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The Australian Government, in connection with the new Aged Care Labour Agreement (ILA), has selected ANMAC as the skills assessing authority for 2 direct care occupations: Personal Care Assistant (ANZSCO 423313) and Nursing Support Worker (ANZSCO 423312).

The Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement provides Australian care providers with the opportunity to access qualified direct care workers from overseas to address workforce shortages. This agreement aims to streamline the recruitment process when appropriately qualified Australians are not available.

Purpose of the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement

The agreement serves the following purposes:

Sponsor overseas workers for the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa in direct care occupations, including nursing support workers, personal care assistants, and aged or disabled carers.
Sponsor overseas workers for permanent residence under the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa program, provided they have at least two years of full-time work experience in Australia in a relevant direct care occupation, not tied to a specific employer or visa subclass.

Applying for the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement

To access this agreement, aged care providers must first establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the relevant industry union(s), which include the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Health Services Union, or United Workers Union. Once the MoU is in place, providers can submit the labour agreement request to the Department of Home Affairs through ImmiAccount.

Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement Terms and Concessions

The agreement offers various concessions to standard skilled visa requirements, including:

A two-year pathway to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme.
Streamlined visa nomination and priority visa application processing.
No post-qualification work experience requirement.
English language concessions for workers with relevant community language skills.
An annual salary of at least $51,222 AUD or the Australian Market Salary Rate, whichever is higher.

ANMAC will start accepting applications for the Direct Care Occupations on Wednesday, 14 June 2023.

Aged Care as a Pathway to Australian PR

There are several different roles and employment options in the aged care sector, but only two that offer immigration options.

Aged or Disabled Carer (ANZSCO 423111): This role involves providing care and assistance to elderly individuals either in their homes within the community or in aged care facilities.
Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (ANZSCO 254412): Registered nurses in aged care provide nursing care to the elderly in the community, health care facilities, and retirement villages.

The registered nurse is an occupation on the skills shortage list. Once qualified, you can apply for visas:

186 Visa – Employer nomination permanent visa
189 Visa – Points tested permanent visa
190 Visa – Skilled nominated permanent visa
407 Visa – Training visa temporary visa (up to two years)
485 Visa – Temporary graduate visa (up to 18 months in order to find a permanent job)
482 Visa – Short term stream temporary visa (up to two years)
187 Visa – Temporary residence transition stream permanent visa
494 Visa – Skilled employer sponsored regional provisional visa (up to five years)
491 Visa – Skilled work regional provisional visa (up to five years)

Benefits of Working in Aged Care in Australia

Job security: The demand for aged care workers is consistently high, ensuring a steady supply of job opportunities. With an aging population, there is a continuous need for care services, providing stability and long-term employment prospects.
Pathway to Permanent Residency (PR): Working in the Age care sector gives you the opportunity to apply for permanent residency.
Competitive salary: Registered nurses in the aged care sector can earn a salary ranging from $75,000 to $100,000 per year. This reflects the importance and value of their specialized skills and qualifications.
Fulfilling and meaningful work: Working in aged care provides the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of elderly individuals.
Career growth and development: This sector offers opportunities for professional growth and development. With additional training and experience, you can specialize in specific areas of aged care.
Flexible work options: Aged care jobs often provide flexible work arrangements, allowing individuals to choose from various shift options and part-time or full-time positions.

Job Categories under the Age Care Sector

Nursing Assistant
Nurse Aide
Personal Care Assistant
Caregiver
 Aged or Disabled Carer.

Eligibility for Care Work in the Aged Care Sector

To work in any of these categories in the aged care sector, individuals need to meet specific eligibility criteria, which includes being nominated by the provider for certain occupations. Health care providers have the responsibility to select and nominate individuals who meet the requirements for these roles.

The nomination process ensures that only qualified and suitable candidates are considered for employment in care work positions. It helps maintain the quality of care provided to elderly or disabled individuals by ensuring that care workers possess the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.

 Application requirements

These includes;

Holding a relevant AQF Certificate III or equivalent qualification
Obtaining a positive skills assessment
Experience in the field for 12 months fulltime (or equivalent) paid work in a relevant field undertaken either in Australia or overseas.
Meeting the English language proficiency criteria. An overall score of 5.0 in the IELTS (or equivalent) test. Community care workers may need to obtain at least 4.5 in the IELTS. These language requirements ensure effective communication with clients and the delivery of quality care services.

Please note that skill and qualification requirements may differ from ANZSCO standards and will be specified under the terms of each Labour Agreement.

For more information, contact your relevant industry union or email labour.agreement.section@homeaffairs.gov.au.

If you meet all the eligibility criteria to work as a care worker, we can assist you with the direct job application and visa processing for Permanent Residency and provide information on other visa-related inquiries. Our team is experienced in navigating the immigration process and can provide guidance and support throughout the application process.

Send your inquiries to email @ inquiries@haventravelandtour.com or Chat with us on +1-520-379-1037  or +234 9030719143.