Negotiating a Pay Rise as a Nanny: How to Ask and What to Expect

Bringing up money with a family you work closely with, sometimes one you've cared for kids alongside for years, can feel genuinely awkward. But if your experience, workload or responsibilities have grown since you started, asking for a pay review isn't overstepping. It's a normal part of being employed, and most families expect the conversation to come up eventually.

Here's how to handle a nanny pay rise conversation with confidence, without it feeling like a confrontation.

When's the right time to ask?

There's no official rulebook that says you have to wait six months or a year before raising the topic. That said, picking your moment does make things easier.

A yearly review is usually a natural trigger point, especially if you've been with the same family for 12 months and your rate hasn't moved. It's also worth raising things sooner if your responsibilities have shifted noticeably.

Maybe you started out caring for one toddler and now you're managing two kids and their school runs. Maybe you've quietly taken on meal prep, laundry or other household tasks that weren't part of the original deal. All of that adds up, and it's a fair basis for a nanny wage increase.

Do a bit of homework first

Before you say a number out loud, get a feel for what your role is actually worth in the current market.

For the most recent pay guidance from us, you can check out our Nanny Pay Rates article which we update each year.

Have a scroll through nanny job ads in your area. Look for roles with similar hours, responsibilities and experience levels to yours, since location plays a big part too. What's advertised in inner Sydney will look quite different from a regional town.

Treat those ads as a starting benchmark, not a hard rule. A nanny with several years' experience, solid qualifications, glowing references and a long history with one family can reasonably ask for more than someone just starting out.

It's also worth knowing the difference between the market rate and the legal minimum. From 1 July 2026, Australia's National Minimum Wage sits at $26.44 an hour for eligible adult employees not covered by an award or agreement, while casual employees receive at least $33.05 an hour once the 25% casual loading is included. Your exact minimum will depend on your specific employment situation, so it's worth checking your entitlements on the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool before you go into the conversation.

If you’re not sure on what the minimum you should be paid, you can also check out the Miscellaneous Award Pay Guidance

How to frame the conversation

When you sit down to negotiate a nanny salary in Australia, try not to make it purely about needing more cash, even if that's part of the reason. Families respond better when the conversation is framed around the value of the role.

Talk about your length of service, the extra responsibilities you've picked up, any new qualifications, or how reliable and flexible you've been. Concrete details land better than a vague ask.

Something like this tends to work well:

"I've really loved working with your family over the past 18 months. Since my responsibilities have grown and we haven't reviewed my rate in a while, I'd love to chat about moving it from $X to $Y an hour."

Naming an actual figure gives the family something to respond to, rather than leaving them guessing what "a bit more" actually means.

Is it okay to compare notes with other nannies?

Pay can feel like a bit of a taboo subject, but Australian employees generally have the right to discuss their pay and conditions with others, and to ask colleagues about theirs too. Nobody's obligated to share if they'd rather not.