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.
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 award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
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 | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. A dash means the award sets no casual rate for that classification.
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 | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. A dash means the award sets no casual rate for that classification.
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 | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. A dash means the award sets no casual rate for that classification.
Apprentice Electrician penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| 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).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
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
On the 1st year — completed Year 12 rate of $682.75 a week, a full-time apprentice electrician earns $35,503 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $35,503 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$1,895 |
| Medicare levy | −$710 |
| Take-home per year | $32,898 |
| Take-home per week | $633 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see 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
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
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.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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