Health Professionals Award Changes 2026: What Employers Need to Do Now
Thursday 18th of June 2026 | 1:00pm AEST
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award is undergoing its most significant change in years, and with both the 1 July 2026 wage increase and the new classification structure commencing from 1 October 2026, many employers are wondering where to start.
The Fair Work Commission has now released the final determination, confirming the new classification framework, qualification requirements, transition arrangements and implementation timeline.
In this practical employer-focused session, Carli will walk through what the changes mean in the real world, how they interact with the 2026 Annual Wage Review, and the steps businesses should be taking now to prepare.
This is not a legal deep dive. It’s a practical session designed to help business owners, practice managers and HR professionals understand their obligations, identify potential risks and create a clear action plan for the months ahead.
We’ll cover:
- The 2026 Annual Wage Review and what changes from 1 July 2026
- How the 4.75% wage increase interacts with the upcoming Award changes
- The new commencement date of 1 October 2026 and what it means for employers
- Understanding the new AQF-based classification structure
- Key changes confirmed in the final determination
- How existing employees will transition to the new structure
- Understanding qualifications, experience and progression requirements
- Common classification mistakes and compliance risks
- What employers should be reviewing now
- How to prepare for benchmarking, classification reviews and payroll changes
- Practical timelines and action steps for July through to October
We’ll also answer the questions employers are asking, including:
- Do I need to review employees if I already pay above Award rates?
- How do I know if employees are correctly classified?
- What qualifications do I need to collect and verify?
- What happens if employees hold multiple qualifications?
- Will all health professionals be affected in the same way?
- How much time do I really have to prepare?
Whether you employ one health professional or a large multidisciplinary team, this session will help you understand what is changing and what actions to prioritise over the coming months.
Can’t make it live? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording after the session.
