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Pakistani salary in Australia: the $767 Census median in rupees, and why your offer should beat it

Tips · 2026-10-22 · 10 min read

The typical Pakistani salary in Australia, measured by the 2021 Census, was a median weekly personal income of $767 for Pakistan-born people aged 15 and over. That is roughly Rs. 148,000 a week at the State Bank of Pakistan's rate for 7 October 2026. But that median mixes students, part-time workers and people with little income with full-time professionals, so a full-time job offer today should sit well above it: the National Minimum Wage alone is $1,004.90 a week.

This guide takes the Census figure, the legal pay floors and the salary floor for sponsored workers in order, converts each one into rupees, and then shows what tax and super do to the number before you decide whether Australia is worth it for you.

Step 1: read the Census median for what it is

The Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 89,633 Pakistan-born people in Australia in the 2021 Census. Their median weekly personal income was $767. Half earned more than that, half earned less.

A median for everyone aged 15 and over is not a salary for one job. It includes people studying, people working a few shifts a week, people at home and people who arrived recently and were still finding work. Of the Pakistan-born people counted, 31,934 (35.6%) had arrived in 2016-2021, so many were in their first years in the country.

Over a full year, $767 a week comes to about $39,884, or roughly Rs. 7,701,000. Treat that as a picture of the community in 2021, not as a forecast of your own pay. You can read the full profile on the ABS QuickStats page for people born in Pakistan.

Step 2: see what kind of work the community does

Income follows occupation, and the Census shows a wide spread. Among employed Pakistan-born people in Australia in 2021:

• 14,008 (30.0%) were Professionals, the largest group.
• 6,270 (13.4%) were Machinery Operators and Drivers.
• 3,410 (7.3%) were Technicians and Trades Workers.
• 2,794 (6.0%) were Labourers.

The top industries were Taxi and Other Road Transport (2,783, 6.0%), Investigation and Security Services (2,560, 5.5%) and Computer System Design and Related Services (2,341, 5.0%). Driving and security work often comes with variable hours, which pulls a median down. Software and IT roles usually sit at the other end; you can see current openings under IT and technology jobs in Australia and New Zealand.

The lesson for planning: the community figure blends very different jobs. Your own number depends on your occupation, your hours and your award or contract.

Step 3: know the legal pay floors in 2026

Nobody employed in Australia may be paid less than the legal minimum, and visa holders have the same workplace rights as every other employee, including pay and leave. From 1 July 2026 the National Minimum Wage is $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week, based on a week of 38 ordinary hours. In the Annual Wage Review 2026 the Fair Work Commission raised modern award rates by 4.75 per cent from the same date.

Most workers are actually paid under an award for their industry or occupation, and award rates may be higher than the minimum wage. Two examples from the 2026 awards:

• Hospitality Industry (General) Award: a Cook grade 1 earns at least $1,029.10 a week or $27.08 an hour.
• Building and Construction General On-site Award: Level 3 (CW/ECW 3), which includes the engineering construction tradesperson level 1, earns at least $1,154.40 a week or $30.38 an hour.

Casual employees get a 25 per cent casual loading instead of paid annual leave. Full-time and part-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave a year. You can check your own rate on the Fair Work minimum wages page, and our guide to workers' rights in Australia for visa holders explains pay slips, leave and where to get help.

Step 4: check the salary floor for sponsored jobs

If you plan to come on an employer-sponsored visa, a third number matters more than the minimum wage. The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) is $79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. That works out to about $1,527 a week, already about double the 2021 Census median.

The CSIT also applies to Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) nominations, and the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold for the subclass 494 visa is the same $79,423. The thresholds are indexed every year from 1 July. Read the details on the Home Affairs salary requirements page and our Skills in Demand (482) visa guide for Pakistani applicants.

Step 5: convert the numbers into rupees

The table puts the four figures side by side. Each rupee amount is a rough comparison at the State Bank of Pakistan's mark-to-market ready rate for the Australian dollar on 7 October 2026 (Rs. 193.0839 per dollar). Rates change every day, so treat these as a guide, not an amount you will receive.

On a yearly basis the minimum wage comes to about $52,255, and the CSIT of $79,423 is roughly Rs. 15,335,000. These are gross figures, before tax and before your living costs, which are paid in dollars.

One more caution about the rate itself. The State Bank publishes these mark-to-market rates so that authorised dealers can revalue their books each day. A bank or money transfer service will quote its own rate and fees when you send money home, so the rupees that reach your family will differ.

Step 6: take off tax and add super

A rupee figure built on gross pay looks bigger than the money you will actually spend. Tax depends on whether the ATO treats you as an Australian resident for tax purposes, which depends on your circumstances.

1. If you are a resident for tax purposes: the 2026-27 rates are nil up to $18,200, 15c for each dollar from $18,200 to $45,000, and $4,020 plus 30c for each dollar over $45,000 up to $135,000. On $79,423 that is about $14,347, plus the 2% Medicare levy of about $1,588.
2. Work out what is left: on those rates, $79,423 leaves about $63,488 a year, or roughly Rs. 1,021,500 a month at the same rate. Tax offsets and your own situation can change this.
3. If you are a foreign resident for tax purposes: the latest rates the ATO shows (2025-26) start at 30c for every dollar up to $135,000, so the same salary would carry about $23,827 in tax, with no Medicare levy.
4. Add super on top: your employer pays superannuation at 12% of ordinary earnings from 1 July 2026, about $9,531 on a $79,423 salary. It goes into a super fund, not your pay.
5. Plan for leaving: if you were on a temporary visa, you can claim a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP) after you leave; the taxed element is taxed at 35%.

Step 7: decide whether Australia is worth it for you

The honest answer to "is Australia worth it for Pakistanis" depends on three things the Census cannot tell you: the occupation you can be employed in, whether an employer will sponsor you, and what you will spend in dollars on rent, food and transport. Rent is paid in dollars, and a new tenancy usually needs a bond as well; in New South Wales the bond is capped at 4 weeks' rent.

Sponsored roles start from the CSIT, so the comparison that matters is your current take-home pay in Pakistan against the after-tax figure in Step 6, minus your living costs in the city you would move to. If you are a qualified tradesperson, your trade level drives your pay; a qualification recognised in Australia can move you up the award, and RPLDirect explains how skills and experience can be assessed against an Australian qualification.

When you apply, show the exact duties, dates and tools from each job, because that is what supports a higher classification. Build AI CV can help you lay out that experience in an English CV. Live roles such as this Chef job in Bendigo or this Carpenter job in Cairns show the kinds of sponsored positions advertised now.

Common mistakes Pakistani applicants make with Australian salaries

• Multiplying gross pay by the exchange rate and stopping there. Tax, Medicare levy and living costs in dollars come out first.
• Reading the Census median as a job offer. $767 a week is a 2021 community median that includes students and part-time workers, not a wage for a sponsored role.
• Using the central bank rate as a remittance rate. The SBP mark-to-market rate is for authorised dealers; your transfer service will use its own rate and fees.
• Ignoring tax residency. Resident and foreign resident rates are very different on the same salary.
• Paying someone who promises a high salary. A "visa agent" who asks for money for a well-paid Australian job is a warning sign; read our guide to paying money for a job abroad before handing over cash.
• Not checking the award. If your pay is below the award rate for your job, you are being underpaid, whatever your visa.

For professional roles, English test results also affect which jobs and visas are open to you; our comparison of IELTS or PTE for Australia from Pakistan helps you pick a test.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Pakistani salary in Australia?

The best official figure is the 2021 Census median weekly personal income of $767 for Pakistan-born people aged 15 and over. It is a median, not an average, and it includes students and part-time workers, so full-time pay is usually higher.

How much is an Australian salary in Pakistani rupees?

At the State Bank of Pakistan's mark-to-market rate for 7 October 2026, the National Minimum Wage of $1,004.90 a week is roughly Rs. 194,000 a week. The rate changes daily, and the rate your bank or transfer service gives will differ.

What is the minimum salary for a sponsored job in Australia?

For nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423 a year. It is roughly Rs. 15,335,000 at the 7 October 2026 SBP rate, before tax.

Do Pakistani workers on a visa get the same pay as Australians?

Yes. Fair Work says visa holders and migrant workers have the same workplace rights as all other employees, including pay, leave and final pay. The award for your job sets the minimum, whatever your nationality.

Is Australia worth it for Pakistanis financially?

It depends on your occupation, whether an employer will sponsor you and your living costs in dollars. Compare your take-home pay in Pakistan with the after-tax Australian figure, minus rent, food and transport in your city.

Key takeaways

• The 2021 Census median for Pakistan-born people was $767 a week, roughly Rs. 148,000.
• The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $1,004.90 a week, and most awards pay more.
• Sponsored roles must meet the CSIT of $79,423 a year, about double the Census median.
• Tax, Medicare levy and dollar living costs reduce the rupee figure a lot.
• Exchange rates change daily; use rupee figures as a rough guide only.

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