Annual Wage Review Australia — full history
Every Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review since 2022, with the exact minimum wage outcome, percentage increase to modern award rates, and effective date. Updated as each year's decision is published.
?Want to know what a wage review change means for your pay? Ask our workplace advisor →What is the Annual Wage Review?
The Annual Wage Review is the Fair Work Commission's yearly decision setting the National Minimum Wage and the minimum rates in all 122 modern awards. The Commission's expert panel hears submissions from unions, employer groups, the Federal Government and other parties between March and May each year, and publishes a determination in early June with rates effective from 1 July.
Around 2.6 million Australian workers are directly affected by the Annual Wage Review — roughly 20% of the workforce who are paid at the National Minimum Wage or at an award minimum rate. Many others receive wage rises indirectly because their above-award pay is benchmarked to an award percentage.
Year-by-year outcomes (2022-23 to 2025-26)
| FY | NMW (hourly) | NMW (38hr week) | NMW rise | Award rates rise | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $26.44 | $1,004.90 | 6% | 4.75% | 1 July 2026 |
| 2025-26 | $24.95 | $948.10 | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 July 2025 |
| 2024-25 | $24.10 | $915.91 | 3.75% | 3.75% | 1 July 2024 |
| 2023-24 | $23.23 | $882.80 | 8.65% | 5.75% | 1 July 2023 |
| 2022-23 | $21.38 | $812.60 | 5.2% | 4.6% | 1 July 2022 |
Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review decisions, published annually on fwc.gov.au/annual-wage-review. Rates are gross before tax, super, Medicare, HECS, etc.
What did the 2026 Annual Wage Review decide?
The Fair Work Commission handed down its 2026-27 Annual Wage Review decision on 2 June 2026. The National Minimum Wage rises 6% to $26.44/hr ($1,004.90/week) and modern award minimum rates rise 4.75%, with the lowest-paid C13/C14 classifications lifted to the new floor. The new rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026.
See our 2026 wage review predictions for the FWC's expected range, the consumer-price-index context, and what each major submission (ACTU, ACCI, ABI, Federal Government) is asking for.
How much has the NMW risen since 2022?
The National Minimum Wage has risen from $20.33/hr in 2021-22 to $24.95/hr in 2025-26 — a cumulative increase of approximately 23%. The biggest single jump was 2023-24 when the NMW was lifted 8.65% (re-aligned to the C13 classification of the Manufacturing Award) while modern award rates rose 5.75%. In real (CPI-adjusted) terms the wage has roughly tracked inflation since 2022.
Calculate the impact on your pay
Use the Annual Wage Review impact calculator to see how each year's decision changed your weekly take-home, or ask our workplace advisor a specific question about your award, hours and entitlements.
Annual Wage Review Impact Calculator
See exactly how each year's decision changed your pay.
Minimum Wage Calculator (current)
Current $24.95/hr NMW with state and casual loading variants.
Pay Rate Lookup
Award rates for your classification, post-wage-review.
Ask FairWork Mate AI
1 free question to try. Cited from live FWC case law.