Overtime Pay in Australia 2026 (Horas Extras 2026): Rates, Rules and How to Check Your Pay

TL;DR: Overtime Pay in Australia, 2026

• The standard week is 38 hours. Under the National Employment Standards an employer can ask for more only if the extra hours are reasonable (Fair Work Ombudsman).
• Overtime rates come from your award or agreement, not from one national rule. A common pattern is 150% for the first few hours and 200% after that. Check your own award.
• The base to start from: the national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026 (Fair Work), and casuals receive a further 25% loading.
• International students: overtime still counts towards your 48 hour fortnight limit during study periods (Study Australia).
• Spanish and Portuguese speakers: scroll to the section on horas extras 2026 below for a short plain language summary.

Overtime is one of the easiest ways to be underpaid without realising it. This guide explains when extra hours become overtime, what the rates usually are, how to work out your own figure, and what to do if the numbers on your payslip do not match. It sits alongside our guides to penalty rates and public holiday pay and the 2026 minimum wage.

What Counts as Overtime in Australia?

Overtime is work beyond your ordinary hours. The Fair Work Ombudsman says awards and agreements set the maximum and minimum ordinary hours and the span of hours, meaning the times of day when ordinary hours can be worked, and that work outside that span can attract overtime rates (source). In practice overtime usually starts in one of these situations:

• a full-time employee works more than 38 ordinary hours in a week
• a part-time employee works beyond the hours agreed in their contract or roster
• work happens outside the span of ordinary hours in the award, for example late at night
• a shift runs longer than the maximum daily hours the award allows

Under the retail award example, a payroll guide lists overtime as work past 9pm on weekdays, past 6pm on Saturdays, outside 9am to 6pm on Sundays, and beyond a part-timer’s agreed hours (source). Other awards, such as hospitality, healthcare and fast food, set their own limits.

How Much Is Overtime Paid?

There is no single national overtime rate. Your award or agreement decides. A very common structure is a higher rate for the first few overtime hours and a higher one again after that. For the retail award example, the payroll guide gives these figures:

A Worked Example With the 2026 Minimum Wage

The Fair Work Commission lifted the national minimum wage by 4.75% from 1 July 2026, to $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week (HR Online). We use $26.44 as a simple base. Your award rate may be higher, and your result will change with it.

So five overtime hours are worth $224.74 for a full-time employee in this example, about $92.54 more than the same hours at the ordinary rate. Try your own numbers in the calculator below.

Can Your Employer Make You Work More Than 38 Hours?

Yes, but only within limits. The standard maximum is 38 hours a week, and an employer can ask for more only if the additional hours are reasonable (Fair Work Ombudsman). What counts as reasonable depends on the situation. The Fair Work Act points to factors such as risk to your health and safety, your personal and family circumstances, the needs of the workplace, whether you are paid more or given time off for the extra hours, how much notice you get and the usual patterns in your industry. If the hours are unreasonable, you can refuse them.

There is a related protection on contact outside work. Employees can refuse to monitor, read or respond to work contact outside their working hours unless refusing would be unreasonable (source). That matters if your manager expects replies at night.

Overtime If You Are on a Salary

A salary does not automatically mean no overtime. If an award covers your role, you may still be entitled to overtime or other protections even when you are paid a yearly amount. Some contracts include a clause that your salary covers a set number of extra hours, but that clause cannot leave you worse off than the award. If no award covers you, a salary can legitimately cover reasonable additional hours. If you are unsure, ask which award applies and how your salary was set, then check it with the Pay and Conditions Tool. Our salary calculator shows your take-home pay once you know your gross figure.

Time Off Instead of Overtime Pay

Many awards and agreements allow time off in lieu of overtime pay if you and your employer agree in writing, usually at a higher ratio than the hours worked. It cannot be forced on you. Get any such agreement written down, with the hours and the date of the time off, before you rely on it.

International Students: Overtime and the 48 Hour Limit

If you are on a student visa, the extra hours still count. You can work up to 48 hours in each two-week period while your course is running, including exam periods, and your hours are unlimited during scheduled course breaks (Study Australia). A research masters or doctorate student can work unlimited hours once the course has started. Check your exact conditions in VEVO or your visa grant letter.

This is where overtime can trip students up. An evening of unpaid extra hours or an unexpected double shift can push you over the fortnightly cap, and breaching work conditions can put your visa at risk. Say no to extra shifts that would take you over 48 hours. For the rest of the rules, see our guides to international student work rights and Fair Work basics. If anyone offers to pay you in cash and skip overtime, read the risks of cash in hand work.

Casual, Part-Time or Full-Time: Who Gets Overtime?

All three can be entitled to overtime, but the trigger differs. Full-timers hit it once they pass 38 ordinary hours. Part-timers usually hit it when they work beyond their agreed hours. Casuals have no guaranteed hours, so awards typically set a daily limit or a span of hours, and the 25% loading is added on top. Our casual vs part-time vs full-time guide covers the wider differences.

Horas Extras 2026 en Australia (Español)

Resumen en español. En Australia, las horas extras son las horas que trabajas fuera de tu horario normal. La semana laboral estándar es de 38 horas, y tu empleador solo puede pedirte más si son horas razonables. Cuánto te pagan por las horas extras depende de tu convenio o «award», no de una sola regla nacional. Un patrón común es 150% del salario base durante las primeras horas y 200% después. Los trabajadores casuales reciben además un 25% adicional. Desde el 1 de julio de 2026 el salario mínimo nacional es de 26,44 dólares por hora.

Si tienes visa de estudiante: las horas extras cuentan dentro del límite de 48 horas por quincena durante el periodo de clases. Si trabajas más, puedes poner en riesgo tu visa. Verifica tus condiciones en VEVO. Si crees que te pagan menos de lo que corresponde, usa la herramienta gratuita de Fair Work (Pay and Conditions Tool) y llama a la línea de Fair Work al 13 13 94, donde puedes pedir un intérprete.

Horas Extras 2026 na Austrália (Português)

Resumo em português. Na Austrália, as horas extras são as horas trabalhadas além do seu horário normal. A semana padrão é de 38 horas, e o empregador só pode pedir mais se as horas adicionais forem razoáveis. O valor das horas extras depende do seu «award» ou acordo, e não de uma única regra nacional. Um padrão comum é 150% do valor-base nas primeiras horas e 200% depois. Trabalhadores casuais recebem ainda 25% de adicional. Desde 1 de julho de 2026, o salário mínimo nacional é de 26,44 dólares por hora.

Se você tem visto de estudante: as horas extras contam no limite de 48 horas por quinzena durante o período de aulas. Trabalhar além disso pode colocar o seu visto em risco. Confira suas condições no VEVO. Se acha que está recebendo menos do que deveria, use a ferramenta gratuita da Fair Work (Pay and Conditions Tool) e ligue para a Fair Work no 13 13 94, onde é possível pedir intérprete.

What To Do If You Are Not Paid Overtime

1. Keep records. Save rosters, messages, timesheets and payslips. Write down start and finish times each day.
2. Check the numbers. Look up your award and rates in the Pay and Conditions Tool, then compare them with your payslip.
3. Raise it politely in writing. A short email naming the dates and hours often fixes a payroll error.
4. Contact Fair Work. The Fair Work Infoline is 13 13 94 and interpreter help is available. You can also lodge a request for help online.
5. Do not wait too long. Underpayment claims generally have a time limit of six years, but evidence is easier to find when it is recent.

Our guide to breaks and rosters covers the rest of your basic rights at work, and how much tax you pay on casual and part-time income explains what overtime does to your take-home pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Fair Work Ombudsman: Hours of work
• Fair Work Ombudsman: Minimum wages fact sheet
• Human Resources Online: Minimum wage to rise by 4.75% from 1 July 2026
• Study Australia: Frequently asked visa questions
• Workstem: Retail award overtime triggers and rates
• Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool