The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

The Hon Jim Chalmers MP
Treasurer

The Fair Work Commission handed down the 2026 Annual Wage Review decision today, increasing modern award wages by 4.75 per cent and the National Minimum Wage by 6 per cent from 1 July this year.

This is a real wage increase. 

This decision provides cost of living relief for almost 2.7 million National Minimum Wage and Modern Award reliant Australian workers around the country. 

The decision ensures award-reliant workers are not worse off in real terms relative to 1 July 2025.

Today’s decision means the National Minimum Wage will increase from:

• $24.95 to $26.44 per hour 
• $948.00 to $1,004.90 per 38-hour week
• $49,296.00 to $52,254.80 per year.

This is the first time the National Minimum Wage is above $1,000 per week.

Since the Albanese Government came to office, we’ve advocated for Australian workers at every single Annual Wage Review – five years in a row.

Our advocacy has seen the National Minimum Wage has increased by $6.11 per hour, $232.30 per week and $12,079.60 per year, or a 30.1 per cent increase.

In making this decision, the Fair Work Commission Expert Panel considered a number of factors, including the performance of the national economy – which has been impacted by uncertainty around the conflict in the Middle East – and the relative living standards and needs of minimum and award wage earners. 

The Fair Work Commission Expert Panel acknowledged that the determination of this year’s Review outcome has been particularly challenging because of the degree of complexity in the interaction of the matters they are required to take into account.

Modern Award employees predominantly work part-time hours, are in female-dominated industries, and a majority are casuals. 

Earlier this year, the Albanese Government lodged a submission to the 2026 Annual Wage Review recommending the Fair Work Commission award an economically sustainable real wage increase to Australia’s award workers.