Award Pay Rates

Every job in Australia is covered by a legal minimum pay rate called a modern award, set by the Fair Work Commission. Employers must pay at least the award minimum for the type of work and classification level - it doesn't matter if you're paid hourly or by piece rate ("bin rate", "per kilo", etc.), your average pay must still work out to at least the minimum below. Rates below are for a casual, Level 1 (entry-level) adult employee, and increase every 1 July after the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. If you have more experience or a higher classification, you may be owed more - always check the award page linked below for your exact situation.

Quick reference

Award	Typical work covered	Casual minimum (Level 1)	Official page
Horticulture Award 2020MA000028	Fruit & vegetable picking, packing, general orchard/farm work	$32.18/hr	View award →
Pastoral Award 2020MA000035	Livestock & station work, wool, grain, dairy farm hands, general mixed farming	$32.18/hr	View award →
Wine Industry Award 2020MA000090	Vineyard & winery work	$32.24/hr	View award →
Seafood Processing Award 2020MA000068	Fish, prawn & aquaculture processing and packing	$32.18/hr	View award →
Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020MA000009	Hotels, resorts, hostels, pubs, bars, cafés & tourism venues	$33.05/hr	View award →
Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020MA000020	General building, civil & site labouring work (e.g. driller's assistant, trades assistant)	$33.34/hr	View award →

Note: dairy farm work (milking, feeding, general farm duties) falls under the Pastoral Award above, not a separate "Dairy Award" - that name refers to a different award covering dairy processing plants and factories, not farms.

Note: the Wine Industry Award rate above ($32.24/hr) is the rate for your first 6 months in the role, which is what applies for almost every WHV holder - as a 417/462 visa holder you generally can't work for the same employer for more than 6 months anyway, so most backpackers never reach the slightly higher "after 6 months" rate of $33.05/hr.

Note: standalone restaurants and cafés are technically covered by a sibling award, the Restaurant Industry Award 2020 (MA000119), rather than the Hospitality Award above - but the Level 1 casual rate is identical ($33.05/hr), so it doesn't change what you should be paid.

Note: the Building and Construction rate above is for general, unskilled site labouring (entry Level 1). Specialist trades - electrical, plumbing, joinery - sit under their own separate awards with different rates, not this one.

Does hospitality work count toward your 88 days?

Only sometimes. Unlike farm work, tourism & hospitality work only counts toward your WHV 88-day (or 179-day) specified work requirement if the job is in Northern Australia or a Remote/Very Remote postcode - not just anywhere regional. Some hospitality jobs that don't feel remote at all (islands, coastal tourist towns) are still classified this way, so never assume based on vibe alone - always check the exact postcode.

Every Farmwork4u hospitality listing is tagged 417 and/or 462 only where the postcode actually qualifies, so you can trust the tags on the listing - but if you're arranging hospitality work outside the platform, always double-check the postcode yourself on the official Department of Home Affairs pages before you commit: 417 specified work or 462 specified work.

Weekends, evenings & public holidays

The rates above are for ordinary weekday hours only. Most awards pay extra on top of that - for example, working Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, very early mornings, or overtime hours often earns a higher rate (sometimes 150-250% of the ordinary rate). Exactly how much depends on your award and classification, so check the relevant "View award" link in the table above, or use the Pay and Conditions Tool linked below to work out your exact rate for the day and hours you're working.

What counts as your "award"

Your award depends on the actual work you do, not the job title. A "farm hand" role could sit under Horticulture or Pastoral depending on whether you're mostly picking fruit/veg or working with livestock and broadacre crops - if you're not sure which applies, ask your employer directly which award and classification level they're paying you under.

Piece rates

Fruit and vegetable picking is often paid by piece rate (per bin, per kilo, per row) instead of a flat hourly rate. This is legal under the Horticulture Award, but your average earnings across a pay period must still equal at least the casual minimum hourly rate above for the hours you worked. If a slow picking day means your piece-rate pay falls short of that average, your employer is required to top you up to the award minimum.

How to check you're being paid correctly

Confirm which award and classification level applies to your role with your employer.
Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's free Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate your exact minimum pay.
Keep your payslips - your employer is legally required to give you one for every pay period.
If you think you've been underpaid, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 (free, confidential, and available regardless of your visa status).