Junior Pay Rates in Australia: What Workers Under 21 Must Be Paid (2026)
Junior employees under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult minimum wage ($24.10/hr). See the exact rates by age (16-20), how awards set different percentages, when casual loading applies on top, and what happens when you turn 21.
What are junior pay rates in Australia?
Junior pay rates are reduced minimum wage rates that apply to employees under 21 years of age. Under Australian workplace law, employers can legally pay younger workers less than the full adult minimum wage. The rationale behind junior rates is that younger workers are still developing skills, experience, and productivity. The adult national minimum wage for 2025-26 is $24.10 per hour (or $915.90 per week for a full-time employee). Junior rates are expressed as a percentage of this adult rate and increase with each year of age until the employee turns 21, at which point they must receive the full adult rate. Junior rates are set out in the Fair Work Act 2009 and individual modern awards. The national minimum wage order sets default junior percentages, but many modern awards specify their own percentages which may differ. Where an award applies to a junior employee, the award's junior rates override the default national percentages. It is important to understand which award covers your role, as this directly determines your minimum hourly rate. Junior rates apply equally to full-time, part-time, and casual employees, though casuals receive the 25% casual loading on top of their junior base rate.
Junior pay rates by age — the NMW schedule
The national minimum wage junior pay schedule sets default percentages for employees not covered by a specific modern award. Under the NMW order, the typical percentages are: Under 16 years — 36.8% of the adult rate ($8.87/hr); 16 years — 47.3% ($11.40/hr); 17 years — 57.8% ($13.93/hr); 18 years — 68.3% ($16.46/hr); 19 years — 82.5% ($19.88/hr); 20 years — 97.7% ($23.55/hr). However, most employees are covered by a modern award, and award junior rates vary. For example, the General Retail Industry Award 2020 sets junior rates at: Under 16 — 45%; 16 years — 50%; 17 years — 60%; 18 years — 70%; 19 years — 80%; 20 years — 90% of the adult award rate. The Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 uses a similar scale but with slightly different percentages at some age brackets. The Fast Food Industry Award 2020 sets rates starting at 40% for under 16 and scaling up. Always check the specific award that covers your job classification, as these percentages directly determine your legal minimum hourly rate.
How different awards set different junior percentages
Modern awards are industry-specific or occupation-specific instruments that set minimum pay rates, including junior percentages. There are over 120 modern awards in Australia, and each one that includes junior rates may set different percentage scales. The Clerks — Private Sector Award 2020 sets junior rates at: Under 17 — 45%; 17 years — 55%; 18 years — 65%; 19 years — 77.5%; 20 years — 90%. The Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 does not have junior rates at all for most classifications — apprentices have their own wage structure instead. The Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020 uses: Under 16 — 36.8%; 16 years — 47.3%; 17 years — 57.8%; 18 years — 68.3%; 19 years — 82.5%; 20 years — 97.7%, which mirrors the NMW schedule. Some awards, particularly in trades and heavy industry, do not permit junior rates because the work requires adult-level skill and responsibility. If your award does not include a junior rates schedule, your employer must pay you the full adult rate regardless of your age. You can find your applicable award using the Fair Work Ombudsman's Find My Award tool.
Casual loading on top of junior rates
If you are a casual junior employee, you are entitled to the 25% casual loading on top of your junior base rate. The casual loading compensates for the lack of paid leave entitlements (annual leave, personal/carer's leave, etc.) that permanent employees receive. For example, if the adult base rate under your award is $24.10/hr and you are 18 years old with a junior percentage of 70%, your base junior rate would be $16.87/hr. Adding the 25% casual loading brings your minimum casual rate to $21.09/hr. This stacking of junior rates and casual loading is a common source of underpayment. Some employers incorrectly apply the casual loading to the full adult rate and then apply the junior percentage, or vice versa in the wrong order. The correct calculation is always: adult base rate multiplied by the junior percentage, then multiplied by 1.25 for the casual loading. Weekend and public holiday penalty rates also apply to casual juniors. If your award specifies a Saturday rate of 125% for casuals, that 125% applies to your junior base rate, not the adult rate. Always check your payslip to confirm both the junior rate and casual loading are correctly applied.
Age-based pay differences and discrimination law
Paying junior employees less than adults based on age would normally constitute age discrimination under the Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory legislation. However, there is a specific exemption in anti-discrimination law for junior pay rates set by or under industrial instruments — including the Fair Work Act, modern awards, and enterprise agreements. Section 18(2) of the Age Discrimination Act provides that differential treatment in compliance with a prescribed law or instrument is not unlawful. This means an employer who pays a 17-year-old $13.93/hr instead of the adult $24.10/hr is acting lawfully, provided the rate is consistent with the applicable award or the NMW junior schedule. However, this exemption only covers rates prescribed by awards and legislation. An employer cannot invent their own junior pay scale that falls below the award minimum, nor can they refuse to promote or provide opportunities based on age. If you believe you are being paid less than your award's junior rate, or if your employer is using age to deny you entitlements beyond pay rates, that may constitute unlawful discrimination or an underpayment that you can report to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Transitioning to the adult rate when you turn 21
When a junior employee turns 21, they must immediately be paid the full adult minimum wage rate under their applicable award or the national minimum wage. There is no grace period or transition phase — the adult rate applies from the first pay period that includes or follows your 21st birthday. This can represent a significant pay increase. An employee on the 20-year-old rate of 90% would see roughly an 11% pay bump, while those in awards with steeper junior scales might see even larger increases. Your employer should automatically adjust your pay rate when you turn 21, but it is worth checking your payslip to confirm. If your employer does not increase your rate, raise it immediately with your payroll department or manager. Keep records of your birth date notification to your employer. If your employer continues paying junior rates after you turn 21, you are being underpaid and can lodge a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman. The underpayment would be calculated as the difference between what you were paid and the full adult rate for every hour worked after your 21st birthday, potentially including interest and superannuation shortfalls on the underpaid amount.
How to check if you are being paid correctly
To verify your junior pay rate is correct, follow these steps. First, identify your modern award — use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Find My Award tool or check your employment contract. Second, find the junior rates schedule in your award, which will list percentages by age. Third, find the current adult base rate for your classification level under the award. Fourth, multiply the adult rate by your junior percentage to get your minimum base rate. Fifth, if you are casual, add the 25% casual loading. Sixth, check whether any penalty rates apply for the shifts you work (weekends, evenings, public holidays). Compare this calculated minimum against what appears on your payslip. If there is a shortfall, raise it with your employer in writing first. If the issue is not resolved, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or use their online complaint form. You can claim up to six years of back pay for underpayments. Use our Minimum Wage Checker and Pay Rate Lookup tools to instantly verify your minimum rate based on your age, award, and employment type.
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Official resources
General information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.
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