Started your apprenticeship before 1 January 2014? Different percentages apply (40%, 52%, 70%, 82% for juniors — cl 16.4(a)(i)); see Schedule B.4.9 of the award.
Apprentice Electrician award pay rates 2026–27
Apprentice electrician pay rates — completed Year 12 (started on or after 1 January 2014)
Weekly = percentage of the $1,119.10 grade 5 wage + $22.31 tool allowance + the same percentage of the industry and licence allowances. Hourly rates are exactly as published in Schedule B.4.5. The award sets no casual apprentice rate.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual (weekly × 52) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year — completed Year 1255% of grade 5 | $17.97 | $682.75 | $35,503 |
| 2nd year — completed Year 1265% of grade 5 | $21.13 | $802.83 | $41,747 |
| 3rd year — completed Year 1270% of grade 5 | $22.71 | $862.87 | $44,869 |
| 4th year — completed Year 1282% of grade 5 | $26.50 | $1,006.97 | $52,362 |
Apprentice electrician pay rates — did not complete Year 12
Same formula at 50%, 60%, 70% and 82% of grade 5. Hourly rates are Schedule B.4.5 exactly.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual (weekly × 52) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year — not completed Year 1250% of grade 5 | $16.39 | $622.71 | $32,381 |
| 2nd year — not completed Year 1260% of grade 5 | $19.55 | $742.79 | $38,625 |
| 3rd year — not completed Year 1270% of grade 5 | $22.71 | $862.87 | $44,869 |
| 4th year — not completed Year 1282% of grade 5 | $26.50 | $1,006.97 | $52,362 |
Adult apprentice electrician pay rates (started on or after 1 January 2014)
Year 1: 80% of grade 5, plus the tool allowance and 80% of the industry and licence allowances. Years 2–4: the grade 1 minimum ($1,004.90), plus the tool allowance and 87% of those allowances. Hourly rates are Schedule B.4.1 exactly.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual (weekly × 52) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult apprentice — 1st year80% of grade 5 | $25.87 | $982.95 | $51,113 |
| Adult apprentice — 2nd to 4th yearGrade 1 (EW1) rate | $28.90 | $1,098.29 | $57,111 |
Which award covers apprentice electricians
Apprentice electricians employed by electrical contractors are covered by the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 [MA000025]. Their pay is a percentage of the qualified electrician (grade 5) minimum that rises each year of the 4-year apprenticeship.
For apprentices who started on or after 1 January 2014 the percentages are 50%, 60%, 70% and 82% of the grade 5 rate — or 55% and 65% in the first two years for an apprentice who completed Year 12 (cl 16.4(a)(ii)).
On top of that percentage the award adds the full $22.31 weekly tool allowance and the same percentage of the industry allowance ($41.41) and the electrician's licence allowance ($40.29). The total is an all-purpose rate, so overtime, penalties and leave are paid on it. Quoting 50% of the grade 5 wage alone ($14.73 an hour) understates a first-year apprentice without Year 12 by $1.66 an hour.
An adult apprentice (as defined in the award) who started on or after 1 January 2014 gets 80% of the grade 5 rate in first year and at least the grade 1 rate from second year (cl 16.4(b)(v)). An existing employee who becomes an adult apprentice cannot have their pay cut (cl 16.4(b)(i)).
Read the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 [MA000025] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Apprentice Electrician penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours (Monday–Friday) | 100% |
| Public holiday | 250% |
Percentages of the apprentice's all-purpose hourly rate (Schedule B.4). Ordinary hours for day workers are Monday to Friday, so weekend work is overtime.
Overtime
- Overtime is paid on the apprentice's all-purpose hourly rate: 150% for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, then 200%; Sunday 200%; public holiday 250% (Schedule B.4).
- An apprentice under 18 cannot be required to work overtime or shiftwork unless they want to, and no apprentice may be rostered for overtime that stops them attending training (cl 12.11).
- Time at TAFE or other training in the training contract counts as time worked and is paid (cl 12.4).
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Tool allowance | $22.31 per week | Paid in full to apprentices, all purposes (cl 16.4(a)(iii), 18.3(g)); included. |
| Industry allowance | Same % of $41.41 per week | All purposes (cl 18.3(a)); included. |
| Electrician's licence allowance | Same % of $40.29 per week | All purposes (cl 18.3(b)); included, as the Schedule B.4 hourly rates are. |
| Training fees and textbooks | Reimbursed | The employer must reimburse TAFE/RTO fees and prescribed textbooks (cl 12.8). |
Apprentice Electrician pay after tax
| Classification | Gross a year | Tax and Medicare | Take-home a year | A week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year — completed Year 12 | $35,503 | −$2,605 | $32,898 | $633 |
| 2nd year — completed Year 12 | $41,747 | −$3,879 | $37,868 | $728 |
| 3rd year — completed Year 12 | $44,869 | −$4,566 | $40,303 | $775 |
| 4th year — completed Year 12 | $52,362 | −$7,061 | $45,301 | $871 |
2026–27 resident rates with the Medicare levy and no HECS-HELP; super is paid on top. Full breakdown: take-home pay on $35,000 (the nearest step to $35,503), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What this page does not show
- Rates for apprentices who began before 1 January 2014, school-based apprentices (Schedule D) and apprentice shiftworkers.
- A market median: Jobs and Skills Australia's electrician median ($2,191 a week) is for qualified adult employees and does not describe apprentice pay.
Apprentice Electrician pay questions
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How this page is sourced▼
Minimum rates: the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, read on 23 September 2026.
Sources & References
- 1
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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