Sri Lankan Aged Care Workers to Australia: The Real Pathway (ACILA & DAMA)

Aged or Disabled Carer isn't on Australia's mainstream skilled occupation lists, so this covers the routes that actually work: the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (482 to 186) and Designated Area Migration Agreements, the salary and English concessions, and what to check before paying for a skills assessment. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 Aged care work (ANZSCO 423111):
  2. 0:13 ANZSCO 423111:
  3. 0:29 The real route:
  4. 0:43 Salary concession:
  5. 0:59 English concession:
  6. 1:15 No age concession
  7. 1:26 DAMA route:
  8. 1:39 CWA's assessment:
  9. 1:53 Budget for the
  10. 2:05 Legitimate employers don't
  11. 2:16 Verify the employer's arrangement
  12. 2:26 Where to read more

Transcript

Aged or Disabled Carer isn't on Australia's mainstream skilled occupation lists. So how do Sri Lankan aged care workers actually get to Australia?

ANZSCO code 423111, Aged or Disabled Carer, isn't on the Core Skills Occupation List or the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List. That rules out the standard points-tested visas and the mainstream subclass 482.

The real route is the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement. Approved aged care providers sponsor workers on a subclass 482 visa, with a path to subclass 186 permanent residence after two years.

The Labour Agreement lets employers offer a salary floor of $51,222 a year, or the market rate, whichever is higher — well below the standard subclass 482 Core Skills Income Threshold of $79,423.

There's an English concession too. Standard subclass 482 English is IELTS 5.0 in each band. Under the Labour Agreement, Reading and Writing drop to 4.5, while Listening and Speaking stay at 5.0.

One thing the agreement doesn't concede: age. It carries no age concession for the subclass 186 visa, so the standard age limit still applies.

Designated Area Migration Agreements are the other route. Several regions, including the Northern Territory, include aged or disabled carer roles — assessed by VETASSESS rather than Community Work Australia.

Community Work Australia is the designated assessing authority for Labour Agreement applications. It considers a relevant qualification or relevant work experience, not necessarily both, case by case.

Budget for the Community Work Australia skills assessment fee, approximately $595, plus visa charges, a health exam, a police clearance certificate, and document certification.

Ask any prospective employer directly whether they hold an ACILA or DAMA arrangement. Legitimate employers don't charge workers for sponsorship itself.

A MARA-registered migration agent experienced in aged care sponsorship can verify a specific employer's arrangement before you commit time and money to a skills assessment.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.

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