Building and Construction General On-site Award pay rates 2026
Minimum rates for the Building and Construction General On-site Award (MA000020) from 1 July 2026: 16 classifications on 16 distinct hourly rates.
This page sets out the minimum pay rates under the Building and Construction General On-site Award, organised by classification. For each role you will find the base hourly and weekly minimum, the casual rate, and the penalty and overtime rates that apply to site work.
The Building and Construction General On-site Award covers labour performed on building and construction sites, including houses and apartments, commercial buildings, civil works such as roads and bridges, and metal and engineering construction. It applies to on-site tradespeople and workers: carpenters, bricklayers, concreters, steel fixers, plant and crane operators, riggers, scaffolders, labourers, forepersons and site supervisors. The classifications are built around trade qualifications and responsibility, from entry-level construction workers through to leading tradespeople and general forepersons who supervise a crew. Off-site work such as joinery shops and the manufacture of building products is generally covered by other awards.
Pay rates by classification
How the pay scale works
Adult rates in the Building and Construction General On-site Award run from $26.67 an hour (Level 1 (CW/ECW 1), level a) to $34.46 (Level 9 (ECW 9)), a spread of $7.79 an hour or 29.2%, $296.00 a week full-time.
The award’s 16 classifications in this dataset share 16 distinct hourly rates.
What changed on 1 July 2026
For the entry classification, Level 1 (CW/ECW 1), level a:
The hourly rate rose $1.21 (4.8%) from $25.46 on 30 June 2026 to $26.67, and the full-time weekly rate rose $46.00.
Penalty rates
Ordinary hours under the Building and Construction General On-site Award are worked Monday to Friday. Work on a weekend or public holiday is paid at overtime rates set in clause 30.1 of the award, on the ordinary hourly rate including any all-purpose allowances:
- Saturday: 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200%; 200% for all work after 12 noon (clause 30.1(a), 30.1(b))
- Sunday: 200% for all time worked (clause 30.1(d))
- Public holiday: 250% for all work performed (clause 30.1(e))
The all-purpose allowances that lift the base differ by trade, so this site does not print a single dollar rate for each day. The consolidated award sets them out.
Compared with related awards
| Award | Entry classification | Hourly | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award | Electrical worker grade 1 | $26.44 | — |
| Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award | Vehicle RS&R industry employee — Level 1 (R1) | $25.74 | 200% |
The Building and Construction General On-site Award entry rate is $0.23 an hour higher than the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award entry rate of $26.44.
The Building and Construction General On-site Award entry rate is $0.93 an hour higher than the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award entry rate of $25.74.
Allowances
The pay database lists 26 wage-related allowances and 17 expense-related allowances for this award. All-purpose allowances count towards penalty rates, overtime and leave.
| Allowance | Amount | Paid | All-purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile cranes capacity adjustment formula (Level 5 (CW/EW5) and above) | $26.86 | per week for each additional 40 tonnes over max limit | no |
| General building and construction industry allowance | $67.15 | per week | yes |
| Civil construction industry allowance | $67.15 | per week | yes |
| Metal and engineering construction industry allowance | $67.15 | per week | yes |
| Residential building and construction industry | $53.72 | per week | yes |
| Underground allowance (other than Operator classification) | $20.14 | per week | yes |
| Underground allowance—no more than 4 days/shifts in ordinary week | $4.48 | per day or shift | no |
| Multistorey allowance—structure without regular storey levels—work above 15 metres | $0.94 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—structure without regular storey levels—work above each additional 15 metres | $0.94 | per hour for each additional 15 metres | no |
| Multistorey allowance—commencement of building to 15th floor level | $0.77 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—16th to 30th floor level—where structural or reinforcing steel, boxing or walls rise above 16th floor | $0.91 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—31st to 45th floor level—where structural or reinforcing steel, boxing or walls rise above 31st floor | $1.41 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—46th to 60th floor level—where structural or reinforcing steel, boxing or walls rise above 46th floor | $1.83 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—61st floor level onward—where structural or reinforcing steel, boxing or walls rise above 61st floor | $2.24 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—service core—work more than 15 metres above main structure | $0.94 | per hour | no |
| Multistorey allowance—service core—work above each additional 15 metres | $0.94 | per hour for each additional 15 metres | no |
| Laser safety officer allowance | $3.95 | per day or part thereof | no |
| Carpenter-diver allowance | $1.33 | per hour | yes |
| First aid allowance—minimum qualifications | $4.03 | per day | no |
| First aid allowance—higher first aid certificate | $6.38 | per day | no |
| Air-conditioning industry and refrigeration industry allowances | $88.41 | per week | no |
| Electrician's licence allowance | $35.81 | per week | yes |
| In charge of plant allowance | $52.60 | per week | no |
| Computing quantities allowance | $6.86 | per day or part thereof | no |
| Scaffolding or rigging certificate allowance | $0.94 | per hour | no |
| Lift industry allowance | $165.63 | per week | yes |
| Tool allowance—artificial stoneworker, carpenter and/or joiner, carpenter-diver, carver, bridge and wharf carpenter, floor sander, letter cutter, marble and slate worker, stonemason or tilelayer | $41.22 | per week | yes |
| Tool allowance—caster, fixer, floorlayer specialist or plasterer | $34.10 | per week | yes |
| Tool allowance—refractory bricklayer or bricklayer | $29.26 | per week | yes |
| Tool allowance—roof tiler, slate-ridger or roof fixer, tradespersons in the metals and engineering construction sector | $21.59 | per week | yes |
| Tool allowance—signwriter, painter or glazier | $9.89 | per week | yes |
| Meal allowance—all employees—overtime of at least one and a half hours | $19.74 | per meal | no |
| Meal allowance—operator employee—after completion of each 4 hours’ overtime | $19.74 | per meal | no |
| Compensation for clothes and tools | $2,390.00 | maximum | no |
| Living away from home allowance—Distant work—Entitlement | $102.92 | per day | no |
| Camping allowance—per complete week | $266.44 | per week | no |
| Camping allowance—broken parts of the week | $38.02 | per day | no |
| Meal allowance—forward journey | $19.74 | per meal | no |
| Return journey—additional for daily hire employees | $26.77 | per journey | no |
| Weekend return home | $45.36 | per occasion | no |
| Fares and travel pattern allowance | $22.41 | per day | no |
| Travelling between construction sites—employee’s own vehicle | $1.00 | per km | no |
| Distant work—employee’s own vehicle | $0.60 | per km | no |
Look up a rate
Rates current as of 1 July 2026. FWC pay database, Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (MA000020), checked (how). General information only: your award or enterprise agreement prevails if it differs.