Australia Raises Minimum Wage to AUD 26.44: How much Indian Students can earn part time?

The Fair Work Commission raised Australia’s National Minimum Wage to AUD 26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026. The change lifts what Indian students on the Subclass 500 visa can earn from part-time work. The Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed the 6% increase after the Annual Wage Review handed down on 2 June 2026. The new floor replaces the earlier AUD 24.94 rate and pushes the weekly minimum past AUD 1,000 for the first time.

• Casual employees now earn at least AUD 33.05 per hour once the 25% loading is added, per the Fair Work Ombudsman.
• Full-cap earnings at 48 hours per fortnight reach AUD 1,269.12, or about ₹85,072 at ₹67.04 per AUD (July 2026).
• Modern award rates covering hospitality, retail and care work rose 4.75%, affecting 2.8 million award-reliant workers.

Wages set the ceiling on how far a student job can offset Sydney or Melbourne rent, grocery bills and tuition top-ups. The 48-hour fortnightly work cap has not moved, so the news is pay per hour, not permission to work more shifts.

Also Read: New Australia Student Visa Processing Rules 2026 for Indian Students

What Changed in Australia’s Minimum Wage from July 2026

The Fair Work Commission’s 2026 Annual Wage Review lifted the National Minimum Wage by 6%. The new hourly floor is AUD 26.44, translating to AUD 1,004.90 for a 38-hour week. Modern award minimum rates rose 4.75%, covering roughly 21% of Australia’s workforce. The entry-level C14 rate, which applies during the first six months of a new job, sits at AUD 25.74 per hour. The changes took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.

How Much Indian Students Can Earn Per Fortnight

Indian students on the Australia Student Visa can work 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. At the new floor, that ceiling is worth AUD 1,269.12 per fortnight, or about ₹85,072. Over a four-week month at the full cap, a student clears AUD 2,538.24, or roughly ₹1.70 lakh. Casual roles paying the loaded rate push the monthly cap to AUD 3,172.80, close to ₹2.13 lakh.

Casual Loading Lifts Hourly Pay to AUD 33.05

Casual employees do not get paid leave, sick pay or notice periods. Australian law offsets that gap with a 25% loading on the minimum wage. From 1 July, that loaded rate is AUD 33.05 per hour. Retail, hospitality and warehouse jobs, which absorb most Indian student labour, largely pay this loaded rate. A 20-hour week at the loaded rate clears AUD 661, or nearly ₹44,300.

How Does the 48-Hour Fortnight Cap Work?

The cap runs across a rolling 14-day window that begins on a Monday. Students can front-load hours in one week and taper the next, or split them evenly. The cap only applies while a course is in session. During official semester breaks, work hours are unlimited. Master’s-by-research and PhD students face no cap once enrolled.

• Track your hours from every Monday, not from a payroll cycle.
• Breaching the cap can trigger a warning or visa cancellation by the Department of Home Affairs.
• Unpaid internships tied to a course do not count toward the 48-hour limit.

Will the New Wage Cover Rent and Living Costs?

Sydney and Melbourne shared rentals run AUD 270 to AUD 860 per month, per Collegedunia’s Cost of Living in Australia tracker. A student earning at the loaded casual rate for 96 hours a month covers even the upper-band rent, groceries and transit, with a small buffer left over. Tuition, however, still sits at AUD 30,000 to AUD 45,000 per year for most postgraduate degrees. Part-time work now offsets living costs, not the fee itself.

Where Indian Students Should Check Their New Pay

Employers must apply the new rate from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Students already in a job before that date should compare their old payslip and their new one line by line. Underpayment is a common issue in casual roles, and the Fair Work Ombudsman runs a dedicated helpline for international students.

The new AUD 26.44 floor gives Indian students in Australia their sharpest hourly lift in three cycles. The 48-hour cap keeps the earnings ceiling firm, but every hour behind the till or on the delivery route now pays more. Anyone joining a Fall 2026 intake should build the higher rate into their budget from day one.

1. Check your first payslip after 1 July 2026 against AUD 26.44 per hour, or AUD 33.05 for casual shifts.
2. If underpaid, log the shortfall and call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 to file a complaint.
3. Track fortnightly work hours starting each Monday to stay under the 48-hour visa cap.
4. Move to casual roles that pay the 25% loaded rate if you want to lift monthly earnings without adding hours.