Canada Minimum Wage and the Australian Average
If you’re looking for a current figure for Canada’s minimum wage, our sources do not publish one. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work Ombudsman cover only Australian earnings. Canada’s minimum wage is set by each province and territory, and rates change frequently. For the most accurate number, check the official Canadian government website.
This article instead uses the Australian national full-time average as a reference point to show how a resident’s take-home pay might look. Even without a Canada figure, the Australian context can help you understand how minimum wages relate to average earnings and tax.
Australia’s National Full-Time Average
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 puts full-time adult average ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70 per week. That works out to about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line our site uses as the benchmark.
- Men’s full-time ordinary time average: about $113,412 a year.
- Women’s full-time ordinary time average: about $100,594 a year.
These are averages, not medians. The full-time median (from ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) is about $90,532 a year. The all-employees median is about $74,100.
Australia’s Minimum Wage
From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38‑hour week. That’s about $52,255 a year before tax. Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the same annual wage review.
At $52,255, the minimum wage is roughly 48% of the full-time average of $108,352. That gap is typical for developed economies, though Canada’s provincial minimums vary widely – for example, Ontario’s general minimum was around $16.55 per hour in 2024, while British Columbia’s was $17.40. Without a current figure, we can’t say exactly where Canada sits relative to Australia today.
Resident Take-Home Sketch
Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy, here’s an idea of what a full-time worker on the average might take home.
Tax brackets 2026–27 (resident):
- Nil up to $18,200
- 15% from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% above $190,000
- Plus Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions).
Example: full-time average earner ($108,352)
- Tax on first $18,200: $0
- Tax on $18,201–$45,000 ($26,800): 15% = $4,020
- Tax on $45,001–$108,352 ($63,352): 30% = $19,005.60
- Total tax before Medicare: $23,025.60
- Medicare levy (2% of $108,352): $2,167.04
- Total tax and Medicare: $25,192.64
- Take-home pay: about $83,159.36 per year, or $1,599.22 per week.
Example: minimum wage earner ($52,255)
- Tax on first $18,200: $0
- Tax on $18,201–$45,000 ($26,800): 15% = $4,020
- Tax on $45,001–$52,255 ($7,255): 30% = $2,176.50
- Total tax before Medicare: $6,196.50
- Medicare levy (2% of $52,255): $1,045.10
- Total tax and Medicare: $7,241.60
- Take-home pay: about $45,013.40 per year, or $865.64 per week.
These are rough estimates. The actual amount depends on deductions, offsets, and whether the Medicare levy surcharge applies.
State-by-State Averages
Full-time average ordinary time earnings vary across Australia. Here are the state figures from the ABS May 2026 release:
- New South Wales: about $109,658 a year
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
These are averages, so half of full-time workers earn less and half earn more. The States and territories page has more detail.
How the Figures Are Set
The ABS collects Average Weekly Earnings twice a year – May and November. The next release is November 2026 (due 25 February 2027). The Fair Work Commission reviews minimum wages annually, with changes taking effect from 1 July. Our site uses these official sources to keep the line accurate. For more on methodology, see How the figures are set.
Canada Minimum Wage: No Current Figure
To summarise: we do not have a current, authoritative figure for Canada’s minimum wage from our usual sources. If you need that number, the best place is the Government of Canada’s labour program or a provincial ministry. For Australian comparisons, the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026) is the relevant benchmark.
Place a salary on the line to see how any Australian salary compares to the national full-time average.