct award classification.

Smart Salary Phone Number: How to Find the Right Pay 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 higher rates under awards or agreements.

Smart Salary Phone Number: Your Guide to Australia's Pay Floors

If you've heard about a "smart salary phone number" and wondered whether it can tell you the minimum wage you should be paid, the answer is not straightforward. There is no single hotline that covers every industry, award, and agreement. Instead, Australia's pay floor depends on your job, your award coverage, your age, and your employment type. This guide explains how to find the right figure and what common misunderstandings to avoid.

The Legal Minimum: National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage each year. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. This applies to employees in the national system who are not covered by a modern award or registered agreement. Most private-sector workers are in the national system.

However, the vast majority of Australian employees are covered by a modern award. Awards set higher minimum rates for specific industries or occupations. From 1 July 2026, award minimum wages increased by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification in any award cannot fall below the national minimum wage ($26.44/h or $1,004.90/week). Introductory rates (for the first six months or less) must be at least $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week.

If your employer has an enterprise agreement, the base pay rate in that agreement must be at least as high as the relevant award rate. Always check your award or agreement first. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate your exact minimum.

Survey Averages vs Your Pay Floor

It is easy to confuse the legal minimum with what people actually earn. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported in May 2026 that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week. The average total earnings for all employees (including part-time and casual) was $1,579.20 per week. These figures are much higher than the national minimum because they include overtime, bonuses, and higher-skilled roles.

Your negotiated salary may be above the award rate, but it cannot be below it. Superannuation is an employer payment on top of your ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, paid at the same time as wages under the new payday super rules.

Junior, Apprentice, and Supported Wages

Not every worker receives $26.44 per hour. Award-free junior employees (under 21) are paid a percentage of the adult national minimum wage:

Under 16: 36.8% = $9.73/h ($12.16/h casual)
16 years: 47.3% = $12.51/h ($15.64/h casual)
17 years: 57.8% = $15.29/h ($19.11/h casual)
18 years: 68.3% = $18.06/h ($22.58/h casual)
19 years: 82.5% = $21.82/h ($27.28/h casual)
20 years: 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 rates in the Miscellaneous Award 2020, not the junior percentages. Employees with a disability that affects productivity may have a supported wage based on a percentage of the national minimum wage.

How to Check Your Correct Rate

A "smart salary phone number" might sound convenient, but the only reliable way to know your minimum pay is to identify your award (if any) and your classification level. Start by visiting the Fair Work Ombudsman's website and using their Pay and Conditions Tool. You can also download Pay Guides for your award. If you are award-free, the national minimum wage applies.

For more detail on which minimum wage applies to you, see our guide Which minimum wage applies. For a full list of current rates, visit our Rate tables.

Superannuation: An Extra Cost for Employers

When discussing pay, remember that superannuation is an employer payment on top of your gross wage. The super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings (not including overtime). From 1 July 2026, employers must pay super at the same time as wages. This does not reduce your take-home pay; it is an additional contribution to your retirement savings.

Common Mistakes

Thinking the national minimum wage applies to everyone. It only applies if you are award-free and agreement-free.
Confusing the introductory award rate ($25.74/h) with the ongoing rate. Introductory rates are limited to the first six months.
Assuming a single phone number can replace checking your award. The Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission are the authoritative sources, not a hotline.
Forgetting that casual loading (25%) is part of the minimum casual rate, not a bonus on top of a higher rate.

Summary

The Australian pay floor is not one number. It depends on your award, agreement, age, and employment type. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for adult award-free employees, but most workers are entitled to more under an award. Use official tools to check your rate, and remember that super is paid on top. A "smart salary phone number" cannot replace this process. For more information, see our Guides or How the figures work.