Last updated: new wage tables released on 14 August 2026
Gender-based undervaluation – HPSS awards review
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has now released updated wage tables for health professional employees under the Health Professionals and Support Services (HPSS) Award.
The tables confirm the new minimum rates that will apply from 1 October 2026, alongside indicative rates for the remaining stages of the five-year implementation period through to 2030.
This is an important development for physiotherapy employers. Practices can now plan for the 1 October changes with greater certainty and begin modelling the likely impact of the phased increases over the years ahead.
Importantly, future Annual Wage Review increases will continue to apply in addition to the phased increases. This means the indicative rates currently shown for future years should be treated as a planning guide - the actual minimum rates applying in those years may be higher.
Resources to help you prepare
The APA has developed resources to help members understand the changes and prepare their practices for implementation.
Watch the webinar
Our recent member webinar provides an overview of the new classification structure, wage changes and practical considerations for employers.
Read the member Q&A
Members raised a significant number of practical questions during the webinar. We have consolidated these into a Q&A covering classification, professional experience, Level 2 duties, part-time employees, overseas experience, postgraduate qualifications, supervision, transitioning existing employees and pay implementation.
Implementation guide: what practices should do now
We have also brought together practical steps for reviewing your workforce, classifications, position descriptions, remuneration arrangements and financial planning ahead of 1 October.
Prepare your practice in PhysioHub
Key outcomes from the FWC decision
Physiotherapy standardised to AQF 7
Under the new framework, physiotherapy roles will continue to be classified solely at AQF Level 7, regardless of whether an individual holds an AQF 8 or 9 qualification.
The APA advocated for recognition of multiple entry‑to‑practice pathways for physiotherapy to be representative of the diverse graduate pathways available.
However, an important principle in the FWC decision is the emphasis that employees performing the same role should not be paid differently based solely on qualification pathway alone. Many business owners raised concerns about the inequity this can create between new graduates entering identical roles on different salaries. Standardising physiotherapy at AQF 7 directly addresses this by ensuring:
- graduates entering the same role are classified consistently
- employers are not required to pay different rates based solely on degree type
- hiring decisions are less likely to be influenced by differing salary costs.
It’s important to remember that the Award sets minimum standards only. Many physiotherapists are already paid above Award rates, with salaries shaped by demand, experience, location and business conditions. The Award does not cap earnings or prevent employers from paying above minimums.
Annual wage reviews still apply
The FWC has confirmed that the Annual Wage Review (AWR) process will continue to apply in addition to the phased increases arising from the gender-based undervaluation review.
The 2025–26 AWR resulted in a 4.75 per cent increase to minimum Award wages from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. The new health professional rates commencing on 1 October 2026 incorporate the relevant changes applying at that point.
Future AWR increases will continue to apply in addition to the remaining staged increases. As a result, the indicative 2027–2030 rates provide a useful basis for workforce and financial planning, but the actual minimum rates applying in those years may be higher.
The AWR can be found on the FWC website.
Removal of the 1,824‑hour progression threshold
The FWC has decided to remove the existing 1,824 ordinary hours progression requirement for part-time employees under the HPSS Award and this changes how incremental pay progression operates for part time staff.
In practical terms, this means:
- part-time employees progress based on tenure in the role rather than hours accrued
- part-time employees may reach higher pay points significantly earlier than under the previous system.
For the APA and the profession more broadly, there is an important balance to strike in responding to this change. On one hand, the removal of the threshold represents a fairer and more equitable outcome for many physiotherapists – particularly the part-time practitioners who form the backbone of many practices and who have historically experienced delayed progression despite ongoing contribution, experience and service.
At the same time, we recognise that this shift creates real challenges for practice owners and employers. Earlier progression for part‑time staff will increase wage costs sooner than anticipated and may require adjustments to workforce planning, budgeting and service pricing. Practices with a high proportion of part‑time clinicians may feel this impact more acutely.
The APA acknowledges both sides of this change – it is a fairer and more contemporary approach for employees, but it also requires careful financial modelling and forward planning from practice owners.
Progression based on years in the profession
Another significant change for practice owners is the move to profession-wide experience recognition, rather than progression based solely on years with a particular employer. In practice, this means physiotherapists joining a new workplace may need to be classified according to their total professional experience from commencement, regardless of where that experience was gained.
This has important implications for recruitment, workforce planning and payroll budgeting, particularly for practices preparing to hire experienced clinicians. Members may wish to review their recruitment and classification processes to ensure prior professional experience is being appropriately considered when determining pay points.
Access your implementation resources in PhysioHub