Australian Border Force Salary: How It Compares to the National Minimum Wage and Award Rates
The Australian Border Force recruit training salary is $66,839 per year (plus 15.4% super) for a 38-hour week, which is higher than the national minimum wage of $52,254.80.
Understanding the Australian Border Force Salary
When evaluating a job offer or comparing pay rates, it helps to know how a salary like the Australian Border Force salary stacks up against the national minimum wage, award rates, and casual loading. This guide explains the conversion from hourly to annual pay, highlights the Border Force Officer Recruit Training Program pay, and shows how tax and super fit in.
The Basic Conversion Formula
Annual gross pay is calculated as:
Hourly rate × hours per week × 52
Most full-time roles assume a 38-hour week (ordinary hours). For example, if you earn $30 per hour, your annual gross would be $30 × 38 × 52 = $59,280. The fortnightly amount is simply weekly pay × 2 (e.g., $1,140 × 2 = $2,280). This formula assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no allowances.
Australian Border Force Recruit Pay
The Australian Border Force salary for recruits in the Border Force Officer Recruit Training Program is $66,839 per year (plus 15.4% super) as at May 2025. This is an APS3 classification. During the 12-month training program, recruits work 38 hours per week, with shift penalties applying for evening (15% loading), Saturday (50%), Sunday (100%), and public holidays (150%). The equivalent hourly rate before shift penalties is about $33.84 per hour.
Comparison with the National Minimum Wage
From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours. That gives an annual gross of $52,254.80. Casual employees get 25% loading on top, making the casual rate $33.05 per hour. The Border Force recruit salary is higher than the minimum wage, reflecting the specialised training and law enforcement role.
Award Rates and Casual Loading
Award minimum wages increased by 4.75% from 1 July 2026. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides for each award. Casual loading of 25% is applied on top of the base hourly rate for casual employees. Never enter a rate that already includes casual loading into a calculator; instead, enter the base rate and apply the loading separately.
Tax and Superannuation
Tax for 2026–27 uses the resident scale: nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above that. Medicare levy is generally 2%. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings, paid on top, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. The Border Force offers a higher super rate of 15.4% during training.
Differences in Ordinary-Time Earnings
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026 show full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 annually. All employees total earnings (including part-time) average $1,579.20 per week. The Border Force recruit salary is below the full-time average but above the national minimum wage.
Using the Timesheet
Our timesheet lets you type a base hourly rate and optionally add 25% casual loading. It calculates annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures, plus estimated tax and super. Remember that super is paid on top of your gross pay, not deducted from it.
Key Takeaways
- The Australian Border Force salary for recruits is $66,839 per year (plus 15.4% super) for a 38-hour week.
- The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $52,254.80 annually.
- Casual loading adds 25% to the base rate.
- Super is 12% (or more for some employers) on top of ordinary earnings.
- Tax is progressive with the 2026–27 rates and Medicare levy.
For more details, see our minimum wage and super and packaging pages.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.