Minimum Wage From 1 July 2026: $26.44 an Hour, and the Casual Loading
The national minimum wage is now $26.44 an hour ($1,004.90 a week). Casuals get at least 25% more. Weekly figures, a common underpayment and what to do about it.
By the MoneyBackKit AU team · Updated 17 October 2026 · 4 min read
The national minimum wage went up on 1 July 2026, after the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. If you're on a low hourly rate, a casual, or you've just started a new job, it's worth taking two minutes to check that your pay actually moved.
The new rates
- National minimum wage: $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, before tax.
- Casual workers get at least a 25% loading on top, because they don't get paid leave: $33.05 an hour on the minimum.
- Most modern award rates went up too. If you're covered by an award, your minimum is usually higher than the national minimum.
What that means each week
| Hours a week | Permanent minimum | Casual minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $264.40 | $330.50 |
| 20 | $528.80 | $661.00 |
| 30 | $793.20 | $991.50 |
| 38 | $1,004.72 | $1,255.90 |
A common mistake with casual pay
Say you're a casual paid $25.00 an hour for 30 hours a week. That's below the casual minimum of $33.05, so you'd be underpaid by about $241.50 a week, or $12,558 over a year. It happens more often than you'd think, usually because an employer forgot to add the loading or didn't update rates on 1 July.
If you think you're underpaid
- Find your award. The Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) shows the exact rate for your job and level.
- Check your payslips: they must show your hourly rate, hours and any loadings.
- Ask your employer in writing. Most mistakes get fixed at this step, with back pay.
- If not, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94. It's free, and you can stay anonymous when reporting.