Changes to the Pharmacy Award
Published 9 July 2025 | Updated 4 June 2026
Learn more about changes to minimum pay rates for some employees under the Pharmacy Award.
On this page:
What's changed
The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) announced increases to minimum pay rates under the Pharmacy Award as part of its Gender-based undervaluation – priority awards review. The Commission is the national workplace relations tribunal.
Minimum pay rates for pharmacists (including pharmacy interns) covered by the Pharmacy Award are increasing by 14.1% in 3 stages.
Pay rate increases will be applied on:
- 30 June 2025
- 30 June 2026
- 30 June 2027.
Pay rate changes
The first increase applied from the employee's first full pay period starting on or after 30 June 2025.
The second increase applies from the employee's first full pay period starting on or after 30 June 2026.
Interaction with the Annual Wage Review
In addition, there will be a further increase to minimum wage rates from 1 July 2026, following the Commission's Annual Wage Review decision.
This means that pharmacists (and pharmacy interns) covered by the Pharmacy Award will be entitled to a further minimum wage increase of 4.75% from the employee’s first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026.
Example: Pay period starting 30 June 2026
Lucy owns a community pharmacy and employs a pharmacist covered by the Pharmacy Award.
Lucy’s employees are paid on a weekly pay cycle that runs from Tuesday to Monday each week.
Lucy knows that minimum pay rates for some employees under the Pharmacy Award will increase on 30 June 2026. Because Tuesday 30 June 2026 is the start of a new pay cycle, those rates will apply for the entire pay period.
These pay rates will then increase again by 4.75%, as a result of the Annual Wage Review decision, from the next pay cycle which starts Tuesday 7 July 2026.
Prepare for the changes
Our Pay and Conditions Tool has been updated with the new rates that apply from 30 June.
You can also download the 30 June 2026 pay guide(DOCX)(PDF).
Learn more about the pay rate changes and how it applies to you in the Award determination.
Our pay tools will be updated again with the rates that apply from 1 July 2026 closer to that time. Subscribe to email updates to be notified when these rates are available.
We’ll have more information on the 2027 increases closer to the time. To be notified, subscribe to our email updates.
What to do now
Pay rates that apply from 30 June 2026 are available in our Pay and Conditions Tool.
To learn more about the changes, visit Gender undervaluation – priority awards review.
We'll have information about wage rates from 1 July closer to the date, for more information visit Get ready for the 2026 minimum wage decision.
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