Junior wage changes to Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy Awards
Published 8 April 2026 I Updated 2 November 2026
Learn more about upcoming changes to junior employee wages under 3 awards.
On this page:
What’s changing
The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) has announced upcoming changes to junior wages under the:
- Retail Award (for levels 1, 2 and 3 only)
- Fast Food Award
- Pharmacy Award (for pharmacy assistants levels 1 and 2 only).
Currently, employees under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult pay rate for their classification.
From 1 December 2026:
- employees between the ages of 18 and 20 will gradually move to the adult pay rate for their classification if they’ve been employed by their employer for more than 6 months
- junior pay rates for these employees will be phased out by 1 July 2029.
For more information, go to Phased pay rate increases.
Pay rates for employees aged 18 to 20 won’t change until they’ve been employed for more than 6 months by their employer. There are no changes to minimum pay rates for employees under the age of 18.
Service with different employers in the same industry does not count towards the increase of junior rates.
Example: Service with different employers and junior pay rates
Gemma is a casual employee working at a take-away food store covered by the Fast Food Award. Gemma is 18 years old and is currently paid junior rates.
Gemma has been working at their job for 8 months and has decided to look for a second job in the same industry to earn extra wages.
Gemma finds a job in a similar take-away store. They’re also covered by the Fast Food Award.
Gemma is entitled to move to adult pay rates with their first employer because they’ve worked for more than 6 months. Because Gemma hasn’t worked for more than 6 months with their second employer, Gemma is still paid junior rates in that job.
From the first full pay period starting after 1 December 2026, Gemma’s first employer must increase Gemma’s pay rate.
Once Gemma has completed more than 6 months of service at their second job, their pay will increase.
If there’s a transfer of business, employment with the old employer counts towards the 6 month qualifying period with the new employer.
For more information about transfer of business, visit When businesses change owners.
Phased pay rate increases
Employees aged 18 to 20 who have more than 6 months’ service with their employer will gradually move to adult pay rates by 1 July 2029. Their pay rate will increase gradually between now and 1 July 2029.
From 1 July 2029, employees over 18 are entitled to full adult rates for their classification if they have more than 6 months service with their employer.
Fast Food Award
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for less than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 November 2027 | 1 December 2027 to 30 November 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 November 2028 | 1 December 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
| 19 years | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| 20 years | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for more than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 November 2027 | 1 December 2027 to 30 June 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 November 2028 | 1 December 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 75% | 80% | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% |
| 19 years | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 20 years | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Pharmacy Award — pharmacy assistant levels 1 and 2 only
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for less than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
| 19 years | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| 20 years | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for more than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 75% | 85% | 95% | 100% |
| 19 years | 85% | 95% | 100% | 100% |
| 20 years | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Retail Award – levels 1, 2 and 3 only
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for less than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 November 2027 | 1 December 2027 to 30 June 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 November 2028 | 1 December 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
| 19 years | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| 20 years | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
The table shows the percentages of the adult rate that employees will be entitled to between now and 1 July 2029 if they’ve been employed for more than 6 months.
| 1 December 2026 to 30 June 2027 | 1 July 2027 to 30 November 2027 | 1 December 2027 to 30 June 2028 | 1 July 2028 to 30 November 2028 | 1 December 2028 to 30 June 2029 | 1 July 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 75% | 80% | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% |
| 19 years | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 20 years | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
What you can do now
We’ve updated our resources with the new rates.
The first pay rate increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026.
You can find the new rates by using the Pay and Conditions Tool and by selecting the relevant date.
Updated pay guides are also available to download:
- Fast Food Industry Award [MA000003] Pay Guide (DOCX) (PDF)Fast Food Industry Award [MA000003] Pay Guide
- General Retail Industry Award [MA000004] Pay Guide (DOCX) (PDF)General Retail Industry Award [MA000004] Pay Guide
- Pharmacy Industry Award [MA000012] Pay Guide (DOCX) (PDF)Pharmacy Industry Award [MA000012] Pay Guide
Our resources will be updated ahead of each pay increase, so keep checking back here for updates. To receive an email reminder of each pay increase, you can subscribe to email updates.
You can also find updates about the junior wages case on the Commission’s website at Junior rates application (AM2024/24).
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A reminder that the Fair Work Commission is the national workplace relations tribunal and registered organisations tribunal.
We’re the Fair Work Ombudsman. Our role is to give you advice and assistance on workplace laws.
Learn more about the difference between the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission.
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