Pay Offer
Disclaimer: Improving commonality in APS salaries remains a priority for the commonwealth to support fairer and more consistent pay for employees doing the same work value across the APS.
The Commonwealth has tabled a proposed pay package through APS-wide bargaining.
One of the key goals for this round of bargaining is to continue working towards greater commonality and consistency in pay and conditions across the APS, and this pay offer supports that goal.
The proposal includes annual pay rises for eligible APS employees, alongside measures to support more consistent salaries and salary advancement across the APS.
This proposal remains subject to bargaining, it is not an agreed outcome.
The proposal pay package includes:
- guaranteed pay rises totalling 9% over 3 years
- additional increases for some comparatively lower-paid classifications in some agencies
- a new minimum 3.0% pay point increase for eligible employees progressing through their salary range.
Guaranteed pay rises
Every eligible APS employee will receive pay rises of 9% over three years, delivered through:
- 3.2% from March 2027 or when your Enterprise Agreement comes into effect (whichever is later)
- 3.0% from March 2028
- 2.8% from March 2029
The proposed pay rises set out how pay would increase over the next 3 years, giving you greater certainty about future salary increases.
This offer is above the two and a half percent consumer price index (CPI) per annum inflation rate forecast in the 2026–27 Budget over a similar period.
More consistent APS salaries
To address pay fragmentation (differences in pay across APS agencies) some lower-paid salary ranges within some agencies will receive an additional increase of up to 0.5% each year or a total of up to 1.5% of the life of the agreement.
Last APS-wide bargaining round saw uplifts across around 83 agencies. This measure will uplift at least one classification in 101 out of 110 agencies (92% of agencies), which is an additional 16 agencies over the life of the agreement.
This means that 38% of maximum pay points will be raised and 45% of minimum pay points will be lifted more than the pay offer by the end of the agreement.
This increase would be on top of the annual pay rise and, where applicable, on top of your salary advancement.
This proposal continues the work to increase commonality in pay across the APS over time. Greater consistency in APS salaries can support more comparable pay outcomes, make it easier for employees to move between agencies and help the APS attract and retain capability.
More consistent salary advancement
Salary advancement is the rate at which you move through your salary range until you reach the top of the range. If you are not yet at the top of your salary range, you may be eligible for additional salary advancement increases.
Under the proposal, the Commonwealth is setting a minimum salary advancement amount of 3.0%. The minimum of 3.0% will require most agencies to reprofile at least one classification pay scale.
That means if you're eligible to progress to your next pay point, the increase to your pay will be at least 3.0% until you reach the top of your salary range. The final advancement rate to the maximum of the classification will not always meet the 3.0% minimum.
If your agency already provides a salary advancement increase above 3.0%, that higher arrangement would continue.
We're also proposing to set a common date for your salary advancement to take effect. A common September date means eligible employees will receive a salary increase at a 6 monthly cadence.
This further increases commonality and consistency both in salary advancement amounts and timing across the APS.
What could the proposal mean for me?
The impact of the proposed pay package will depend on your circumstances.
All eligible APS employees would receive the proposed annual pay rises.
Depending on your agency and where you are within your salary range, you may also receive:
- an additional salary uplift
- salary advancement
- both measures, where they apply.
This means some eligible employees could receive increases above the headline pay rise.
Check your salary
Use the pay calculator to see how the proposed increases will affect your salary.
The calculator provides an indication for general pay scales only. Actual outcomes will depend on your agency, classification, current salary, position within your salary range and eligibility for salary advancement.
How the proposed pay changes could apply to you
To help you understand how these proposals work together, we've prepared several case studies to demonstrate their interaction.
The following case studies are hypothetical examples designed to illustrate how the proposed pay arrangements could apply in different circumstances. Actual salary outcomes will depend on an employee’s agency, classification, current salary, position within their salary range and eligibility for salary advancement.
Pay Offer Case Studies
Disclaimer: The following case studies are hypothetical examples designed to illustrate how the proposed pay arrangements could apply in different circumstances. Actual salary outcomes will depend on an employee’s agency, classification, current salary, position within their salary range and eligibility for salary advancement.
Case Study 1
Name: Sarah
Classification: APS6 minimum
Agency: Services Australia
Sarah currently earns $99,734.
When the new agreement starts, she receives the first pay rise of 3.2%, increasing her salary to $102,925.
Sarah’s salary also benefits from pay fragmentation uplifts, her salary range receives an additional 0.5% increase to align her salary with the higher expectation in minimum salary, an extra $515.
Sarah is not yet at the top of her salary range, when she advances to the next pay point it will be a 3.0% increase. Before the new agreement, the difference between the pay points was 2.7%.
This means in the first year, Sarah will receive an extra $4,116, or 6.8% (4.0% more than she would have received under her current agreement), taking her salary to $106,543.
Sarah will receive the second pay rise of 3.0% in March 2028, increasing her salary to $109,739.
In September 2028, she is again eligible to advance to the next pay point, increasing her salary by another 3.0% to $113,031.
In March 2029, Sarah will receive the third pay rise of 2.8%, raising her salary to $116,195. In September 2029, she can advance to her next pay point, another 3.0% increase, to $119,682.
The increase to Sarah’s salary from this proposed agreement is $11,492.
Over the life of this agreement, Sarah's salary could increase within her classification by $19,946, or around 20.0%.
Case Study 2
Name: Roger
Classification: APS5.2
Agency: Department of Veterans' Affairs
Roger currently earns $96,112.
When the new agreement starts, he received the first pay rise of 3.2%, increasing his salary to $99,188.
In September 2027, Roger is eligible to advance to the next pay point in his salary range, APS5.3, increasing his salary by a further 3.0% to $102,644. This jump is 1.1% more of an increase than Roger’s current agreement, making him $1,155 better off.
In March 2028, Roger receives the second pay increase of 3.0%, increasing his salary to $105,723.
Roger's salary is not eligible for pay fragmentation.
In March 2029, Roger received the third pay increase of 2.8%, increasing his salary to $108,683.
The increase in Roger’s salary from this proposed agreement is $9,222.
Roger’s salary will increase $12,571, or around 13.1% over the life of this agreement.
Case Study 3
Name: Amal
Classification: EL1.4
Agency: ACCC
Amal currently earns $141,555 and is at the top of the EL1 salary range.
When the new agreement starts, she receives the first pay rise of 3.2%, increasing her salary to $146,085.
In March 2028, Amal’s salary will increase by 3.0% to $150,467, and in March 2029 her salary will increase by a further 2.8% to $154,680.
Amal's salary is not eligible for pay fragmentation.
Further, as Amal currently sits at the top pay point in the ACCC EL1 classification she is not eligible for any further salary advancement at the EL1 level.
That means Amal’s salary will increase $13,125, or around 9.3% over the life of the agreement.
Case Study 4
Name: Mila
Classification: APS6.1
Agency: ATO
Mila’s current salary is $101,142.
When the new agreement starts, they receive the first pay rise of 3.2%, increasing their salary to $104,379.
Mila's salary is not eligible for pay fragmentation.
In September 2027, Mila is eligible to advance to the next pay point in their salary range, an APS6.2, increasing their salary by a further 3.0% to $107,510. This jump is 0.5% more of an increase than Mila’s current agreement, making them $545 better off.
In March 2028, Mila receives the second pay increase of 3.0%, increasing their salary to $110,735.
In September 2028, Mila is again eligible to advance to next pay point, APS6.3. This increases their salary to $114,057. This jump is 0.8% more of an increase than Mila’s current agreement, making them $876 better off.
In March 2029, Mila receives the third pay increase of 2.8%, increasing their salary to $117,361.
In September 2029, Mila is again eligible to advance to next pay point, an APS6.4. This increases their salary to $123,245. This jump is 0.9% more of an increase than Mila’s current agreement, making them $1,062 better off.
The increase in Mila’s salary from this proposed agreement is $11,430.
Mila’s salary will increase $22,103, or around 21.9% over the life of this agreement.
Case Study 5
Name: Jonah
Classification: APS6.4 Maximum
Agency: DCCEEW
Jonah's current salary is $112,044 as is at the top of the APS6 salary range.
When the new agreement starts, he receives the first pay rise of 3.2%, and he also receives 0.2% uplift from pay fragmentation, increasing his salary to $115,852.
As Jonah currently sits at the top pay point, he is not eligible for any further salary advancement at the APS6 level.
In March 2028, Jonah’s salary will increase by 3.0%. Jonah's salary also receives a pay fragmentation increase of 0.5%, increasing his salary to $119,924.
In March 2029 his salary will increase by a further 2.8%. Jonah's salary also receives a further pay fragmentation increase of 0.5%, increasing his salary to $123,898.
That means Jonah’s salary will increase $11,854, or around 10.6% over the life of the agreement.
Stay informed
These are summaries of the Commonwealth's preliminary pay offer. Reach out to your Agency Lead Negotiator to find out more about how these proposed changes apply to you.
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