Work out a casual hourly rate from a permanent rate (or the other way), a week's casual pay and take-home pay in 2026–27, and how casual compares with permanent over a year.
Take-home is the PAYG tax withheld from a weekly pay with the tax-free threshold claimed, from the ATO's 2026–27 formulas.
Casual rates under common awards
| Award | Classification | Full-time hourly | Casual hourly | Loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Retail Industry Award | Retail employee level 1 | $27.81 | $34.76 | 25% |
| Fast Food Industry Award | Level 1 | $27.81 | $34.76 | 25% |
| Hospitality Industry (General) Award | Cook grade 3 | $29.45 | $36.81 | 25% |
| Pharmacy Industry Award | Pharmacy assistant level 1 | $27.81 | $34.76 | 25% |
| SCHADS Award | Social and community services level 1.1 | $27.55 | $34.44 | 25% |
| Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award | Registered tradesperson level 1 | $32.80 | $41.00 | 25% |
| Electrical Contracting Award | Electrical worker grade 5 (licensed) | $32.19 | $40.24 | 25% |
Adult ordinary rates from the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guides effective 1 July 2026, as published. Tap an award for every level.
How it works
- Casual rate = permanent hourly rate × (1 + loading). With the usual 25% loading that's × 1.25.
- Casuals don't get paid annual leave (4 weeks a year for full-time staff) or paid personal/carer's leave (10 days a year) under the National Employment Standards.
- The yearly comparison assumes the casual takes the same 4 weeks off unpaid that a permanent employee takes as paid leave.
- Some awards and agreements set a different loading; check yours.
Common questions
What is casual loading?
An extra amount casual employees are paid on top of the ordinary hourly rate. Under most awards and the national minimum wage order it's 25%, so a casual gets 125% of the full-time or part-time hourly rate.
Why do casuals get a loading?
Casual employees don't get paid annual leave or paid personal/carer's leave under the National Employment Standards. The loading is paid instead.
How do I work out casual loading?
Multiply the permanent hourly rate by 1.25. For example, the adult General Retail Award Level 1 rate of $27.81 becomes $34.76 for a casual. To go the other way, divide the casual rate by 1.25.
Is casual loading paid on weekends and public holidays?
Yes, but how it combines with penalty rates depends on the award. Many awards set a single casual weekend or public holiday rate that already includes the loading; see the award's pay guide or our public holiday pay rates.
Is casual or permanent better paid?
Over a year it's close. On the retail Level 1 rate at 38 hours a week, a casual who works 48 weeks earns about $63,402, while a permanent employee is paid $54,953 for 52 weeks, including 4 weeks' paid annual leave, and also gets paid personal leave and notice and redundancy rights.
Is super paid on casual loading?
Super is paid on ordinary time earnings. Check with the ATO for how that applies to your loading and penalty rates.
See also junior pay rates, the penalty rates calculator and the weekly tax table.
Sources: Fair Work Ombudsman, Casual employees; National Employment Standards; award rates from each award's Fair Work pay guide. Tax: ATO Schedule 1 withholding formulas. Checked 2026-10-22. General information only.