Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) 2025 Pay Rates (MA000108)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) covers employees in the professional diving industry performing industrial diving work, including underwater welders, hull inspectors, salvage divers, pipeline divers, and saturation divers. If you perform commercial diving work in industrial settings (not recreational), this award applies to you. It covers approximately 1,500 workers across Australia.

This award does NOT cover recreational diving instructors (Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award, MA000109), military divers, or scientific research divers at universities. See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.

How classification levels work

Classifications are based on diving qualifications and the type of diving work performed. Rates include both monthly and hourly structures reflecting the nature of professional diving contracts.

Key features of this award

Industrial diving rates include specific allowances reflecting the hazardous nature of the work. The award provides both monthly and hourly rate structures, with penalty rates for Sunday and public holiday diving.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000108 for current dollar amounts for each classification level. Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25.

Penalty Rates

Penalty rate multipliers from the Fair Work Commission penalty rate schedule for MA000108. All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.

The award specifies penalty rates ranging from 100% to 250% depending on when and how you work.

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

Casual Employees

Penalty rate categories in this award

The following penalty rate descriptions apply under MA000108:

• Casual ordinary rate
• Monday to Saturday - after 2 hours
• Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours
• Ordinary hours
• Public holiday
• Sunday - all day
• Total hourly rate
• Total monthly rate

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Refer to the specific award clauses for exact percentages applicable to each classification level and employment type.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual worker on a Sunday

A casual employee working a N/A (dive-based)-hour minimum shift on a Sunday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000108 pay guide
• Sunday casual rate: base rate x Sunday casual penalty percentage
• Minimum payment: Sunday casual rate x N/A (dive-based) hours
• Clause reference: refer to casual penalty rates clause

Example 2: Full-time worker on a public holiday

A full-time employee working an 8-hour public holiday shift.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000108 pay guide
• Public holiday rate: base rate x public holiday percentage (up to 250%)
• Total: public holiday rate x 8 hours
• Clause reference: refer to public holiday clause

Example 3: Part-time worker with overtime

A part-time employee who works 2 hours beyond their rostered hours on a weekday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000108 pay guide
• Overtime rate: base rate x overtime percentage
• Clause reference: refer to overtime clause

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are saturation divers covered by this award?

Yes, saturation divers performing industrial work are covered. Saturation diving typically attracts the highest classification rates.

2. What about depth allowances?

The award and associated provisions may include depth-related allowances or higher classification rates for deeper diving work.

3. Do industrial divers get public holiday rates?

Yes, diving work performed on public holidays attracts penalty rates.

4. What is the minimum shift length under this award?

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees is N/A (dive-based) per shift. Even if you are sent home early, you must be paid for the minimum shift length.

5. How do I check my exact pay rate?

Use our free calculator or refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000108. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for free advice.

Check Your Rate

Working in industrial diving and want to know your exact pay rate? Use our free calculator to check.

Check your pay rate now

Select your diving classification, employment type, and the days you work.

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Table Schema (Dataset)

• name: "Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) MA000108 Pay Rates July 2025"
• description: "Classification levels and penalty rates for commercial and industrial divers under the Professional Diving Industry (Industrial)"
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• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) (MA000108)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.