Mining Award.
Mining Industry Award 2020. Verified penalty rates, shift loadings, leave loading and RDO arrangements, with a live calculator under the NES.
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| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual rate (FULL-TIME) | 4 wks × 38h ÷ 52 | 2.923 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 2.923 × 52 wks | 152.42 hrs |
| Hourly base rate | - | $35.00 |
| Base leave value | 152.42 × $35.00 | $5,334.62 |
| 17.5% leave loading | base × 0.175 | + $933.56 |
| Total payout | - | $6,268.17 |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
Mining Award pay rates and penalties.
Dollar rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Penalty rates verified against the MA000011 award text.
Penalty rates by shift type
What each hour is worth as a percentage of the base rate, for permanent and casual employees.
Hourly rate by classification level
7 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- Level 1Mining trainee / entry level
- Level 2Mining worker (surface operations)
- Level 3Mining worker (underground)
- Level 4Plant operator (multi-skilled)
- Level 5Leading hand / specialist operator
- Level 6Mine supervisor
- Level 7Mine manager (production)
National Minimum Wage, 4-year trend
Lifted each year by the Annual Wage Review. Up 23.7% since FY2023. Percentages are the movement in the NMW itself, which exceeded the award increase in the years the Commission realigned it to the C13 rate.
Where these numbers come from
- Dollar rates
- FWO Pay Guides and FWC Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000011 on awards.fairwork.gov.au, the official award text.
- Industry figures
- ABS Labour Force, May 2026; ABS EEH, Aug 2025. Covers the broader industry, not only employees under this award.
- Your own figures
- Check your classification in the FWO Pay Calculator.
Penalty rates in full
Every loading in the award, side by side for full-time, part-time and casual employees.
| Hours worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual (incl. loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday (first 3h / after) | 150% / 200% | 175% / 225% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
| Afternoon shift | 115% | 140% |
| Night shift | 115% | 140% |
| Permanent night shift | 130% | 155% |
All values are percentages of the base hourly rate. Casual rates shown are inclusive of the 25% casual loading on top of the FT/PT rate. For your own dollar amounts, use the FWO Pay Calculator.
Pay rates by classification
Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual hourly includes the 25% loading.
| Level | Classification | Weekly rate | Hourly rate | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Mining trainee / entry level | $1,087.40 | $28.62 | $35.78 |
| Level 2 | Mining worker (surface operations) | $1,168.90 | $30.76 | $38.45 |
| Level 3 | Mining worker (underground) | $1,342.70 | $35.33 | $44.16 |
| Level 4 | Plant operator (multi-skilled) | $1,478.30 | $38.90 | $48.63 |
| Level 5 | Leading hand / specialist operator | $1,635.80 | $43.05 | $53.81 |
| Level 6 | Mine supervisor | $1,812.40 | $47.69 | $59.61 |
| Level 7 | Mine manager (production) | $2,097.60 | $55.20 | $69.00 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual rates include the 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. Source: FWO Pay Guides.
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp allowance | $58.90 | per day | For employees required to stay in a camp or accommodation provided by the employer. |
| Tool allowance | $27.80 | per week | For tradespeople required to supply their own tools. |
| Confined space allowance | $0.95 | per hour | For working in confined spaces as defined by the award. |
| Industry allowance | $46.20 | per week | Compensation for the remote/isolated nature of mining work. |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
Only continuous shiftworkers (engaged in a continuous process and regularly rostered on Sundays and public holidays, clause 21.1) count as NES shiftworkers and receive a 5th week of annual leave. Ordinary afternoon and night shiftworkers stay on 4 weeks.
Standard 17.5% on minimum hourly rate. Shift workers receive the GREATER OF 17.5% or the shift penalty they would have earned during the leave. Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.
No formal RDO accrual cycle in this award. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Mining Award sets your pay rates, but your paid leave runs on the National Employment Standards. Work out 4 weeks of holidays with the annual leave calculator, and your 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave with the personal leave calculator. To confirm which award applies to you and how it lifts entitlements above the NES floor, read our guide to modern awards.
Who this award covers.
The Mining Award (MA000011) is the common name for the Mining Industry Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. Saturday is 150% for the first 3 hours before noon then 200% (and 200% for all hours after noon); Sunday 200%; public holiday 250%. Afternoon and night shift are both 115%, with permanent night 130%. Only continuous shiftworkers get 5 weeks of annual leave. There is no RDO clause: the 38-hour week is averaged over up to 26 weeks, with 10 to 12-hour days and heavy FIFO, DIDO and BIBO remote cycle-work. The industry allowance is built into the ordinary hourly rate that penalties are calculated on. Excludes black coal (Black Coal Mining Award), oil and gas, quarrying, aluminium and steel making, and head-office staff.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01Introductory (Entry Level)
- 02Level 1 Basic
- 03Level 2 Intermediate
- 04Level 3 Competent
- 05Level 4 Advanced
- 06Level 5 Advanced specialist
- 07Level 6 Dual trade
- 08Level 7 Dual trade instrumentation
Mining Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000011. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Mining Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Mining Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Mining Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Mining Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Mining Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated for shift workers under the Mining Award?
What is the casual loading under the Mining Award?
Does the Mining Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Mining Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Mining Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) on the Fair Work Commission's awards.fairwork.gov.au.
For up-to-date pay rates by classification, refer to the FWO Pay Calculator. Modern awards are reviewed and varied periodically by the Fair Work Commission; check the source for the latest text.