PayCheckR / Enterprise agreements / AE523910

Department of Defence enterprise agreement pay rates

This page lists the pay rates in the Department of Defence enterprise agreement (AE523910). The agreement was approved by the Fair Work Commission and sets the minimum pay for the staff it covers. The rates below are the agreement minimums; overtime, penalties and allowances can lift what you actually take home.

Who this agreement covers

Defence APS (non-uniformed) employees - approx 19,227 staff nationally. Does NOT cover ADF members (paid under the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal). Standard Classifications APS 1-6 and Executive Levels at 'From 12 March 2026' base rates (the operative column). 37.5 ordinary hours/week. Overtime (APS 1-6, non-EL): 1.5x first 2hrs / 2.0x after, Mon-Sat; Sunday 2.0x; public holiday 2.5x. Casual (irregular/intermittent) 25% loading on base hourly, not on overtime, min 4hrs/engagement. Full Part D allowance schedule at 12 March 2026 rates (heights, dirty work, duty at sea, fire fighting, hazardous material, tool, electrical, language and more).

Rates last updated 17 September 2026.

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Agreement details

Code

AE523910

Industry

Federal government (APS)

Ordinary hours

37.5 per week

Casual loading

25%

Union

CPSU (Community and Public Sector Union)

Nominal expiry

28 February 2027

Roles covered

Some of the roles this agreement may cover at the Department of Defence. You can open any role to see its indicative rates.

Minimum pay rates

Full-time pay runs from $976.13 per week ($26.03 per hour) at the entry level up to $3,998.75 per week at the top, across 31 classifications. A few examples:

Classification	Weekly (full-time)	Per hour
Apprentice APS (Trades) - 1st YearApprentice APS (Trades) 1st year (80% of minimum APS Level 2, Table 3a).	$976.13	$26.03
Apprentice APS (Trades) - 2nd YearApprentice APS (Trades) 2nd year (86% of minimum APS Level 2, Table 3a).	$1,049.35	$27.98
Apprentice APS (Trades) - 3rd YearApprentice APS (Trades) 3rd year (88% of minimum APS Level 2, Table 3a).	$1,073.75	$28.63

The rate for every classification, plus casual rates, is in the pay checker below.

What else it sets

Penalty rates for weekends, public holidays and overtime.
26 allowances (for example Departmental Liaison Officer (DLO) Allowance, Artificial Environments Allowance, Community Language Allowance - Level 1).

The exact penalty multipliers and allowance amounts are applied when you check your pay.

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If you share your hours and what you were paid, we can compare it against these rates, including penalties and overtime. It's free, takes a couple of minutes, and there's no account needed to start.

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Rates are sourced from Fair Work Commission data and shown as a guide. They can change, and your circumstances may differ. Verify against your payslip and the official instrument before acting. For advice, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or a registered employment lawyer.