Filipino Aged Care Workers: How to Work in Australia in 2026

TL;DR

Australia's aged care sector is actively recruiting from the Philippines. Pathways run through the subclass 482 via industry labour agreements or DAMA arrangements — not the points-tested skilled visas, since the occupation sits on no national skilled list. You will likely need a Certificate III in Individual Support and a skills assessment from Community Work Australia (ACWA) or, for the DAMA pathway, VETASSESS.

Introduction

Australia's aged care workforce is under severe pressure. An ageing population, the fallout from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and new minimum staffing requirements have created thousands of vacancies that Australian workers alone cannot fill.

Filipino aged care workers and personal care assistants are among the most actively recruited overseas workers in this sector. The Philippines produces experienced, English-speaking care workers, and Australian aged care providers have built recruitment pipelines specifically targeting Filipino applicants.

But the visa pathway is not straightforward. Aged care occupations sit in a grey area — not always on the main skilled occupation lists, but accessible through special labour agreements and DAMA arrangements. This guide explains your options. For a broader look at all Filipino visa pathways, see the Philippines to Australia visa guide.

ANZSCO Codes for Aged Care Workers

Your ANZSCO code determines which visa pathways, skills assessments, and occupation lists apply. The two main codes for aged care workers are:

• 423111 — Aged or Disabled Carer: Provides personal care and support to aged or disabled people in residential facilities or private homes. This includes assisting with daily living activities, administering medication under supervision, and monitoring client wellbeing.
• 423313 — Personal Care Assistant: Assists patients or residents with personal care tasks in hospitals, aged care facilities, or community settings.

Getting the right ANZSCO code matters. The wrong code can mean your visa application fails even if you are doing the right job. A MARA-registered migration agent can help confirm which code fits your role.

Visa Pathways for Aged Care Workers

Aged care occupations are not always on the standard Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Your pathway depends on whether your employer has a labour agreement, whether you are in a DAMA region, or whether your specific occupation appears on a state nomination list.

Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand (Employer Sponsored)

The subclass 482 is the most common pathway for Filipino aged care workers. An Australian employer sponsors you to fill a specific role.

The 482 has been the Skills in Demand visa since 7 December 2024, which replaced the old short-term and medium-term streams. Aged care roles such as Aged or Disabled Carer (ANZSCO 423111) are not on the Core Skills Occupation List, so a standard 482 is generally not available for them. In practice, a 482 for aged care work runs through a labour agreement (below) or a DAMA.

The employer must be an approved sponsor, show they could not find a suitable Australian worker, and pay at or above the applicable income threshold or the concession set out in their agreement.

Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement

The aged care industry labour agreement is the main route for Filipino care workers. This arrangement between the Australian Government and approved aged care providers allows employers to sponsor overseas workers specifically for aged care roles.

Key features of the labour agreement:

• Access to occupations not on standard lists — aged care worker roles that do not appear on the MLTSSL become sponsorable
• Possible English concessions — some agreements allow lower English requirements than the standard subclass 482
• Salary concessions — the income threshold may be adjusted for aged care roles where standard salaries fall below the general threshold
• Permanent residence pathway — some agreements include access to the subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) through the labour agreement stream

Your employer must hold an approved labour agreement. Not all aged care providers have one. Ask prospective employers directly whether they have a labour agreement in place.

DAMA Pathways

Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) are regional agreements between the Australian Government and regional authorities. Several DAMAs include aged care worker occupations with concessions similar to labour agreements.

DAMA regions that have included aged care roles:

• Northern Territory DAMA
• South Australia Regional DAMA
• Far North Queensland DAMA
• Various other regional DAMAs across Victoria, Western Australia, and New South Wales

DAMA pathways often include permanent residence options and may offer salary and English concessions. The trade-off is you must live and work in the specified regional area.

Aged or Disabled Carer (423111) sits on none of the national skilled occupation lists — not the MLTSSL, the Core Skills Occupation List or the Regional Occupation List — so the points-tested Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas aren't a route on this code, with or without a state's involvement. The labour agreement and DAMA routes above, each leading to the subclass 186, are the realistic pathways.

Skills Assessment

Your skills assessment body depends on which pathway you're sponsored under.

Community Work Australia (ACWA)

Community Work Australia (ACWA), formerly the Australian Community Workers Association, is the designated skills assessing authority for Aged or Disabled Carer (423111) under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement. It considers your qualification (a Certificate III in Individual Support, or an equivalent overseas qualification) or your relevant work experience — not necessarily both — and does not itself assess English; that's set separately by the visa. The ACWA assessment fee is $595, with processing generally taking 6 to 10 weeks — confirm the current figure on ACWA's own site before applying.

Philippine qualifications: if you hold a TESDA National Certificate II in Caregiving or equivalent, ACWA will assess whether your qualification and documented experience meet its criteria. Outcomes vary case by case. Where you don't hold a matching qualification, at least 12 months of full-time paid aged care experience within the last five years can substitute.

VETASSESS

For the DAMA pathway specifically, VETASSESS is generally the assessing authority used instead of Community Work Australia — a different body for a different pathway.

Certificate III Requirement

The Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) is the Australian industry standard for aged care workers. If your Philippine qualification does not match, you have options:

• Study in Australia — complete the Certificate III at a registered training organisation (RTO). Duration is typically 6 to 12 months, costing AUD 3,000 to 8,000.
• RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) — if you have extensive aged care experience, some RTOs offer RPL pathways to the Certificate III.
• Employer-arranged training — some labour agreements include provisions for employers to train sponsored workers on arrival.

English Language Requirements

English requirements vary by pathway.

Standard Subclass 482

A standard 482 visa needs Vocational English. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, that means at least:

Labour Agreement or DAMA Concessions

Under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement's non-CALD-provider option, Listening and Speaking stay at 5.0 but Reading and Writing drop to 4.5; a CALD-provider option instead allows 4.5 overall. DAMA concessions vary by region — the exact concession depends on the specific agreement your employer holds, so confirm it directly rather than assuming a figure quoted for a different agreement applies.

Filipino Advantage

Filipino applicants generally perform well on English tests because English is a medium of instruction in the Philippines. This is a genuine practical advantage, though it does not exempt you from testing. Prepare for the test format even if your spoken English is strong — test technique matters.

Costs and Timeline

Total estimate (without Certificate III): AUD 5,500 to 6,000.
Total estimate (with Certificate III): AUD 8,500 to 14,000.

The subclass 482 charge is AUD 4,015 across all streams, current as at 1 July 2026.

Start your DFA apostille early — NBI clearances and educational certificates both need to go through DFA-OCA for use in Australia.

Timeline

• Months 1-2: English test preparation and exam
• Months 2-4: Skills assessment application and processing
• Months 3-6: Employer identification and sponsorship arrangement
• Months 6-10: Visa lodgement and processing
• Months 10-12: Arrival and commencement

If you need a Certificate III, add 6 to 12 months. If your employer already has a labour agreement, the process may be faster.

Employer Sponsorship Reality

Most Filipino aged care workers arrive through employer sponsorship, not independent skilled migration. Here is what that looks like in practice.

How employers recruit: Major aged care providers work with recruitment agencies that operate in the Philippines. Some hold information sessions and interviews in Manila or Cebu. Others recruit through online platforms and referrals from existing Filipino staff.

What to expect from a sponsorship offer:

• The employer covers visa nomination costs (around AUD 540)
• You typically cover your own skills assessment, English test, and police clearances
• Some employers offer airfare assistance and initial accommodation
• You commit to working for the sponsor for a specified period

Watch out for:

• Offers that require you to pay large upfront fees to a recruitment agency — legitimate employers do not charge workers for sponsorship
• Roles that do not match your ANZSCO code — this can cause visa problems later
• Offers with salaries significantly below the area's market rate

If something feels wrong, check with a MARA-registered migration agent before signing anything.

Settlement Notes

The Filipino community in Australia is large and well-established. For aged care workers settling in regional areas:

• Filipino community networks exist in most regional centres. Churches, cultural organisations, and Filipino shops help with the transition. See our guide on settling in Australia from the Philippines.
• Cost of living in regional areas is generally lower than Sydney or Melbourne, which helps when aged care wages are modest. Our cost of moving guide breaks down expenses by location.
• Career progression is real. Aged care workers can move into team leader, care coordinator, and facility management roles. Some use aged care experience as a platform to pursue enrolled nurse or registered nurse qualifications in Australia.
• Royal Commission reforms have improved conditions. Minimum staffing ratios, mandatory qualifications, and the 15% pay increase awarded by the Fair Work Commission have made aged care a more attractive sector than it was five years ago.

Next Steps

1. Identify your ANZSCO code — confirm whether 423111 or 423313 best fits your experience and the role you want.
2. Check your qualifications — do you hold a TESDA NC II in Caregiving or equivalent? Will it meet the Certificate III benchmark?
3. Take an English practice test — know where you stand before committing to a test booking.
4. Search for employer sponsors — look at aged care providers with labour agreements or in DAMA regions.
5. Start your DFA apostille — get your educational certificates apostilled and your NBI clearance underway.
6. Consult a migration agent — a MARA-registered migration agent can identify which pathway fits your situation and whether a labour agreement or DAMA route is available. Our guide on choosing a migration agent explains what to look for.

Related Resources

• Philippines to Australia: Visa Options for 2026
• Philippines to Australia: Complete 2026 Overview
• Filipino Nurses Moving to Australia
• Cost of Moving to Australia from the Philippines
• Philippine Document Authentication for Australia
• Settling in Australia from the Philippines
• What Is a Skills Assessment?

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What ANZSCO codes apply to aged care workers?

The main codes are 423111 (Aged or Disabled Carer) and 423313 (Personal Care Assistant). These codes determine which visa pathways and skills assessments apply. Your employer and migration agent should confirm the correct code for your specific role before lodging.

Do I need a Certificate III to work in aged care in Australia?

For visa and skills assessment purposes, yes — a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) or equivalent is typically required. Some employer-sponsored pathways through labour agreements may accept overseas qualifications plus experience, but the Certificate III is the benchmark.

Can aged care workers get permanent residence?

It depends on the pathway. Aged care roles are generally not sponsorable through a standard subclass 482, so the permanent residence question turns on the agreement you are sponsored under. DAMA arrangements and the aged care industry labour agreement may include permanent residence pathways. The subclass 186 through a labour agreement stream is one option.

What is the aged care industry labour agreement?

It is a formal arrangement between the Australian Government and approved aged care employers. It allows employers to sponsor overseas workers in aged care roles that would not otherwise be available on standard skilled occupation lists. It may include concessions on English, salary, and qualification requirements.

How much do aged care workers earn in Australia?

Base rates for aged care workers in Australia are around AUD 28 to 34 per hour, depending on the state, employer, and your qualifications. Weekend and night shift penalties can increase this. The 2022 Fair Work Commission decision awarded a 15% pay increase to aged care workers, with further increases implemented since.