In short: Most arborist apprentices in Australia are covered by the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 (MA000101) — not the Horticulture Award. Their minimum pay depends on which year of the apprenticeship they are in, whether they finished Year 12, and whether they are an adult apprentice. Award rates rose 3.5% on 1 July 2025 and will rise a further 4.75% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Because the exact rate turns on the apprentice’s specific circumstances, always confirm the figure for your apprentice using Fair Work’s free Pay and Conditions Tool before you set up payroll.
Which award covers an arborist apprentice?
Getting the award right is the first thing employers get wrong, and it matters because the wrong award means the wrong pay rate. According to Fair Work’s own guidance, two awards can cover arborists, tree loppers and pruners:
- Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 [MA000101] — applies where the worker is an arborist, tree lopper or pruner and the employer operates in the gardening and landscaping industry. This covers the large majority of private tree-care and arboriculture businesses.
- Electrical Power Industry Award — can apply instead where the work is vegetation clearance around electrical assets and powerlines for an electricity-industry employer.
Coverage follows the nature of the employer’s business and the work performed, so it is worth confirming with the Fair Work Ombudsman’s arborist coverage guide if you are unsure. The rest of this guide assumes coverage under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award (MA000101), which is the usual case for arboriculture employers.
Arborist apprentice pay rates (indicative, from 1 July 2025)
Under MA000101, an apprentice’s minimum rate is set as a proportion of the qualified tradesperson rate and steps up with each year of the apprenticeship. The rate is higher for apprentices who have completed Year 12 and for adult apprentices. The figures below are indicative full-time hourly rates effective from 1 July 2025 for an apprentice who started after 1 January 2014 and has not completed Year 12.
| Apprenticeship year | Indicative hourly rate (from 1 July 2025) | Approx. weekly (38 hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ~$14.06 | ~$534 |
| Year 2 | ~$16.87 | ~$641 |
| Year 3 | ~$21.09 | ~$801 |
| Year 4 | ~$26.71 | ~$1,015 |
Apprentices who have completed Year 12, and adult apprentices, are entitled to higher rates. As a reference point, the national adult minimum wage is $24.95 per hour from 1 July 2025, and a qualified adult employee under the award sits above that.
Confirm before you pay. These figures are indicative only. The exact minimum for your apprentice depends on their year, Year 12 status, age and classification — enter their details into Fair Work’s free Pay and Conditions Tool to get the precise rate. Award rates also increase a further 4.75% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, so any figure quoted now should be re-checked from that date.
What changes an apprentice’s pay rate
- Year of apprenticeship. Rates step up each year as competency increases, as shown above.
- Year 12 completion. An apprentice who has completed Year 12 is entitled to a higher percentage of the trade rate than one who has not.
- Adult apprentices. An apprentice who is 21 or older when they start is entitled to a higher minimum, and an existing adult employee who becomes an apprentice generally cannot be paid less than their previous classification rate.
- School-based apprentices. School-based arrangements are paid for the hours worked and have their own loading; check the award for the specific terms.
Overtime, penalties and allowances
Beyond the base rate, MA000101 sets out penalty and overtime entitlements that apply on top of ordinary pay. As a general guide under the award, overtime is paid at a higher rate (commonly time-and-a-half for the first part of the overtime and double time after that), weekend and public-holiday work attract penalty rates, and casuals receive a 25% casual loading. The award also provides allowances relevant to tree work — for example tool, travel and height-related allowances. Because these vary and are adjusted each year, confirm the current figures through the Pay and Conditions Tool or the award itself rather than relying on a fixed number.
The on-costs: what an apprentice really costs an employer
The award rate is only part of the picture. On top of the base wage, an employer carries:
- Superannuation at 12%. The super guarantee reached its final legislated level of 12% on 1 July 2025 and remains 12% — there is no scheduled rise beyond it. Super is payable on the apprentice’s ordinary time earnings.
- Workers compensation insurance. Tree work is a higher-risk classification, so premiums are a meaningful cost and vary by state and claims history.
- Payroll tax if your total Australian wages exceed your state threshold (for example $1.2 million in NSW or $1 million in Victoria for 2025-26), though many states offer apprentice wage rebates or exemptions.
- Paid training time. Time an apprentice spends at TAFE or in approved off-the-job training is generally paid time.
- Allowances, tools and PPE as required by the award and the nature of the work.
Government incentives for hiring an apprentice
Hiring an arborist apprentice can attract financial support through the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System (employer incentives and, in priority occupations, apprentice support payments) as well as state-based payroll tax rebates and training subsidies. The amounts and eligibility change from time to time, so check the current settings at australianapprenticeships.gov.au and with your state training authority before budgeting for them.
Setting up apprentice payroll correctly
The compliance basics for an arborist apprentice are: confirm the correct award and classification, pay at least the applicable minimum for their year and circumstances, pay super at 12% on ordinary time earnings, withhold PAYG, keep accurate time and pay records, and apply the annual award increase each 1 July. Getting the award or the apprentice year wrong is the most common — and most expensive — mistake, because underpayments accrue and have to be back-paid.
Frequently asked questions
Which award covers an arborist apprentice?
Most arborist, tree lopper and pruner apprentices are covered by the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 (MA000101), where the employer is in the gardening and landscaping industry. Where the work is powerline vegetation clearance for an electricity-industry employer, the Electrical Power Industry Award can apply instead. Confirm coverage using Fair Work’s arborist coverage guide.
What is the minimum wage for a first-year arborist apprentice?
Under MA000101, the first-year minimum is a proportion of the qualified trade rate and depends on whether the apprentice completed Year 12 and whether they are an adult apprentice. As an indicative figure, a first-year apprentice who has not completed Year 12 is around $14 per hour from 1 July 2025 — but you should confirm the exact rate for your apprentice with Fair Work’s Pay and Conditions Tool, as award rates rise again on 1 July 2026.
Do I have to pay an apprentice for time at TAFE?
Yes. Time spent in approved off-the-job training, including at TAFE, is generally treated as paid time under the apprenticeship arrangements.
Can I pay an apprentice above the award rate?
Yes. The award sets the minimum; you can always pay more, and many employers do to attract and retain good apprentices. You cannot pay less than the applicable award minimum.
When do apprentice wage rates increase?
Modern award rates are reviewed each year by the Fair Work Commission and change from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. Rates rose 3.5% on 1 July 2025 and will rise a further 4.75% from 1 July 2026.
Take the complexity out of apprentice payroll
Award coverage, apprentice progression rates, super, allowances and the annual 1 July increase add up to a lot of moving parts — and underpayments are expensive to unwind. Arbour Advisory works specifically with arborists and tree-care businesses, so we set up apprentice payroll on the correct award, keep it compliant through each wage review, and handle PAYG and super so you can focus on the work.
