Health Professionals Award pay rates 2026/27, checked against Fair Work
Written by By
Steve Harris
Steve Harris
Workforce management specialist with 10+ years experience in Australian HR tech. Former operations manager in hospitality.
Edited by
Ethan Wee
Ethan Wee
Head of Commercial at RosterElf, based in Perth. Works with business owners from their first demo through to a roster running the way they want it.
Health Professionals & Support Services Award pay rates 2026/27 at a glance
Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027] · rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026
| 2026/27, per hour | FT / PT | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Support Services L1 Entry-level support: cleaning, catering | $26.97 | $33.71 |
| Support Services L2 Support roles with some experience or basic qualifications | $28.03 | $35.04 |
| Support Services L3 Experienced support staff, dental/pathology assistants | $29.11 | $36.39 |
| Support Services L4 Technical/senior support staff | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Support Services L5 Advanced technical or supervisory support | $30.45 | $38.06 |
| Support Services L6 Senior technical / team leader support | $32.09 | $40.11 |
Pay rate builder and award interpretation: you enter the rates once, every rostered shift is costed at them. Free 15-day trial, no card.
Penalty rates, full-time / casual
Source: Fair Work pay guide MA000027 · last checked 31 October 2026
Download 2026/27 rates (PDF) Checking your own pay? Use Fair Work’s calculator
Wrong award? Compare all Australian award rates 2026/27
From 1 October 2026, the minimum adult rate under the Health Professionals & Support Services Award at Support Services L1 is $26.97 an hour for full-time and part-time staff, and $33.71 an hour for casuals, which includes the 25% casual loading. Every level is in the table.
New classifications and rates: in force since 1 October 2026
A new health professional structure took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026, after the Fair Work Commission’s gender undervaluation decision. Level 1 now depends on AQF level and years of experience: an AQF 7 graduate earns $34.44 an hour ($1,308.80 a week). Further increases follow from 30 June 2027 to 2030.
Read more
On 26 May 2026 the Fair Work Commission’s Expert Panel handed down its final decision on the health professionals stream of this award ([2026] FWCFB 123), as part of the gender-based undervaluation review, which covered five priority awards — this one plus the SCHADS Award, Children’s Services Award, Pharmacy Award and the Aboriginal Health Award.
A new classification structure and the first stage of new minimum rates took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026, and now apply. The remaining increases phase in over four further stages, from 30 June 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
The new structure keys Level 1 to the employee’s AQF qualification level (5 to 9) and years of experience (1st, 2nd–3rd, 4th–6th, 7th year+), then runs Levels 2.1, 2.2, 3 and 4 above it. The old Level 1–4 pay-point ladder is gone. A three-year-degree graduate (AQF 7, first year) moves from $1,174.00 to $1,308.80 a week — an 11.5% rise at this stage.
Across the full five stages the Commission’s outcome is roughly a 30% increase for degree-qualified graduates and 20–25% for experienced practitioners — that is the 2030 endpoint, not the increase paid today. Support-services rates were unchanged by this decision, though the ladder now extends to Level 9. Separately, dental assistants and pathology collectors were reclassified from 1 April 2026 — see How to classify your staff.
These rates are already in force. The first stage applied from each employee’s first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026 — so for most employers it has landed in at least one pay run. If you have not re-mapped every health professional onto the new structure, do it now and check whether back-pay is owed. Employees being transferred off the old pay points are a special case: Fair Work’s pay guide excludes about 14 of those combinations from its tables and directs you to the Pay and Conditions Tool for their preserved rates. See the Fair Work gender-undervaluation page.
Health Professionals Award pay rates by level (2026/27)
Support Services staff under the Health Professionals Award earn from $26.97 an hour at Level 1 ($33.71 casual) to $37.76 at Level 9 ($47.20 casual) in 2026/27. Since 1 April 2026 dental assistants sit at Level 3, 5, 6 or 7 ($29.11 to $31.67) and pathology collectors at Level 5, 6 or 7 ($30.45 to $32.67).
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Below is the 2026/27 ordinary hourly rate for each classification in the Health Professionals Award (full-time and part-time), with the casual rate (base + 25% loading) in brackets. Weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties apply on top. Classification follows duties, qualifications and responsibility — not the job title.
Support Services – Level 1 pay rate
Support Services – Level 1 — $26.97/hour full-time/part-time (casual $33.71/hour, $1024.70/week full-time). Entry-level support: cleaning, catering, orderly, basic clerical.
Support Services – Level 2 pay rate
Support Services – Level 2 — $28.03/hour full-time/part-time (casual $35.04/hour, $1065.20/week full-time). Support roles with some experience or basic qualifications.
Support Services – Level 3 pay rate
Support Services – Level 3 — $29.11/hour full-time/part-time (casual $36.39/hour, $1106.20/week full-time). Experienced support staff; also the starting level for an unqualified dental assistant with less than 12 months’ industry experience.
Support Services – Level 4 pay rate
Support Services – Level 4 — $29.45/hour full-time/part-time (casual $36.81/hour, $1119.10/week full-time). Technical/senior support staff.
Support Services – Level 5 pay rate
Support Services – Level 5 — $30.45/hour full-time/part-time (casual $38.06/hour, $1157.20/week full-time). Advanced technical or supervisory support.
Support Services – Level 6 pay rate
Support Services – Level 6 — $32.09/hour full-time/part-time (casual $40.11/hour, $1219.50/week full-time). Senior technical / team leader support.
Support Services – Level 7 pay rate
Support Services – Level 7 — $32.67/hour full-time/part-time (casual $40.84/hour, $1241.40/week full-time). Specialist or supervisory support.
Support Services – Level 8 (pay point 1) pay rate
Support Services – Level 8 (pay point 1) — $33.78/hour full-time/part-time (casual $42.23/hour, $1283.50/week full-time). Senior specialist / coordinator support.
Support Services – Level 9 (pay point 1) pay rate
Support Services – Level 9 (pay point 1): $37.76/hour full-time/part-time (casual $47.20/hour, $1435.00/week full-time). Principal or lead support services practitioner, a new level from 1 October 2026. Level 9 has three pay points; pay point 1 is shown.
Health Professional – Level 1 pay rates (by AQF level and experience)
From 1 October 2026 Level 1 is set by the employee’s AQF qualification level and years of experience, not by pay point. A three-year-degree graduate (AQF 7, first year) is $34.44/hour full-time/part-time (casual $43.05/hour, $1,308.80/week) — up from $30.89/hour under the old Level 1 pay point 1. Rates rise through 2nd–3rd, 4th–6th and 7th-year+ bands, and are higher again at AQF 8 and 9. See the calculator above for every combination.
Health Professional – Level 2 pay rates
Health Professional – Level 2.1 — $51.19/hour full-time/part-time (casual $63.99/hour, $1,945.40/week full-time), and Level 2.2 — $52.19/hour (casual $65.24/hour, $1,983.20/week). Experienced allied health professional with supervisory or specialist responsibility. Note these are not a rename of the old Level 2 pay points — employees must be re-mapped against the new descriptors.
Health Professional – Level 3 and 4 pay rates
Health Professional – Level 3 — $52.19/hour full-time/part-time (casual $65.24/hour, $1,983.20/week full-time), and Level 4 — $65.77/hour (casual $82.21/hour, $2,499.10/week). Senior, advanced and principal allied health practitioners.
Check the level, not the titleTwo people with the same job title can sit on different levels if their duties differ, and moving someone into higher duties moves their level. If you are unsure, confirm the right classification or download the full rate sheet.
What do allied health and practice support staff get paid?
Here’s how the most common roles map to classifications and 2026/27 rates. Use these as a starting point, then confirm the level against the employee’s actual duties.
Allied health professional pay rates
From 1 October 2026 a graduate allied health professional on a three-year degree sits at Level 1, AQF 7, first year — $34.44/hr (casual $43.05/hr). Experience moves them through the 2nd–3rd, 4th–6th and 7th-year+ bands rather than up pay points. Above Level 1 sit Level 2.1 — $51.19/hr, Level 2.2 and Level 3 — $52.19/hr, and Level 4 — $65.77/hr. Old Level 2 and Level 3 employees do not map one-to-one onto the new Levels 2 and 3; check each person against the award’s new descriptors.
Medical and dental practice support pay rates
A healthcare assistant, receptionist or basic clerical employee sits at Support Services Level 1 — $26.97/hr (casual $33.71/hr). Since 1 April 2026 dental assistants sit at Level 3, 5, 6 or 7 — $29.11 to $31.67/hr, and pathology collectors at Level 5, 6 or 7 — $30.45 to $32.67/hr, depending on qualifications and industry experience.
Technical and senior support pay rates
Technical or senior support staff sit at Support Services Level 4–6 ($29.45–$32.09/hr), with specialist and coordinator roles at Level 7–8.
How to classify your staff
Classification follows duties, qualifications and responsibility — not job title.
Read more
- Support Services Levels 1–9 progress from entry-level (cleaning, catering, orderly) through clerical and technical roles to senior specialist and coordinator roles. Some levels (e.g. 8 and 9) have multiple pay points.
- Dental assistants and pathology collectors were reclassified from 1 April 2026. They moved within the support services structure, and a new Schedule J translates staff employed on or before 31 March 2026 by their previous level, qualifications and industry experience. Dental assistants now sit at Level 3, 5, 6 or 7 ($29.11–$31.67/hr from 1 October 2026) and pathology collectors at Level 5, 6 or 7 ($30.45–$32.67/hr, the top rate for a qualified Level 7). An employee already paid more on 31 March 2026 keeps the higher rate, and some receive a further increase from 1 January 2027. See Fair Work’s Health Services Award changes page.
- Health professionals are no longer classified by pay point. From 1 October 2026 a Level 1 employee is placed by their AQF qualification level (5, 6, 7, 8 or 9) and their years of experience (1st, 2nd–3rd, 4th–6th, 7th year+), with Levels 2.1, 2.2, 3 and 4 above that. A new graduate physiotherapist (three-year degree) starts at Level 1, AQF 7, first year. Employees moving off the old pay points may hold a preserved rate — Fair Work directs those to its Pay and Conditions Tool.
Write each employee’s stream, level, pay point and employment type into your payroll/rostering system, and review pay points each year. If unsure, confirm the right level.
Dental assistant and pathology collector rates (to 31 December 2026)
| Role and level | Weekly (full-time) | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Dental assistant, Level 3 (unqualified, under 12 months' experience) | $1,106.20 | $29.11 |
| Dental assistant, Level 5 (unqualified, 12 months to under 4 years) | $1,107.80 | $29.15 |
| Dental assistant, Level 6 | $1,163.90 | $30.63 |
| Dental assistant, Level 7 | $1,203.50 | $31.67 |
| Pathology collector, Level 5 (entry level) | $1,157.20 | $30.45 |
| Pathology collector, Level 6 (qualified) | $1,163.90 | $30.63 |
| Pathology collector, Level 7 (unqualified, not previously Level 6) | $1,203.50 | $31.67 |
| Pathology collector, Level 7 (qualified or previously Level 6) | $1,241.40 | $32.67 |
Minimum rates from clause 16.2 of the award, which apply until 31 December 2026. Casuals add the 25% loading. Staff employed on or before 31 March 2026 are translated using Schedule J, and keep a higher rate if they were already paid more.
Penalty rates, shiftwork & on-call
Under the Health Professionals Award, ordinary hours worked on a Saturday or Sunday are paid at 150% for full-time and part-time staff; casuals get 175% instead of the 25% loading. Public holidays are 250% (275% casual). On-call pays about $26.34 per 24 hours Monday to Saturday and $52.56 on Sundays and public holidays.
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This award has weekend/public-holiday penalties plus a shiftwork system and on-call allowances:
- Saturday: 150% (full-time/part-time), 175% (casual)
- Sunday: 150% (full-time/part-time), 175% (casual)
- Public holiday: 250% (full-time/part-time), 275% (casual) — plus a substitute day off for permanents
- Shiftwork loadings (separate from the calculator above): afternoon and night shifts attract a loading on the ordinary rate, with a higher loading for permanent night shift and for non-continuous-shift weekend work. The exact percentages depend on the shift type — check the pay guide.
- On-call: about $26.34 per 24-hour period Monday–Saturday, and $52.56 Sunday/public holiday.
- Overtime: time-and-a-half for the first hours then double time, depending on the day.
The calculator above covers ordinary, weekend and public-holiday rates. For shiftwork and on-call, use Fair Work’s PACT tool or award-interpreting software.
Cost a week's clinic roster before you publish
Set the Health Professionals Award weekend and public holiday rates once in a RosterElf pay template, one per level and AQF band. Every rostered shift is then costed from its day and times, so you see the wage bill before the roster goes out. On-call allowances are added in payroll.
See the pay rate builder2026/27 pay rates overview: what you must pay
A snapshot of the current FY2026/27 rates, generated from the same data that powers the calculator above. Pay point 1 is shown where a classification has multiple pay points — check the pay guide for higher pay points.
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Adult – full-time & part-time
| Level | Example roles | Weekly pay | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Services L1 | Entry-level support: cleaning, catering, orderly, basic clerical | $1,024.70 | $26.97 |
| Support Services L2 | Support roles with some experience or basic qualifications | $1,065.20 | $28.03 |
| Support Services L3 | Experienced support staff, dental/pathology assistants | $1,106.20 | $29.11 |
| Support Services L4 | Technical/senior support staff | $1,119.10 | $29.45 |
| Support Services L5 | Advanced technical or supervisory support | $1,157.20 | $30.45 |
| Support Services L6 | Senior technical / team leader support | $1,219.50 | $32.09 |
| Support Services L7 | Specialist or supervisory support | $1,241.40 | $32.67 |
| Support Services L8 | Senior specialist / coordinator support | $1,283.50 | $33.78 |
| Support Services L9 | Principal / lead support services practitioner (new level from 1 Oct 2026) | $1,435.00 | $37.76 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 5, 1st year | Diploma-qualified, first year of practice | $1,232.70 | $32.44 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 5, 2nd–3rd year | Diploma-qualified, 2nd–3rd year | $1,308.80 | $34.44 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 5, 4th–6th year | Diploma-qualified, 4th–6th year | $1,426.00 | $37.53 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 5, 7th year+ | Diploma-qualified, 7th year onwards | $1,541.30 | $40.56 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 6, 1st year | Advanced diploma / associate degree, first year | $1,232.70 | $32.44 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 6, 2nd–3rd year | Advanced diploma / associate degree, 2nd–3rd year | $1,308.80 | $34.44 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 6, 4th–6th year | Advanced diploma / associate degree, 4th–6th year | $1,483.30 | $39.03 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 6, 7th year+ | Advanced diploma / associate degree, 7th year onwards | $1,659.30 | $43.67 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 7, 1st year | Bachelor-degree graduate: physiotherapist, OT, dietitian, speech pathologist | $1,308.80 | $34.44 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 7, 2nd–3rd year | Bachelor-qualified allied health, 2nd–3rd year | $1,409.00 | $37.08 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 7, 4th–6th year | Bachelor-qualified allied health, 4th–6th year | $1,565.30 | $41.19 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 7, 7th year+ | Bachelor-qualified allied health, 7th year onwards | $1,689.50 | $44.46 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 8, 1st year | Honours / graduate diploma entry, first year | $1,337.10 | $35.19 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 8, 2nd–3rd year | Honours / graduate diploma entry, 2nd–3rd year | $1,444.90 | $38.02 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 8, 4th–6th year | Honours / graduate diploma entry, 4th–6th year | $1,584.90 | $41.71 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 8, 7th year+ | Honours / graduate diploma entry, 7th year onwards | $1,721.40 | $45.30 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 9, 1st year | Master's-qualified entry, first year | $1,444.90 | $38.02 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 9, 2nd–3rd year | Master's-qualified, 2nd–3rd year | $1,545.20 | $40.66 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 9, 4th–6th year | Master's-qualified, 4th–6th year | $1,659.30 | $43.67 |
| Health Professional – Level 1, AQF 9, 7th year+ | Master's-qualified, 7th year onwards | $1,755.00 | $46.18 |
| Health Professional – Level 2.1 | Experienced practitioner with supervisory or specialist responsibility | $1,945.40 | $51.19 |
| Health Professional – Level 2.2 | Senior experienced practitioner | $1,983.20 | $52.19 |
| Health Professional – Level 3 | Advanced / specialist practitioner, discipline lead | $1,983.20 | $52.19 |
| Health Professional – Level 4 | Principal practitioner / head of allied health service | $2,499.10 | $65.77 |
Pay point 1 shown where a level has multiple pay points. Junior rates apply to some support-services sub-streams (dental assistants, pathology collectors) — see the pay guide.
Download all Health Professionals & Support Services Award rates (PDF)
What changed from 2025/26
The FY2026/27 Annual Wage Review lifted modern award minimum rates by 4.75%. For this award, Support Services Level 1 is $26.97/hr (full-time/part-time). The health professional stream then changed again on 1 October 2026: a graduate on a three-year degree is now Level 1, AQF 7, first year — $34.44/hr, up from $30.89/hr under the old Level 1 pay point 1. Penalty, shiftwork and casual rates follow the base rate. Always confirm against the current pay guide.
Ordinary weekday rates for support services and health professional classifications:
Casuals receive the same base rate plus a 25% loading. Ordinary weekday casual rates:
Casual rates shown are the ordinary weekday rate (base + 25% loading). Weekend, public-holiday and shiftwork loadings apply on top — use the calculator above.
FY2026/27 rates are in effect
Two changes apply this year. Modern award rates rose 4.75% (rates at the $26.44 national minimum wage floor rose from $24.95 to $26.44 an hour) from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 (the national minimum wage is now $26.44/hr), and the health professional stream was then restructured and increased again from 1 October 2026 under the Fair Work Commission’s gender-undervaluation review. The rates below and in the calculator reflect the pay guide published 22 October 2026, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026. Support services rates are the same as from 1 July 2026.
Weekend, shiftwork & public holiday rates are higher
On top of the ordinary rates above: Saturday and Sunday +50%, public holidays +150% for full-time and part-time staff (casual rates are higher again). Shiftwork (afternoon, night and permanent-night shifts) attracts separate loadings, and on-call allowances apply. See the penalty & shiftwork section below, and use the calculator for the ordinary/weekend/public-holiday figures.
Award rate calculator
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See how a shift is costed under the Health Professionals Award
An educational example of how the Health Professionals Award penalty rates work: choose an employment type and classification level, and see an example week costed.
Read before using this estimator
Important: This is an estimator for demonstration purposes only. Do not use these calculations for actual payroll without verifying against the official Fair Work pay guide and consulting your Award obligations.
Example only, not for payroll use.
The actual cost for your employees will depend on:
- Their specific classification level and employment type
- Actual hours worked and shift times
- Any additional allowances, overtime, or enterprise agreement provisions
- Current award rates (which change annually in July)
For accurate payroll calculations, always:
- Verify current rates with the official Fair Work pay guide
- Confirm your employees' correct award coverage and classification
- Use award interpretation software or consult a payroll professional
- Review your specific enterprise agreement (if applicable)
Do not rely on this example for actual wage payments.
Award penalty rates
Example weekly cost (38 hours)
Set up the Health Professionals Award in RosterElf
RosterElf does not read the award for you: you enter its rates once in the pay rate builder, and every rostered shift is costed at them.
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How RosterElf costs these rates
Stop calculating penalty rates manually
Let RosterElf cost every shift automatically
Manual award calculations are time-consuming and error-prone, and one mistake can lead to underpayments and Fair Work penalties. Set this award's rates and rules once in RosterElf's pay rate builder, and every shift is costed with them automatically.
Rostering 5 or more staff on this award? Set it up once and every shift is costed automatically.
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How RosterElf automates award calculations
Create pay templates
Create pay templates for each classification level with award-compliant base rates and penalty multipliers. RosterElf applies the correct template to each shift automatically.
Define rate rules
Configure when different penalty rates apply (evenings, weekends, public holidays). The system detects which rate to use based on shift times and days.
How to calculate penalty ratesAuto-apply to shifts
Every rostered shift calculates the correct pay rate based on the employee's classification, employment type, and shift timing. No manual work required.
Send approved timesheets to XeroWhat the Health Professionals Award actually is
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027] covers private-sector health employers and their health professionals (allied health such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and dietitians) and support staff (receptionists, dental assistants, pathology collectors, cleaning and catering). Nurses and aged care staff are under other awards.
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The Health Professionals Award — full name the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027] — is the modern award that sets the legal minimum pay and conditions for its industry. It covers private-sector health employers — medical and dental practices, private hospitals, pathology, allied health and pharmacy-adjacent services. It has two very different streams: support services (cleaning, catering, orderlies, clerical, technical) and health professionals (allied health practitioners such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dietitians).
Pay is built from four things, in this order: the classification level the employee’s duties fall into (11 in this award), their employment type (full-time, part-time or casual — casuals receive a 25% loading instead of paid leave), when the shift was worked (weekend, public holiday, evening or overtime penalties), and any allowances that apply. Get one of the four wrong and the pay is wrong.
Full-time work is 38 ordinary hours per week, which most awards allow to be averaged over a roster cycle. Hours beyond the agreed pattern attract overtime, and part-time employees must have their guaranteed minimum hours agreed in writing.
Who the award covers (and who it doesn't)
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers private-sector health employers, in two broad streams:
- Support services employees (Levels 1–9): cleaners, catering, orderlies, clerical/administration, dental assistants, pathology collectors, technicians and other support roles.
- Health professional employees: allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, podiatrists, audiologists, medical scientists and similar. From 1 October 2026 these are graded by AQF qualification level (5–9) and years of experience at Level 1, then Levels 2.1, 2.2, 3 and 4.
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Important — who’s covered by other awards: registered/enrolled nurses → Nurses Award; aged-care personal-care workers → Aged Care Award; disability and community services staff → SCHADS Award; pharmacy staff → Pharmacy Award. Confirm coverage with Fair Work’s PACT tool before applying rates.
Full-time vs part-time vs casual
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Full-time & part-time
- Full-time is around 38 hours per week, ongoing; part-time has a regular agreed pattern.
- Both receive paid annual and personal/carer’s leave (pro-rata for part-time) and other NES entitlements. Part-time hours should be agreed in writing.
Casual
- Paid a 25% casual loading instead of paid leave, with a minimum engagement per shift.
- Casual weekend and public-holiday rates are higher than the permanent rates (the loading stacks with the penalty).
Casuals working regular, ongoing hours may be able to notify their employer under the employee choice pathway that they no longer meet the casual definition and should convert to permanent employment — see our casual conversion guide.
Allowances
Common allowances under this award include:
- On-call – about $26.34 per 24-hour period (Mon–Sat) and $52.56 (Sun/public holiday).
- Meal allowance – about $17.30 for the first meal ($15.60 for an extra meal).
- Uniform – about $1.26 per shift (max $6.41/week); laundry – about $0.33 per shift.
- Heat, nauseous-work and occasional-interpreting allowances for specific conditions.
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Exact amounts update each pay guide — see the Fair Work pay guide.
Leave entitlements under the award & NES
Leave comes from the National Employment Standards (NES), which apply on top of the award and cannot be reduced by it. Casual employees receive the loading instead of paid leave, but still get unpaid carer’s and compassionate leave, and paid family and domestic violence leave.
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Annual leave
Four weeks per year for full-time employees, pro-rata for part-time, accruing progressively from the first day. Employees the award defines as shiftworkers receive a fifth week. Most awards also add annual leave loading — check the leave clause of this award for the rate that applies. See our annual leave guide for how accrual, cash-out and payout on termination work.
Personal, carer's and other leave
- Personal/carer’s leave: 10 days per year for full-time employees, pro-rata for part-time. It accrues and carries over year to year.
- Compassionate leave: 2 days per occasion.
- Family and domestic violence leave: 10 days per year, available to casuals as well, renewing each year rather than accruing.
- Parental leave: 12 months unpaid with a right to request a further 12, alongside the government paid parental leave scheme.
- Public holidays: employees are entitled to be absent on a public holiday; if they work it, the award’s public-holiday penalty applies.
Tracking accruals across mixed full-time, part-time and casual teams is where spreadsheets break down — leave management software keeps balances, requests and approvals in one place.
Looking for MA000027?
This is it. MA000027 is the official Fair Work code for the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020. This guide covers its pay rates, classifications, penalties and compliance for 2026/27.
View official MA000027 on Fair WorkGeneral information only – not legal advice
This guide provides general information about the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027] and related Australian workplace laws as at the date of publication.
It does not constitute legal, financial, payroll or employment advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Pay rates, penalty rates and allowance amounts under modern awards change periodically, particularly following the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review. This guide includes indicative minimum figures based on rates effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026, when a new classification structure and the first of five stages of new health professional rates commenced. Support services classifications show pay point 1 where a level has several. Employers must always check the current Fair Work pay guide before setting or paying wages.
This award covers private-sector health professionals and support staff. Nurses are usually covered by the Nurses Award, aged-care personal-care staff by the Aged Care Award, and disability/community-services staff by the SCHADS Award. Always confirm award coverage (e.g. using Fair Work’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT)).
If you need award-specific guidance, see:
Step-by-step compliance plan
- Confirm the award applies (private-sector health professional/support; not nurses, aged care or SCHADS).
- Download the latest pay guide (FY2026/27).
- Classify each employee by stream, level and pay point; review pay points annually.
- Set base rates and apply weekend/public-holiday penalties, shiftwork loadings and on-call.
- Set the rates and rules once in a pay template so weekend and public holiday rates are applied to every rostered shift, and keep records for 7 years.
Common Health Professionals Award mistakes
These are the errors that show up most often when employers audit their own Health Professionals Award payroll.
Classifying on job title instead of duties
Awards classify on what the employee actually does, their qualifications and their level of responsibility. Two people with the same title can sit on different levels, and someone doing higher duties is owed the higher rate for those hours.
Applying the casual loading and the penalty separately
Casual weekend and public-holiday rates are not the permanent penalty plus 25% bolted on afterwards. The award publishes a single casual figure for each penalty — use the rate sheet or the calculator above rather than stacking percentages by hand.
Forgetting the allowances
This award carries 5 common allowances. They are easy to overlook because they are not part of the hourly rate, but they are still legally owed — the rate sheet above lists every one.
Paying an allied health professional on the support stream
The two streams are several dollars an hour apart at every comparable level. A graduate physiotherapist paid at Support Services Level 4 rather than Health Professional Level 1 is underpaid from day one.
Small errors compound fastAward underpayments are rarely one big mistake — they are a small error repeated every shift, every fortnight, for years. Check your underpayment risk, or set the award’s rates once in a pay template so the classification, penalty and allowance are applied to every shift automatically.
Quick summary for time-poor employers
This guide assumes the Health Professionals and Support Services Award applies. Nurses, aged-care personal-care workers and disability/community-services staff are covered by different awards — confirm coverage first (see the disclaimer above).
Read more
If you only skim one section, make it this one:
- The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027] covers two broad groups in private-sector health: support services employees (Levels 1–9) and health professional employees (Level 1, graded by AQF qualification level and years of experience, then Levels 2.1, 2.2, 3 and 4).
- Minimums are reviewed each July, and award rates rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026. The health professional stream was then restructured and increased again from 1 October 2026.
- Example adult minimum pay from 1 October 2026:
- Support Services Level 1: full-time/part-time $26.97/hr, casual $33.71/hr.
- Health Professional Level 1, AQF 7, first year (a three-year-degree graduate): full-time/part-time $34.44/hr, casual $43.05/hr.
- Weekend penalties are 150% (Saturday and Sunday) and public holidays 250% for full-time/part-time; casual rates are higher again.
- Shiftwork (afternoon/night/permanent-night) and on-call attract separate loadings — see below.
- Get classification, pay point, employment type and shift type right for every employee.
With pay points, shiftwork loadings and on-call, manual calculation is error-prone — check your underpayment risk. Set the award’s rates and rules once in a pay template, and award-aware rostering software keeps every shift correct automatically.
Final takeaways
- Two streams: support services (Levels 1–9) and health professionals (Level 1 by AQF level and years of experience, then Levels 2.1, 2.2, 3 and 4).
- Re-map every health professional onto the structure that began on 1 October 2026, and check whether back-pay is owed.
- Watch support services pay points — they step up with experience and are a common underpayment trap.
- Shiftwork and on-call are separate from weekend/public-holiday penalties — don’t forget them.
- Update every July and keep good records.
For official guidance, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Industries using this award
Explore rostering solutions for businesses covered by the Health Professionals & Support Services Award
Run the Health Professionals Award on autopilot
Set the award's rates and rules once, and RosterElf carries them through your rosters, timesheets and payroll.
Award interpretation
Applies the weekend, public-holiday, shiftwork and on-call rates you set once in a pay template, from each shift's times.
Rostering software
Build award-aware rosters in minutes with live wage cost and compliance warnings.
Time & attendance
Capture exact start and finish times with a kiosk time clock and live attendance.
Payroll integration
Send costed timesheets straight to Xero, MYOB and other payroll systems.
Health Professionals Award knowledge base
Step-by-step help for applying the award inside RosterElf.
Embed this calculator on your site
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Prefer a spreadsheet? Get these rates in Google Sheets or download the open dataset .
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Stop calculating the Health Professionals Award by hand
Set the Health Professionals Award rates once in RosterElf's pay rate builder, and every rostered shift is costed with its penalty, overtime and public holiday rates.
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Health Professionals Award FAQ
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The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027) covers private-sector health employers and two broad groups of staff: support services employees (Levels 1–9 — cleaners, catering, orderlies, clerical, dental assistants, pathology collectors, technicians) and health professional employees (allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and medical scientists, graded from 1 October 2026 by AQF qualification level and years of experience). Nurses, aged-care personal-care workers and disability/community-services staff are covered by other awards.
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This award covers allied health professionals and health support staff in the private sector. Registered and enrolled nurses are covered by the Nurses Award; aged-care personal-care workers by the Aged Care Award; and disability and community-services workers by the SCHADS Award. Use Fair Work’s PACT tool to confirm which award applies to a role.
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From the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026, Level 1 is set by the employee’s AQF qualification level (5 to 9) and years of experience (1st, 2nd–3rd, 4th–6th, 7th year and over), not by pay point. Levels 2.1 to 4 sit above it. A new graduate on a three-year degree starts at $34.44 an hour.
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The Fair Work Commission’s gender undervaluation decision replaced the old Level 1 pay points with AQF-based bands and lifted health professional minimums from the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2026. An AQF 7 graduate moved from $1,174.00 to $1,308.80 a week. Four further stages run from 30 June 2027 to 2030.
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The Health Professionals Award works in four steps. First, confirm the award covers your business and the employee. Second, assign a classification based on the employee’s duties, qualifications and responsibility — not their job title. Third, apply the employment type: full-time, part-time or casual (casuals receive a 25% loading instead of paid leave). Fourth, layer on penalties and allowances for when and how the shift was worked. Every one of those four inputs changes the pay, which is why award interpretation is worth automating once you are past a handful of staff.