Author: Tomas Rincon – Immigration Lawyer
Health & Aged Care Migration in Australia (2025): what HR, sponsors and skilled migrants need to know
Australia’s health and Aged Care system is expanding rapidly, driven by population ageing, higher acuity needs, and major reforms to care quality and wages. This article distils the latest workforce evidence and maps the visa pathways most commonly used by providers and skilled workers, along with practical compliance tips for sponsors.
Where the jobs are: current employment & demand
- Health Care & Social Assistance is Australia’s #1 growth industry:
National projections indicate services – led by Health Care & Social Assistance – will deliver the largest share of new jobs over the next decade. JSA’s projections show total employment rising to 3 million by May 2034, with Health Care & Social Assistance central to that increase. - Aged and disability care roles are large and still growing:
As of August 2025, Aged and Disabled Carers (ANZSCO 4231) employ about 364,700 people (60% part-time; 76% female) with median full-time weekly earnings around $1,564, and strong annual employment growth. - Wage settings are lifting to aid attraction and retention:
The Fair Work Commission’s multi-stage Aged Care Work Value Case is now complete; approximately 400,000 Aged Care workers have benefited from award wage increases funded by the Commonwealth. - Aged Care service demand remains elevated:
The Department of Health’s Aged Care Worker Survey 2024 and the annual Aged Care data snapshots highlight continued workforce pressures across residential and in-home care settings through 2023–24.
Visa pathways commonly used in health & Aged Care
Skills in Demand (SID) visa (Subclass 482) – temporary employer-sponsored
Australia’s SID visa (which replaced the former TSS/482 framework) supports employer sponsorship across three streams (e.g., Specialist Skills; Core Skills). Health and Aged Care employers primarily use the Core/Essential-type settings to address persistent shortages in on-list roles. Stream rules, earnings thresholds and occupation settings are defined on Home Affairs’ SID pages.
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) – Permanent Residency
The ENS 186 provides a pathway to PR for eligible workers (via Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry and Labour Agreement streams). It is frequently used to retain experienced nurses, managers and therapists after an initial temporary period.
Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (ACILA)
For providers delivering Commonwealth-funded Aged Care, ACILA enables sponsorship of:
- Aged or Disabled Carer (423111)
- Nursing Support Worker (423312)
- Personal Care Assistant (423313)
Concessions and structured PR pathways may be available under ACILA (via SID 482 and ENS 186).
Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA)
Regional employers can access broader occupation lists and concessions under their local DAMA. This is useful for hard-to-fill care roles in regional and remote areas. Each DAMA has its own occupation table and terms.
Tip: Many providers blend pathways e.g., start on SID 482 (Core/Essential) or ACILA, then progress to ENS 186 once experience and licensing milestones are met.
Go-to occupations for health & Aged Care migration
The roles below are frequently used in sponsorships and labour agreements:
- Registered Nurse (2544) – the backbone of clinical care across hospitals, residential Aged Care and community settings; numerous sub-specialties (Aged Care, perioperative, mental health, etc.).
- Aged or Disabled Carer (4231/423111) – direct personal and daily-living support in residential and home settings; large, growing workforce.
- Personal Care Assistant (423313) – routine personal care across facilities or at home; commonly sponsored via ACILA and some regional settings.
- Nursing Support Worker (423312) – supports RNs/ENs with delegated care; often grouped with PCAs under workforce programs and ACILA.
(Employers should verify current eligibility, stream rules and any concessions before recruiting offshore.)
What’s new with ANZSCO/OSCA and skilled lists?
ANZSCO to OSCA transition
The ABS released the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) v1.0 in December 2024—the first major overhaul of occupation classification in 20 years. JSA indicates Labour Force Survey outputs are expected to move to OSCA from 2026, so most labour data and migration instruments still reference ANZSCO during the transition.
Core Skills Occupations List (CSOL) – 2025 consultations
Jobs and Skills Australia opened 2025 CSOL consultations in August–September 2025. The CSOL is pivotal for Skills in Demand visa eligibility and will progressively integrate OSCA mapping. Health and Aged Care stakeholders (providers, unions, RTOs) were invited to submit evidence on shortages and role definitions.
Aged Care & disability occupation definitions
ABS review material has proposed clearer delineation of Aged Care versus disability services, and visibility of roles such as retirement village management—helpful context when aligning PDs and training to classification language.
Practical steps for employers: compliance & sponsorship
- Choose the right pathway early.
Decide whether SID (482) sponsorship, ACILA, DAMA or ENS 186 better fits your role, location and timeframes; this affects occupation eligibility, salary floors and concessions. Use the official Home Affairs pages as your source of truth. - Meet salary & conditions benchmarks.
Ensure offered salaries meet award/enterprise agreement obligations and any visa-specific thresholds (including concessions where applicable). Track Fair Work Commission outcomes in Aged Care and keep payroll systems aligned with the updated award rates. - Know your sponsorship obligations.
Standard business and accredited sponsors must: keep records, ensure equivalent terms/conditions, pay prescribed costs (e.g., Skilling Australians Fund where applicable), and notify Home Affairs of specified changes (business or sponsored worker circumstances). Breaches attract sanctions. - Align position descriptions with classification language.
Draft PDs that reflect the core tasks in ANZSCO/OSCA for the nominated occupation and the actual duties in your service model (e.g., personal care vs. clinical delegation boundaries). This reduces nomination RFIs and supports skills assessments where relevant. - Invest in registration and supervision pathways.
For regulated professions (e.g., RNs), plan for AHPRA registration timelines, bridging/competency assessments and induction. Using transitional visas (SID) while supporting supervised practice can smooth time-to-productivity. (See RN occupation profile for task scope). - Use regional levers where needed.
If metro recruitment stalls, explore DAMA coverage for your region and its occupation list/concessions—particularly for personal care and support roles.
Practical steps for migrants: readiness & progression
- Credentials & English: Check AHPRA (for nurses) or relevant skills/experience expectations; ensure English and licensing are in order before interviews. (Role scopes via JSA occupation profiles.)
- Pathways planning: Many entrants start on SID (482) or ACILA, then transition to ENS 186 PR after meeting tenure and skills benchmarks. Confirm your stream and any earnings or list requirements at the outset.
- Work environment: Understand roster patterns (high part-time share in care), teamwork with RNs/ENs, and contemporary award conditions following the FWC work value case.
How we can help
As an immigration law firm working closely with health and Aged Care providers, we can:
- Workforce audit & pathway selection: Match your vacancies to eligible occupations and the most efficient visa route (SID streams, ACILA, DAMA, ENS 186).
- Documentation & compliance: Prepare robust PDs aligned to ANZSCO/OSCA language, advise on wage/award settings, and set up notification and record-keeping frameworks to meet sponsor obligations.
- Retention to PR: Roadmap from temporary sponsorship to ENS 186, minimising churn and improving continuity of care.
Key takeaways
- Health & Aged Care remains Australia’s strongest employment growth engine, with care roles expanding and wages rising under completed FWC decisions.
- Employers have multiple migration levers—SID (482), ENS 186, ACILA and DAMA—to stabilise rosters and lift care quality.
- Classification is modernising: ANZSCO is transitioning to OSCA, with migration lists (e.g., CSOL 2025) being updated—important for eligibility checks. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Partner with Absolute Immigration Legal to strengthen your Aged Care workforce strategy
Navigating Australia’s evolving migration framework for the health and Aged Care sector requires precision, planning, and compliance expertise. At Absolute Immigration Legal, we specialise in helping providers, HR leaders, and skilled professionals achieve sustainable workforce outcomes through tailored immigration solutions.
Our legal team provides end-to-end support — from identifying the most suitable visa pathways (SID, ENS 186, ACILA, or DAMA) to drafting compliant position descriptions, meeting wage benchmarks, and mapping long-term retention strategies to permanent residency.
Whether you are a provider seeking to sponsor skilled care workers or a professional exploring your migration options, we deliver strategic, evidence-based advice to ensure every decision aligns with legislative requirements and workforce goals. Contact Absolute Immigration Legal on admin@absoluteimmigrationlegal.com to build a compliant, future-ready workforce in health and Aged Care.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes only. It is based on publicly available data and current policy settings at the time of writing. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Migration law is complex and subject to frequent change. If you require advice specific to your circumstances, please contact our office to arrange a consultation with a qualified immigration lawyer.