Australian Workforce Insights

Flexible working requests carry real legal weight since the 2023 reforms - refusing incorrectly can result in Fair Work Commission orders. Parental leave has two parts: 12 months NES unpaid leave plus the government-funded paid scheme, now at 26 weeks from 1 July 2026. The government, not the employer, funds the paid component. Family and domestic violence leave applies to all employees from day one. Casual employees working regular hours can request conversion to permanent a

By Jasmin Robertson Ending someone’s employment in Australia is not as simple as giving notice and processing a final pay. There are minimum entitlements, specific calculations, unfair dismissal rules and a 21-day window in which a terminated employee can lodge a claim. Getting any of it wrong creates real exposure under the Fair Work Act. This is the area where we see overseas employers make the most expensive mistakes. Here’s what you need to understand before you’re in tha

Annual leave accrues at 4 weeks per year in Australia from day one. Public holidays vary by state — expect 11 to 13 per year depending on location. Leave loading of 17.5% applies to many award-covered employees. Unused leave never expires and must be paid out on termination. EOR Australia tracks leave balances and public holidays by state automatically.

The National Employment Standards set 11 minimum entitlements every Australian employee is guaranteed by law — regardless of what their contract says. If a contract offers less, the NES wins. Annual leave, personal leave, parental leave, notice, redundancy and more. EOR Australia builds NES compliance into every contract and payroll run from day one.

Superannuation is always on top of salary in Australia — never included in it. The current rate is 12% of Ordinary Time Earnings. EOR Australia pays super on payday, not quarterly, via a compliant clearing house. We also run stapled super checks at onboarding. Budget 12% on top of any agreed salary before the offer goes out.

Should you set up an Australian entity or use an EOR? For most overseas businesses hiring one to five people, the infrastructure isn’t worth building. EOR Australia becomes the legal employer — we handle contracts, payroll, super, WorkCover and all state compliance. You direct the work. We handle the rest. From AUD $500/month, all on-costs included.