Apprentice Pay Rates in Australian Construction

An Australian construction apprentice is paid the apprentice rate under the applicable award, not one national apprentice wage. The amount depends on the trade, training stage, age, education and the award covering the employer.

Start with the correct construction award

Here is the first trap. “Construction apprentice” is not a payroll classification by itself.

A carpenter or bricklayer may be covered by the Building and Construction General On-site Award. Electricians, plumbers, joiners and some metal trades can fall under different awards. An enterprise agreement, commonly called an EBA on site, may also set higher rates.

Most private sector employers use the national Fair Work system. Some workers can be covered by a state industrial relations system. Western Australian unincorporated employers are a common example.

Start by confirming:

1. The employer’s industry and business structure.
2. The work the apprentice actually performs.
3. The registered training contract and nominated trade.
4. Whether an award, enterprise agreement or other industrial instrument applies.
5. The apprentice’s commencement date and current progression stage.

Our Awards hub explains how award coverage and classifications fit together. You can then test the classification using the Award Rate Checker.

How Building Award apprentice percentages work

Under the Building and Construction General On-site Award, the minimum apprentice rate is generally a percentage of the award’s specified trade benchmark rate. In many cases this is tied to the Level 3 rate.

For a four-year apprenticeship that started on or after 1 January 2014, the common percentage table is:

Apprenticeship year	Completed Year 12	Did not complete Year 12
First year	55%	50%
Second year	65%	60%
Third year	80%	75%
Fourth year	95%	90%

These percentages are award settings as at September 2026. Do not use them for every construction trade. Another award, an older apprenticeship, a three-year program or a competency-based arrangement may use a different table.

The percentage applies to the current award benchmark. It does not mean the apprentice keeps the same dollar rate for the whole year. When the benchmark rate changes, the apprentice’s minimum rate changes too.

The dated numbers payroll needs to know

As at September 2026, ordinary full-time hours under the Building Award are generally 38 hours a week. The weekly apprentice rate can therefore be converted to an hourly rate by dividing it by 38, subject to the award’s rounding and part-time provisions.

As at September 2026, an adult apprentice under the Building Award is generally someone who was 21 or older when the apprenticeship started. Adult apprentice minimums and pay protection rules may produce a higher amount than the standard apprentice percentage.

As at September 2026, the compulsory super guarantee rate is 12% for eligible employees. Apprentices are employees, so they are not excluded merely because they are completing training.

The Fair Work Commission normally updates modern award dollar rates following the annual wage review. A change generally applies from the first full pay period starting on or after the operative date, commonly 1 July. Payroll should load the award rate effective for the actual pay period rather than carrying forward an old dollar figure.

Overtime and penalty rates still apply

An apprentice’s lower base rate does not remove overtime and penalty entitlements. Under common Building Award settings, the following multipliers apply as at September 2026:

Work period	Common minimum multiplier
First 2 overtime hours, Monday to Saturday	150%
Overtime after the first 2 hours	200%
Sunday overtime	200%
Public holiday work	250%

Roster arrangements and specific award clauses can affect when overtime begins. For example, an RDO arrangement may distribute the 38-hour week across a work cycle.

Check whether an allowance is all-purpose before calculating overtime. An all-purpose allowance forms part of the rate used for certain penalties. A reimbursement, such as repayment of an actual expense, is treated differently.

A simple apprentice pay calculation

Suppose the relevant award benchmark is shown as B and the apprentice is in the second year of a four-year apprenticeship after completing Year 12.

The calculation is:

Weekly apprentice base rate = B × 65%

The ordinary hourly rate is then generally:

Weekly apprentice base rate ÷ 38

If the apprentice works one hour at 150%, the basic overtime calculation is:

Applicable hourly rate × 1.5

That is only the starting point. Add any all-purpose allowance required by the award before applying a multiplier where the relevant clause says it forms part of the ordinary rate. Then add separate flat allowances or reimbursements.

Adult, part-time and school-based apprentices

Adult apprentices need a separate check. The award may provide a minimum floor or protect the employee from taking a pay cut where they worked for the same employer immediately before starting the apprenticeship.

Part-time apprentice pay is based on the applicable hourly rate and agreed ordinary hours. Progression can be more involved because the training contract, hours worked and competency rules may affect when the apprentice moves to the next stage.

School-based apprentices also have special provisions. Their paid work, structured training, leave treatment and minimum engagement rules should not be copied from a standard full-time apprentice profile.

If the apprentice turns 21 during the apprenticeship, do not automatically switch them to the adult apprentice rate. The definition generally looks at their age when the apprenticeship commenced. Check the exact award clause and training history.

Allowances are easy to miss

Construction awards contain several allowances that may apply depending on the site and work performed. These can include industry, tools, travel, fares, distant work, meals, height work and special site allowances.

Not every apprentice receives every allowance. Keep evidence of why an allowance applies, how it was calculated and whether it is all-purpose. Site location, daily travel, supplied tools and employer-provided transport can all change the answer.

A practical payroll check

Before approving an apprentice’s first pay run, keep copies of the training contract, award classification decision, school completion evidence and progression details.

Then check the base rate, ordinary hours, overtime, allowances, leave accruals and super. Repeat the check after an annual award increase, birthday, competency progression, training contract change or move to another site.

The main thing is not to guess from job title alone. Two apprentices standing next to each other can lawfully have different minimum rates because they started at different ages, completed different schooling or sit under different awards.