Labour Hire & Trade Rates in Australia | 2026 Guide

Trade Rate Comparison Table (2026)

The table below lists the Fair Work Ombudsman published casual pay rate and the indicative labour-hire charge-rate range for each of HBG's top 10 trades by placement volume. Casual pay figures are read verbatim from each award's FWO pay guide (effective 2026-07-01). Charge ranges are derived from HBG's market observation across 860++ sites and reflect a typical 1.65x-2.25x uplift over the pay floor.

Casual Pay column: Fair Work Ombudsman published casual ordinary hourly rate for the trade's classification, effective 2026-07-01. Charge Range column: indicative labour-hire market range on a straight-time weekday, before penalty rates and site allowances. Rates vary by state, project, and induction requirements — quoted rates are indicative.

Frequently Asked Questions

What determines labour hire rates in Australia?

Labour hire rates are set by five stacked layers: (1) the Fair Work Modern Award pay floor for the classification (e.g. CW3 for a carpenter under MA000020); (2) the 25% casual loading; (3) on-costs — superannuation (12% from 1 July 2025), workers compensation, payroll tax, and public liability insurance; (4) award allowances (travel $22.41/day, meal $19.74 per overtime break under MA000020); and (5) the labour-hire provider's margin, which covers recruitment, induction, replacement guarantee, payroll administration, and profit. On top of all this, state factors, project tier, and site allowances shift the final quoted rate.

How much should I charge for a carpenter through labour hire?

A qualified carpenter engaged through labour hire on a commercial construction site in Australia typically costs $65-$95/hr on a straight-time weekday. The Fair Work Ombudsman published minimum casual pay rate for a CW3 carpenter is $39.03/hr from 1 July 2026 (Building and Construction General On-site Award MA000020). The gap between the award floor and the charge rate covers on-costs (super, workers comp, payroll tax), agency margin, and allowances — not profit alone.

Are labour hire rates negotiable?

Yes — but not against the award. The Fair Work award pay rate is a LEGAL FLOOR — a labour-hire provider cannot pay a worker below it. What IS negotiable is the margin on top: volume commitments, project length, single-site vs multi-site rosters, extended-payment terms, and dual-ticket workers all shift the quoted charge rate. HBG publishes indicative ranges, not a fixed rate card, because every project is priced against its own on-cost profile.

What is the difference between casual and permanent rates?

A CASUAL worker receives a 25% loading on top of the ordinary permanent hourly rate, in lieu of paid annual leave, personal leave, and public-holiday pay. That casual loading is the reason a "casual $39.03/hr" figure is higher than the equivalent permanent hourly base ($31.22/hr for a CW3 under MA000020, before the industry allowance is added). Labour hire in Australia is almost always CASUAL — the worker is legally employed by the labour-hire provider (HBG), not the client site, so the casual loading applies.

Do labour hire rates include superannuation?

Yes. Superannuation Guarantee (12% from 1 July 2025) is paid on top of the ordinary wage and is INCLUDED in the labour-hire charge rate — you do NOT pay it separately. HBG remits super directly to the worker's nominated fund on every pay cycle.

What are the penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work?

Under the Building and Construction General On-site Award (MA000020), Saturday work is paid at 150% for the first 2 hours then 200% thereafter; Sunday work at 200% for all hours; and public holidays at 250%. Overtime (over 8h in a day or 38h in a week) is 150% for the first 2 hours and 200% thereafter. Manufacturing (MA000010), Storage (MA000084), Cleaning (MA000022) and other awards apply slightly different structures — always cross-check the applicable award.