More than 268,000 Aussies to receive an extra $160 per week from today

More than 268,000 Australians will receive another $160 per week as the final instalment of a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators kicks in.

Educators saw 10 per cent of the historic increase hit their bank accounts when it was rolled out last December.

Today, the final five per cent will be delivered automatically.

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This means the typical full-time early childhood educator is earning $200 more a week, while an early childhood teacher receives $316 more a week.

"Caring for and teaching kids is some of the most important work in the country. And our early educators deserve to be paid fairly for that work," Education Minister Jason Clare said.

Touted as a cost-of-living relief measure, the $3.6 billion pay increase was passed by parliament in November last year to help retain the workforce and attract new workers.

"For too long, our early childhood educators were underpaid, undervalued and overlooked. And as a result, they were walking out the door," Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh said.

"This helps create a long-term stable workforce, and that strengthens the whole sector."

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The federal government said the pay rises have now led to 15,100 more people entering the industry, vacancy rates down 14 per cent and staffing waivers down nine per cent in a 12-month period.

One large provider, Goodstart, has reported a five per cent reduction in the need for casuals and a 70 per cent reduction in the use of labour hire. 

"We know the pay rise is working to bring more people into the sector and help to keep the great educators we've already got," Clare said. 

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