Electrician apprentice wages in Australia (2026–27)
The minimum pay for electrical apprentices under the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide, MA000025, published 7 August 2026. Rates include the industry allowance, tool allowance and electrician’s licence allowance.
Junior apprentices who completed Year 12
Started on or after 1 January 2014.
| Year / grade | Per hour | Per week (38 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $17.97 | $682.76 |
| 2nd year | $21.13 | $802.84 |
| 3rd year | $22.71 | $862.87 |
| 4th year | $26.50 | $1,006.97 |
Junior apprentices who did not complete Year 12
Started on or after 1 January 2014.
| Year / grade | Per hour | Per week (38 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $16.39 | $622.72 |
| 2nd year | $19.55 | $742.79 |
| 3rd year | $22.71 | $862.87 |
| 4th year | $26.50 | $1,006.97 |
Adult (mature-age) apprentices
Started on or after 1 January 2014. The award also says an adult apprentice must continue to receive the minimum rate of the classification they were engaged in immediately before starting (clause 16.4(b)); check the award for when that applies.
| Year / grade | Per hour | Per week (38 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $25.87 | $982.95 |
| 2nd year | $28.90 | $1,098.29 |
| 3rd year | $28.90 | $1,098.29 |
| 4th year | $28.90 | $1,098.29 |
Qualified electricians, for comparison
Full-time and part-time, including industry, tool and electrician’s licence allowances. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
| Year / grade | Per hour | Per week (38 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical worker grade 5 (licensed electrician) | $32.19 | $1,223.11 |
| Electrical worker grade 6 | $33.11 | $1,258.31 |
| Electrical worker grade 7 | $34.87 | $1,325.11 |
Overtime, weekends and public holidays
Paid as a percentage of the apprentice’s own hourly rate, for work outside ordinary hours (not shiftworkers):
- 150%: Overtime, Monday to Saturday, first 2 hours
- 200%: Overtime, Monday to Saturday, after 2 hours
- 200%: Sunday
- 250%: Public holiday
What an apprentice really costs the business
The award rate is the floor, not the cost. On top of it come superannuation (12% of ordinary time earnings; for an employee under 18, only in a week they work more than 30 hours), workers’ compensation, paid leave, the time a supervising electrician spends teaching instead of billing, and the weeks the apprentice spends at trade school rather than on site. Most businesses find an apprentice’s true hourly cost is well above the award rate before any of their time is billable.
Work out what that means for your charge-out rate with the labour rate calculator and the hourly cost calculator. For comparison, a licensed electrician (grade 5) earns at least $32.19 an hour under the same award.
Common questions
- How much does a first-year electrical apprentice earn in Australia?
- Under the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award, a first-year junior apprentice who completed Year 12 earns at least $17.97 an hour ($682.76 a week) from 1 July 2026, including the industry, tool and licence allowances. An adult first-year apprentice earns at least $25.87 an hour.
- Do apprentices get paid overtime?
- Yes. Overtime from Monday to Saturday is paid at 150% for the first two hours and 200% after that; Sunday work is 200% and public holidays 250%, calculated on the apprentice’s own hourly rate.
- Is superannuation paid on top of apprentice wages?
- Yes. The superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For an employee under 18, super is only required for a week in which they work more than 30 hours.
- When do apprentice wages go up?
- Award rates change each year from the first full pay period on or after 1 July, after the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review. An apprentice also moves to the next year’s rate as they progress through the apprenticeship.
General information only, not legal or payroll advice. These are minimum rates for apprentices who started on or after 1 January 2014; different rates apply to earlier starters, and enterprise agreements can set higher pay. The award and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guide are the authority; if they differ from this page, they apply.