Australia Salary

Australia Federal Minimum Wage Levels
The most recent (October 2006) new Australian federal minimum wage is $511.86/week or $13.47/hour. Most job sectors are bound by ‘award’ wages, which are set for different industries, professions and trades through a unique system, decided at federal or state level by pay agreements between unions and employers. The Commission announced an increase of $27.36 per week for minimum wage rates up to $700 and $22.04 per week for minimum wage rates $700 and above.

The Australian Fair Pay Commission has handed down its first decision. The Australian Fair Pay Commission has announced its Federal Minimum Wage decision for October 2006.

The Commission announced an increase of $27.36 per week for minimum wage rates up to $700 and $22.04 per week for minimum wage rates $700 and above.

Government surveys of average weekly earnings are published regularly for a wide range of trades and professions, both nationally and for individual states and cities. The government-run organisation Wagenet has a website where you can consult wages and conditions of employment information (www.wagenet.gov.au).

Graduates can expect to start on annual salaries of around $36,000. At the other end of the scale, managing directors earn between $350,000 and $600,000 a year in Sydney compared with $200,000 to $400,000 in Melbourne and $140,000 to $225,000 in Perth. Executive salaries in Australia are fast catching up with the rest of the world, and expatriate American bosses of top Australian companies earn $millions a year (including $tens of millions in bonuses in the form of share incentives/options and performance-related bonuses).

Australian Working hours

Working hours in Australia vary according to your employer, your position and the type of industry in which you’re employed. A national 38-hour working week was introduced in 1981, since reduced to 37 hours. However, many people work longer hours, particularly employees in factories, who often work ten or more hours’ overtime per week. (A survey in 2003 showed that almost a third of full-time employees work more than 48 hours per week.) A standard working day (without overtime) for a blue-collar worker is from 7 or 8am to 3.30 or 4.30pm, while working hours in most offices and shops are from 8.30 or 9.30am until 4.30 or 5.30pm, with an hour’s break for lunch.

Australian Tax File Number

Your tax file number (TFN), consisting of nine digits, is probably the most important number you receive in Australia. Without one, you’re taxed at the maximum rate (47 per cent) on all your wages (it’s that important!). You also need a TFN to claim unemployment and sickness benefits, to make any investment and to enrol in a fee-free course of higher education. It’s required when completing your annual income tax return and when you start work or change jobs (there are both personal and business tax file numbers).

You can obtain an application form for a TFN from your local Australian Tax Office (ATO). You must produce identification, such as your birth certificate, driving licence or passport with a valid visa, and should receive your TFN around two weeks after making an application. The ATO publishes a brochure, Applying for Your Tax File Number, which explains the application procedure.

TIP: According to the Australian Tax Office you can register for an Australian Tax File Number online:

Who can apply for a tax file number online?

You can apply for a tax file number (TFN) online only if you are currently in Australia and you have:

* a valid permanent migrant visa, or
* a valid visa with work rights, or
* a valid overseas student visa, or
* a valid visa allowing you to stay in Australia indefinitely.

Only one TFN will ever be issued to you. Once you have a TFN , you don’t need to re-apply for one if your circumstances change, for example, if you change your name, have investments or claim government benefits.

If you already have a TFN but do not know what it is, go through this application process and indicate when asked that you already have a TFN. A notice with your TFN will be forwarded to you.

If you know your TFN but wish to advise the Tax Office of changes to your details, go through this application process and enter your updated details.

Source: MyCareer.com.au
What’s your worth?

Average Australian Salary: $75,106

Sector Minimum Maximum Average

Accounting $40,682 $131,545 $72,715

Admin/Office Support $29,727 $75,085 $44,931

Automotive $34,614 $134,444 $60,584

Banking & Financial Services $37,999 $172,727 $70,947

Community, Sport & Leisure $29,293 $108,771 $56,397

Construction, Building & Architecture $40,613 $171,176 $96,363

Customer Service & Call Centre $31,743 $88,571 $44,427

Education $34,261 $113,265 $57,744

Engineering $45,364 $178,816 $97,357

Executive $45,941 $209,375 $108,489

Government & Defence $42,040 $134,932 $68,373

Graduate $29,296 $131,885 $48,936

Hospitality, Travel & Tourism $30,456 $102,412 $51,288

Human Resources & Recruitment $39,500 $177,700 $77,381

Insurance $32,636 $134,091 $57,953

IT & Telecommunications $42,251 $166,133 $90,171

Legal $40,706 $215,588 $73,603

Logistics, Transport & Supply $33,275 $123,056 $63,167

Manufacturing $32,585 $121,236 $63,439

Marketing $39,727 $150,909 $76,781

Media, Advertising, Arts/Entertain $32,120 $120,197 $70,037

Medical & Healthcare $40,531 $144,384 $74,054

Mining, Oil & Gas $58,000 $252,570 $120,088

Other $22,000 $160,000 $82,385

PR & Communications $37,778 $138,111 $72,122

Primary Industry $36,809 $126,429 $62,602

Property & Real Estate $33,769 $162,692 $72,989

Retail $31,111 $123,333 $49,174

Sales $35,750 $173,750 $76,869

Scientific $35,518 $128,169 $78,751

Self-Employment $10,667 $215,000 $72,459

Trades & Services $26,913 $112,357 $59,604

*All figures may include benefits

Source: www.mycareer.com.au

Hays Australian and New Zealand Salary Survey 2007

One of the best sources for finding Australian Salary information is from Hays (a specialist recruitment company) Australian Salary Survey which has been published in 2007. Australian Salary Guides are listed by city in Australia and New Zealand detailing different occupational levels in addition to economic indicators for all of these occupations:

Accountancy and Finance, Professional Practice, Banking, Insurance, Office Support, Contact Centre’s Salary, HR | Sales & Marketing, Logistics & Procurement, Legal Salary Guide, Information Technology, Construction and Engineering Property, Resources & Mining

You can find this information by clicking the following link: Hays Australian Salary Guide

Source: Hays Australian Salary Survey 2007