Real Estate Industry Award

If you run a real estate business in Australia, such as a sales agency, property management firm, business broking practice or strata management business, and employ staff who are not otherwise award-free, the Real Estate Industry Award 2020 (MA000106) generally applies to your property and support employees. Some purely clerical work outside real estate can fall under a different award. Confirm coverage against the Fair Work source before setting pay and conditions.

The award sets minimum weekly and hourly rates by classification level, broadly running from an entry or associate level up through property sales and management roles to senior and in-charge classifications, with separate levels for support staff. Place each employee at the level matching the duties they actually perform, apply a junior percentage if relevant, and add any loading, penalties and allowances. Because rates change each July, read the current figure for the level on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Only in defined circumstances. Commission-only employment under MA000106 is available for eligible property employees who satisfy strict qualifying tests, including a minimum prior earnings threshold and a licence or registration requirement, set out in a written agreement that is reviewed periodically. An agent who does not meet the tests must be paid the full minimum wage and entitlements. Confirm the current eligibility criteria and agreement requirements on the Fair Work source before structuring any commission-only arrangement.

Yes — an employee who is not engaged commission-only is paid at least the award minimum wage for their classification, and you can pay commission on top of that. What you cannot do is pay a base below the minimum and rely on commission to make up the difference; only a valid commission-only engagement removes the minimum-wage floor. Reconcile pay against the award each period, and confirm the current minimum rates and commission rules on the Fair Work source before agreeing the package.

Casual real estate employees are paid a loading on top of the minimum hourly rate, commonly 25% across modern awards, to compensate for the paid leave and other entitlements casuals do not receive. The loading is the starting point before any weekend or public holiday penalties are added, and minimum engagement rules can apply. Treat 25% as a guide only and confirm the exact loading and engagement minimum for this award on the Fair Work source before running pay.

Real estate often involves Saturday inspections and auctions, and the award provides for weekend work through penalties or time-off arrangements depending on the employee's hours and engagement. As a guide across awards, Saturday is commonly around 25% and Sunday around 50% above the ordinary rate, but commission and retainer arrangements interact with this. Always confirm what MA000106 provides for the relevant day and employment type on the Fair Work Pay Calculator before paying.

Work on a public holiday is paid at a premium under the award, which as a guide can reach up to 150% of the ordinary rate, while employees who would normally work that day but have it off are generally entitled to their ordinary pay. Public holidays vary by state and territory. Check both the gazetted days and the current public holiday entitlement for the relevant employee type on the Fair Work source before processing a pay run that includes one.

Yes. Where an employee works beyond their ordinary hours or outside the agreed span, overtime can apply, with the award setting rates and rules around the ordinary-hours span and breaks. Commission-only employees are treated differently in some respects, so the position depends on the engagement. Identify which hours count as overtime for each worker, then confirm the applicable overtime rate and any exceptions for this award on the Fair Work Pay Calculator before paying.

MA000106 provides allowances geared to the industry, which can include a motor vehicle allowance with a per-kilometre rate for agents required to use their own car, a motorcycle allowance, and a telephone or communications allowance. Which ones apply depends on each role's duties and the arrangement in place. Because the amounts are reviewed each year, identify the allowances relevant to each employee and confirm their current values on the Fair Work Pay Calculator rather than relying on remembered figures.

Annual leave loading is an extra payment on top of base pay when an employee takes paid annual leave, and under this award it is 17.5% of the ordinary rate where it applies. It is paid to full-time and part-time employees; casuals do not accrue annual leave. There are specific considerations for how commission interacts with leave, so apply the loading correctly at pay time and confirm the treatment for commission and non-commission employees on the Fair Work source.

Minimum rates and dollar allowances are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review increased modern award minimums by 4.75%. To stay compliant you must apply the new figures from that pay period, so verify the current rates for each classification and allowance on the Fair Work Pay Calculator every year.

Commission-only arrangements rely on meeting the award's tests and on a written agreement, so you should keep the agreement, evidence the agent met the eligibility criteria, and accurate records of commissions paid and any reconciliations against the minimum. These support the arrangement if it is ever reviewed and help confirm the agent has been paid correctly. Check the current record-keeping and agreement requirements for commission arrangements on the Fair Work source.

Start by confirming each employee's correct classification, then check that any commission-only or retainer arrangement meets the award's tests, apply the right minimum rate, penalties, overtime and allowances, and refresh every figure from the Fair Work Pay Calculator after each 1 July increase. Accurate agreements and pay records are essential. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for real estate employers, handling classification, commission reconciliation, penalties and allowances so the right amount is paid every cycle.

Administrative staff outside a real estate agency are covered by the Clerks Award.