Poultry Processing Award pay rates
Award code MA000074, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 6 adult classifications under the Poultry Processing Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $26.25 to $28.73 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$26.25an hour
For Level 1. $997.40 for a full-time week. Up 4.75% from $25.06. Casuals get $32.81 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $26.25 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 65 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Level 1$26.25
- Level 2$26.95
- Level 3$27.31
- Level 4$27.66
- Level 5$28.01
- Level 6$28.73
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Level 1.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$26.25 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.38 |
| Sunday | 175%$45.94 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $997.40 | $26.25 | $32.81 |
| Level 2 | $1,024.10 | $26.95 | $33.69 |
| Level 3 | $1,037.70 | $27.31 | $34.14 |
| Level 4 | $1,051.20 | $27.66 | $34.58 |
| Level 5 | $1,064.30 | $28.01 | $35.01 |
| Level 6 | $1,091.70 | $28.73 | $35.91 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Full-time and part-time employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$26.25 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.38 |
| Sunday | 175%$45.94 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 |
Casual employees: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday-Friday | 125%$32.81 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.38 |
| Sunday | 175%$45.94 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 |
Shiftwork
Shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning | 110%$28.88 | 135%$35.44 |
| Afternoon & night | 115%$30.19 | 140%$36.75 |
| Permanent night | 125%$32.81 | 150%$39.38 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.38 | 150%$39.38 |
| Sunday | 175%$45.94 | 175%$45.94 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 | 250%$65.63 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time employees other than shiftworkers: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 3 hours | 150%$39.38 |
| Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours | 200%$52.50 |
| Sunday | 200%$52.50 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 |
Shiftworkers: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 3 hours | 150%$39.38 |
| Monday to Saturday - after 3 hours | 200%$52.50 |
| Sunday | 200%$52.50 |
| Public holiday | 250%$65.63 |
Allowances paid on top
6 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 2 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Leading hand in charge of | ||
| 1 to 19 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.2(b)(i) | $40.96 a week | |
| 20 employees or moreCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.2(b)(i) | $68.45 a week | |
| Cold work allowance | ||
| -18.0°C to -23.3°CClause 17.2(c) | $1.75 per hour or part thereof | |
| From -15.6°C to -18.0°CClause 17.2(c) | $1.00 per hour or part thereof | |
| Less than -23.3°CClause 17.2(c) | $2.75 per hour or part thereof | |
| First aid allowanceClause 17.2(d) | $22.42 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Meal allowance, overtimeClause 17.3(a) | $19.14 a meal |
| Vehicle allowanceClause 17.3(b) | $1.00 a km |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Poultry Processing Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $26.25 an hour ($997.40 a week full time), for Level 1. The highest adult classification is $28.73 an hour.
- How does the Poultry Processing Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $26.25 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 65 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Poultry Processing Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $25.06 to $26.25 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Poultry Processing Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Level 1 that makes $32.81 an hour.
- What are Sunday rates under the Poultry Processing Award?
- Full-time and part-time employees get 175% of the ordinary rate on Sunday: $45.94 an hour at Level 1. Public holidays are 250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
- What allowances are paid under the Poultry Processing Award?
- 8 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a leading hand in charge of, 1 to 19 employees of $40.96 a week, a leading hand in charge of, 20 employees or more of $68.45 a week and a cold work allowance, -18.0°C to -23.3°C of $1.75 per hour or part thereof. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.