Method
How the figures work
The checker uses published national rates and a simplified resident tax estimate. It does not read your award, your agreement, or your pay slip.
The legal floor
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, the Fair Work Commission set the national minimum wage at $1,004.90 for 38 ordinary hours, which is $26.44an hour. Casual employees on that floor must get at least $33.05 an hour, including 25% casual loading.
From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, modern award minimum wages rise by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification cannot sit under the national minimum, and an introductory rate limited to the first 6 months cannot sit under $25.74 an hour or $978.10 a week.
These national rates apply to national-system employees who are award-free and agreement-free. Most private-sector employees are in the national system. Some state public sector and local government employees, and some Western Australian sole traders and partnerships in the state system, are covered by state awards instead. A modern award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate than the national minimum. Apprentice and trainee rates for award-free employees follow the Miscellaneous Award, not the junior percentages.
The weekly packet
Take-home is estimated by annualising the chosen week times 52, applying 2026–27 resident income tax with the full tax-free threshold, then dividing by 52. From $30,000.00 of annualised gross, the estimate adds the 2% Medicare levy. Under that line, Medicare is left off because the low-income reduction can reduce or remove it. The low income tax offset, HELP, salary sacrifice, and the Medicare levy surcharge are not in the packet.
Super is 12% of that ordinary week, drawn beside the packet. Employer super is not a deduction from the hourly rate. Overtime is not in the week this site draws.
Survey averages
The full-time adult ordinary-time week of $2,083.70 and the all-employees average of $1,579.20 are ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026, seasonally adjusted. They are not award rates.
Sources named, not linked in guides
- Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2026 and National Minimum Wage Order 2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman minimum wage notices for 1 July 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026
- Australian Taxation Office resident tax rates for 2026-27
- Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026
Orientation only. It is not a pay determination, tax advice, or legal advice. The adult weekly national minimum is the published $1,004.90 figure. Multiplying $26.44 by 38 lands 18 cents lower because of rounding in the order. Casual weekly figures on this site are the published casual hourly rate times 38 ordinary hours, with no penalty rates.
Check a rate or read the tables.