Minimum pay rates for graphic arts workers in Australia under the Graphic Arts Award. Updated 1 July 2026.
Last verified: 21 May 2026Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award 2020 (MA000026)
$25.74
Base rate/hr
$32.18
Casual rate/hr
The minimum pay rate for graphic arts workers is $25.74/hr under the Graphic Arts Award. Casuals receive $32.18/hr (base + 25% loading). Rates effective from 1 July 2026.
Printers, print finishers, pre-press operators, and graphic arts production workers are covered by the Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award. This covers commercial printing, digital printing, packaging production, and related manufacturing. Shift work is standard in larger print operations.
| Level | Classification | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Annual (38hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Graphic Arts Level 1 | $25.74 | $32.18 | $50,862.24 |
| Level 2 | Graphic Arts Level 2 | $26.44 | $33.05 | $52,245.44 |
| Level 3 | Graphic Arts Level 3 | $27.08 | $33.85 | $53,510.08 |
| Level 4 | Graphic Arts Level 4 | $27.97 | $34.96 | $55,268.72 |
| Level 5 | Graphic Arts Level 5 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $58,193.20 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 under the Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award 2020. Casual rates include 25% loading.
Casual workers get a 25% loading on top of the base rate. This compensates for no paid leave, no notice period, and no redundancy pay. Here's what that looks like for each level:
| Level | Base Rate | + 25% Loading | Casual Rate/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $25.74 | +$6.44 | $32.18 |
| Level 2 | $26.44 | +$6.61 | $33.05 |
| Level 3 | $27.08 | +$6.77 | $33.85 |
| Level 4 | $27.97 | +$6.99 | $34.96 |
| Level 5 | $29.45 | +$7.36 | $36.81 |
Penalty rates are calculated on the base rate (Level 1: $25.74/hr). Casual employees receive penalty rates on their base rate before casual loading is applied.
Saturday
$38.61/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$51.48/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$64.35/hr
2.5x base
| Penalty Type | Multiplier | Level 1 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 1.5x | $38.61/hr |
| Sunday | 2x | $51.48/hr |
| Public Holiday | 2.5x | $64.35/hr |
| Afternoon Shift | 1.15x | $29.60/hr |
| Night Shift | 1.3x | $33.46/hr |
| Overtime (first 2 hours) | 1.5x | $38.61/hr |
| Overtime (after 2 hours) | 2x | $51.48/hr |
View the complete Graphic Arts Award including all classification levels, break rules, allowances, and more.
View Full Graphic Arts Award Pay Rates →If your payslip shows less than $25.74/hr (or $32.18/hr casual), you might be getting underpaid. It happens more than you'd think in graphic arts. Use our underpaid checker to calculate what you're actually owed.
Check If You're Underpaid →Real Fair Work decisions and Federal Court penalties in this industry.
The minimum base rate for graphic arts workers is $25.74/hr (Level 1) under the Graphic Arts Award. Casual workers receive $32.18/hr. Qualified tradespeople at Level 5 earn $29.45/hr base.
Afternoon shifts attract a 15% loading and night shifts get 30%. Permanent night shift workers get a 33% loading. Saturday pays 1.5x, Sunday is 2.0x, and public holidays pay 2.5x.
Levels run from 1 to 7. Level 1 covers general hands ($25.74/hr). Level 3 covers machine operators. Level 5 covers qualified tradespeople ($29.45/hr). Level 7 covers advanced technical specialists and supervisors.
Yes. Saturday pays 1.5x for the first 2 hours and 2.0x after that. Sunday is 2.0x all day. Public holidays pay 2.5x. These penalties apply on top of your base rate regardless of whether you're full-time, part-time, or casual.
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