Australia's lowest-paid workers will get a $22-a-week pay rise after the workplace umpire lifted the national minimum wage to $694.90.

In its annual wage review, the Fair Work Commission has lifted the wage by 3.3 per cent - an increase of 59¢ an hour to $18.29 an hour. Inflation hit 2.1 per cent in the year to the end of March according to the most recent official consumer price index.

Commission president Iain Ross said the decision would affect up to 2.3 million people reliant on minimum rates of pay.

Read more of this Sydney Morning Herald article or visit the Fair Work Commission website for more info.....