Homepage News Ultimate Guide to Living in Australia Australian Minimum Wage 2026–27 and Work Rights for International Students and Backpackers
Nov 12, 2026
Ultimate Guide to Living in Australia

Australian Minimum Wage 2026–27 and Work Rights for International Students and Backpackers

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The Australian minimum wage for 2026–27 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour full-time week, before tax. It applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Workers covered by an award received a 4.75% increase to their minimum rates from the same date.

These rates cover you whether you hold an Australian passport, a student visa or a working holiday visa. The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) states that visa holders have the same workplace rights as every other employee, and that an employer cannot cancel a visa. So the real test of a job offer is not whether the pay sounds generous once you convert it into pesos, reais or rand, but whether it meets the Australian legal minimum.

This guide covers the national minimum wage, casual loading, awards, penalty rates, pay slips, superannuation, unpaid trials, cash-in-hand work and how to get help if you are underpaid. Information current as at 13 November 2026 (2026-11-13).

Contents

1. Key numbers for 2026–27

Item 2026–27 rule
National Minimum Wage (hourly) $26.44 before tax
National Minimum Wage (weekly) $1,004.90 for a 38-hour full-time week
Casual minimum (hourly) $33.05, including the 25% casual loading
Award minimum wages Increased by 4.75%
Start date First full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026
Super Guarantee paid by employer 12%
Pay slips Within 1 working day of pay day
Student visa work limit in session 48 hours a fortnight

The increase was decided by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in its Annual Wage Review; the FWO's media release says the Commission announced it on 2 June 2026. Keep the two bodies apart: the Commission sets minimum wages, while the Ombudsman checks that employers pay them.

2. National Minimum Wage vs awards

Many newcomers assume "$26.44" is the minimum for every job. It is only the floor beneath the floor. Minimum pay in Australia comes from one of three places:

Source Who it covers How pay is set
National Minimum Wage Employees not covered by an award or enterprise agreement $26.44 per hour for adults
Award (modern award) Employees in a particular industry or occupation, such as hospitality, retail, farm work or cleaning Depends on industry, classification, age and employment type; up 4.75% from 1 July 2026
Enterprise agreement Workplaces with their own registered agreement Set by the agreement, but base pay cannot fall below the relevant award or the national minimum

An award is a legal document that sets minimum pay rates and conditions for an industry or occupation. Most jobs that students and backpackers take, such as cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, warehouses and farms, sit under an award, so your true minimum is the award rate rather than the headline figure. Lower rates may apply to juniors, apprentices and trainees, again as set out in the award.

3. Casual loading and penalty rates

Why casuals earn more per hour

You are a casual when your employer makes no firm advance commitment to ongoing work. Casuals miss out on most paid leave, notice of termination and redundancy pay; in exchange, they receive a casual loading on top of the base rate. For casuals with no award, the loading is 25%, which brings the minimum to $33.05 an hour. If an award applies, check its casual rate.

Example: an adult casual with no award who works 10 hours in a week should receive at least 10 × $33.05 = $330.50 before tax. A boss who says "casuals get a flat $26" is already under the legal minimum.

Penalty rates: weekends, public holidays, late nights

Penalty rates are higher pay rates for working particular hours or days. They commonly apply on weekends and public holidays, for overtime, and for late-night or early-morning shifts. The exact rate depends entirely on your award or agreement, so a friend's rate in another industry tells you nothing about yours. For the summer hiring season, see our Christmas casual jobs guide.

4. Find your award with the Pay and Conditions Tool

The FWO runs a free Pay and Conditions Tool (P.A.C.T) with four calculators: Pay Calculator, Shift Calculator, Leave Calculator and Notice & Redundancy Calculator. To check your rate:

  1. Open the Pay Calculator and answer the questions about your industry and duties to identify your award.
  2. Choose your classification, age and employment type (full-time, part-time or casual).
  3. Read off the base hourly rate and the penalty rates for weekends, public holidays and overtime.
  4. Save or screenshot the result and compare it line by line with your pay slip.

The $26.44 national minimum applies only if the tool shows you have no award and no agreement. If you cannot work out which award covers you, call the FWO (see section 8).

5. Pay slips and super: what your employer must do

Pay slips

Employers must give you a pay slip within 1 working day of pay day, in electronic form or hard copy. It should show:

  • the employer's and employee's names, and the employer's ABN if it has one
  • the pay period and the date of payment
  • gross and net pay
  • for hourly workers, the ordinary hourly rate, hours worked and the amount
  • loadings, allowances, bonuses and penalty rates listed separately where possible
  • details of each deduction
  • super contributions and the name of the fund

The FWO recommends checking your pay slip every time you are paid. Deductions from wages must be reasonable, and an employer cannot force you to agree to one.

Superannuation

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) lists the Super Guarantee rate for 2026–27 as 12%. Your employer pays this on top of your wages into your super fund; it is not taken out of your hourly rate. The ATO also states that from 1 July 2026 employers must pay super for each payday instead of quarterly (known as Payday Super), and that contributions must reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday, with some exceptions such as new employees.

6. Unpaid trials and cash in hand

Unpaid trials

According to the FWO, a short unpaid trial is lawful only when it is needed to assess whether you are suitable for the job and all of the following are true:

  • it involves no more than demonstrating skills relevant to the vacant position
  • it runs only as long as needed to show those skills, which could be anywhere from an hour to one shift depending on the work
  • you are directly supervised by the potential employer the whole time

Any time beyond that must be paid at the appropriate minimum rate. An employer who wants a longer look can hire you as a casual or on probation and pay you for every hour. "Work three days free and we'll see" does not meet these conditions.

Cash in hand

Being paid in cash is not illegal in itself, provided tax has been withheld and sent to the ATO. What the FWO calls "cash in hand" is cash with no tax taken out, and that is against the law. These jobs usually come with no pay slip, no super and a rate below the minimum, which leaves you with little evidence if something goes wrong.

7. Visa holders: your rights and work limits

The FWO's "Visa holders and migrants" page makes several points:

  • Visa holders and migrant workers have the same workplace rights and protections as all other employees in Australia.
  • Your employer cannot cancel your visa, even if you have breached a visa condition. Only the Department of Home Affairs can grant, refuse or cancel visas.
  • Your visa will not be cancelled because you contacted the FWO for information or help.
  • You can still ask the FWO to help recover minimum entitlements if you have breached a visa condition, although consequences under the Migration Act may still apply.
  • Home Affairs runs two pilots for visa holders experiencing workplace exploitation: the Strengthening Reporting Protections Pilot and the Workplace Justice Visa Pilot. Eligibility and how to apply are set out on the Home Affairs website.
Visa Current Home Affairs work rule
Student (subclass 500) No work before the course starts; up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session; unlimited hours when it is not in session; no limit for master's by research and doctoral students
Working Holiday (417) and Work and Holiday (462) Any kind of work; usually no more than 6 months with the same employer

Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs (CC BY 3.0 AU), accessed 13 November 2026

Conditions can differ from person to person, so check your own in VEVO. Work limits are visa conditions; minimum pay is workplace law. They operate separately, and your employer must pay the full legal rate however many hours you work. For background on the visas themselves, see our guides to the second-year Working Holiday visa, the 462 visa ballot and the 2026 student visa changes.

8. Underpaid? How to get help from the Fair Work Ombudsman

  1. Gather your records: pay slips, rosters, bank statements and messages. The FWO's free Record My Hours app can log your shifts.
  2. Work out what you should be paid using the Pay and Conditions Tool.
  3. Talk to your employer: arrange a time, show what you found and bring a support person if you like.
  4. Put it in writing: send a follow-up email summarising what was discussed and agreed.
  5. Ask the FWO for help if your employer does not respond or disagrees.
Channel How to use it
Fair Work Infoline 13 13 94, 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays
Interpreter (TIS) Call 131 450 and ask them to call the FWO for you
My account (online) Send a general enquiry through the FWO website; it says it responds within 10 business days
Anonymous report Report a concern on the FWO website without being directly involved

The FWO's advice and help are free for all employees, and its website can be translated using the language menu at the top of each page.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: What is the minimum wage in Australia for 2026–27?

The National Minimum Wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour full-time week, before tax. It applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Casuals with no award must receive at least $33.05 per hour.

Q2: Do international students and backpackers get the same minimum wage as Australians?

Yes. The Fair Work Ombudsman states that visa holders and migrant workers have the same workplace rights and protections as all other employees in Australia. Your visa type does not reduce your minimum pay.

Q3: Can my employer cancel my visa if I complain?

No. The Fair Work Ombudsman states that an employer cannot cancel a visa and that only the Department of Home Affairs can grant, refuse or cancel visas. It also says your visa will not be cancelled because you contacted it for help. Consequences under the Migration Act may still apply to a breach of visa conditions, so check the Home Affairs website for your own situation.

Q4: Is a three-day unpaid trial legal?

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, an unpaid trial may only involve demonstrating the skills needed for the job under direct supervision, for a period that could range from an hour to one shift depending on the work. Time beyond that must be paid at the minimum rate.

Q5: Is it illegal to be paid in cash?

Not always. An employer may pay in cash as long as tax is withheld and sent to the Australian Taxation Office and you receive a pay slip. Cash in hand with no tax taken out is against the law.

Q6: How do I contact Fair Work if my English is limited?

Call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450, tell the operator which language you need, and ask them to call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for you.

Planning to study in Australia? Level Up Studies offers free study and course counselling:

  • Melbourne Head Office: +61 3 8590 3229 | contactus@levelupstudies.com | 1/105 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
  • LINE: add our official account

Level Up Studies Melbourne LINE QR code

Related reading

Sources

Disclaimer: 1. This article is general information only and does not constitute migration or legal advice. 2. We have a qualified education agent counsellor (QEAC #2822) who can help with study planning, but visa decisions rest with the Australian Government. 3. Figures and rules are based on official pages accessed on 2026-11-13. 4. Course details, fees, start dates, and migration policies are subject to change. Please check the latest announcements from the school and the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
For personalised study or migration planning, please contact our professional advisory team.
Registered Migration Agent MARA: 2519162
Qualified Education Agent Counsellor QEAC: 2822

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