Minimum Hourly Rate for a 16 Year Old
Sixteen is the first step up on the National Minimum Wage and the retail and fast food scales. Hospitality is the exception: its junior table has no 16-year-old row, so a 16-year-old stays on the under-17 rate until turning 17.
| What covers the job | % of adult rate | Hourly | Casual hourly (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Minimum Wage (no award)National Minimum Wage Order 2026, band: age 16 | 47.3% | $12.51 | $15.64 |
| Retail award (MA000004)Retail Employee Level 1, band: 16 | 50% | $13.91 | $17.39 |
| Fast food award (MA000003)Fast Food Employee Level 1, band: 16 | 50% | $13.91 | $17.39 |
| Hospitality award (MA000009)Level 1, band: under 17 | 50% | $13.22 | $16.53 |
Rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. The National Minimum Wage figures match those published by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The fast food figures match the award’s own Schedule A. Retail and hospitality junior figures are our calculation: the award percentage applied to the Level 1 weekly rate, divided by 38.
Which line applies to you? The first row is only for jobs that no award or enterprise agreement covers, which is uncommon for young workers. Supermarkets, shops and department stores normally fall under the retail award. Burger chains, pizza shops and takeaway outlets normally fall under the fast food award. Cafes, restaurants, pubs and hotels normally fall under the hospitality award. Big employers often have their own enterprise agreement, which must leave you better off overall than the award.
Weekly Pay for a 16 Year Old at 10, 15 and 20 Hours
Most 16-year-olds work casual shifts after school and on weekends. These are casual weekly amounts before tax, at ordinary Monday–Friday rates:
| Casual rate | 10 hrs/week | 15 hrs/week | 20 hrs/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Minimum Wage (no award)$15.64/hr | $156.40 | $234.60 | $312.80 |
| Retail award (MA000004)$17.39/hr | $173.90 | $260.85 | $347.80 |
| Fast food award (MA000003)$17.39/hr | $173.90 | $260.85 | $347.80 |
| Hospitality award (MA000009)$16.53/hr | $165.30 | $247.95 | $330.60 |
Hourly rate multiplied by hours. Saturday, Sunday, evening and public holiday work attracts penalty rates on top; see penalty rates.
Tax. If you claim the $18,200 tax-free threshold with your employer, most junior earnings attract little or no income tax. Working 20 hours every week of the year at the highest casual rate above ($17.39) comes to about $18,086 a year, with an estimated $0 of income tax and Medicare levy for the year. Use the take-home pay calculator or the weekly pay calculator for your own hours. Your employer must also pay super on top of your wages. To see what the 25% casual loading is worth against a permanent job, use the casual loading calculator.
Rules That Change the Rate
- Retail: Junior rates apply only to retail employee levels 1, 2 and 3 (cl 17.2). A junior classified at level 4 or above receives the full adult rate for that classification.
- Hospitality: Junior employees with a trade qualification, or who are liquor service employees, must be paid the adult rate.
- Fast food: the percentage applies to your classification. Level 2 and Level 3 pay more than the Level 1 figures shown here.
- No junior rates at all: some awards have no junior scale. The SCHADS award pays juniors the full adult rate for their classification.
Working Age Rules at 16
There is no national minimum working age; each state sets its own. Most state limits on job types and employer licences apply below 15. Some states also cap hours on school days, and every state bars work during school hours, while you are still of compulsory school age. The state-by-state table is on the minimum wage by age page.
Minimum Wage at Other Ages
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage for a 16 year old in Australia?
If no award or agreement covers the job, a 16-year-old must be paid at least $12.51 an hour, or $15.64 as a casual, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. That is 47.3% of the adult $26.44. Most 16-year-olds are covered by an award instead, which sets its own junior rate: $13.91 under the retail award, $13.91 under the fast food award and $13.22 under the hospitality award (Level 1 in each award, before casual loading).
How much does a 16 year old casual earn per week?
At the award-free casual rate of $15.64, 15 hours a week is $234.60 before tax. Under the retail award the same 15 hours is $260.85, and under the fast food award $260.85. Weekend, evening and public holiday penalty rates are extra.
Does a 16 year old pay tax?
Only above the tax-free threshold. If you claim the $18,200 tax-free threshold with your employer, a 16-year-old working 15 hours a week as a casual at $17.39 would earn about $13,564 a year and owe about $0 in income tax and Medicare levy for the year. You still need a tax file number, and your employer must pay super on your wages.
When does a 16 year old get the adult minimum wage?
Under the National Minimum Wage the adult rate starts at 21. Awards differ: the hospitality award pays the adult rate from 20, the retail award from 20 with more than six months' service, and the fast food award from 21 (from 1 July 2027 for 20-year-olds with more than six months' service). Rates for under-18s are not changed by the Fair Work Commission's 2026 junior-rate decision, which moves only 18 to 20-year-olds towards the adult rate from 1 December 2026.
How these rates were worked out▼
National Minimum Wage junior rates come from the National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (PR799279) and are regression-tested against the Fair Work Ombudsman’s published hourly and casual figures. Award junior rates apply the award’s percentage to the Level 1 weekly rate and divide by 38, the order the awards use; the fast food figures are tested against the award’s own Schedule A. The adult National Minimum Wage applies from 21. Tax estimates use the 2026-27 resident rates with the tax-free threshold claimed.
Sources & References
- 1National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (PR799279)— Fair Work Commission
- 2Junior pay rates— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3General Retail Industry Award 2020 (MA000004)— Fair Work Commission
- 4Fast Food Industry Award 2020 (MA000003)— Fair Work Commission
- 5Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009)— Fair Work Commission
- 6Minimum working age— Fair Work Ombudsman
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
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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