Australia

New and Updated

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Termination of employment

  From 1 July 2026, there has been a change to the high income threshold. This has an impact on compensation for unfair dismissal.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Updates - key employment law developments

  New information has been added about the right to work from home in Victoria.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Employee rights

  Qualifying employees are entitled to 26 weeks of leave related to the child's birth or adoption from 1 July 2026. Further, the maximum weekly wage capped rate for the purposes of insolvency has increased.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Equal opportunities

  In Victoria, from 1 July 2026, there are new rules that restrict the use of non-disclosure agreements in the resolution of workplace sexual harassment complaints.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Industrial relations

  On 1 July 2026, there was a 4.75% increase to modern award minimum wages.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Pay and benefits

  On 1 July 2026, there was an increase to the national minimum wage. Further, employers must make superannuation contributions at the same time they pay employees’ wages.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Recruitment and selection

  From 1 July 2026, the Core Skills Income Threshold for subclass 482 Core Skills stream nominations increased, and nominating employers must generally pay at least this amount and the applicable market salary rate.

• Type:

  International

  Australia: Contracts of employment

  A new Contractor High Income Threshold applies from 1 July 2026. 

• Type:

  International

  Global minimum wage rates comparative table

  Several countries changed their minimum wage rates on 1 July 2026 including Argentina, Australia, Netherlands and Romania. In the US, there were a number of minimum wage increases.

• Type:

  International

  Global retirement and pensionable age comparative table

  In Ireland, from 29 June 2026, employees may seek to continue working beyond a contractual retirement age below the state pension age, with employers only able to refuse on objectively justified grounds.