Aged care and disability support workers may have options in Australia or New Zealand. The right pathway depends on your actual duties, qualification, work history, employer and location. Skillage Nimbus is a registered migration agent in Adelaide, MARN 2217972. We help care workers and employers assess realistic migration strategies. Call our 24/7 direct line on +61 8 9131 6011. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and is assessed case by case.

Start with your occupation, not the country

Start with the role.

Not the destination.

Aged care worker, disability support worker, nursing support worker and personal care assistant are not always treated in the same way. A similar job title may map to a different occupation code. The assessing authority may also change.

A role may be relevant in Australia but not meet the same requirements in New Zealand.

It may also qualify for employer sponsorship but not points-tested skilled migration.

That distinction matters.

Your assessment should begin with:

Your daily duties.
Your proposed ANZSCO occupation.
Your qualification.
Your paid work history.
Your employer.
Your work location.
Your registration, screening or licensing position.
Your intended visa pathway.

A job title is not enough.

A “support worker” may perform duties that align with Aged or Disabled Carer. Another may perform duties closer to Nursing Support Worker or Personal Care Assistant. The title, contract and actual work must be reviewed together.

The same role may be eligible in one country but not the other.

It may also be eligible under one Australian pathway but not another. For example, a care role may support an employer-sponsored pathway while not supporting a subclass 190 visa or subclass 491 visa.

No single pathway applies to every applicant.

Review our Migrate by Occupation hub for broader occupation-based planning.

Australia: skills assessment for aged care and disability support

Aged care and disability support migration in Australia is mostly not standard points-tested skilled migration.

That means many workers cannot simply select an occupation, submit an Expression of Interest and expect access to a general skilled pathway.

The main route is usually employer-led.

The key pathway is the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, often called ACILA. It allows eligible aged care employers to sponsor overseas workers in specified care occupations.

The core ACILA occupations are:

Aged or Disabled Carer: ANZSCO 423111
Nursing Support Worker, ANZSCO 423312
Personal Care Assistant, ANZSCO 423313

An eligible employer may sponsor a worker through the subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa under the Labour Agreement stream. A later pathway to the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa may also be available.

The employer must qualify.

The worker must qualify.

The role must qualify.

The agreement must cover the proposed position.

Qualification or experience evidence

For ACILA, the worker will generally need either:

An AQF Certificate III or equivalent qualification; or
At least 12 months of relevant full-time work experience.

Part-time work may need to be assessed as an equivalent period.

Evidence matters.

Prepare:

Qualification certificates.
Academic transcripts.
Course details.
Employment contracts.
Detailed employer references.
Payslips or payment records.
Tax records where relevant.
Rosters and timesheets.
Position descriptions.
Evidence of duties.
Identity documents.
Certified translations where required.

A reference that only confirms your job title may not be enough.

The duties must show that you performed work consistent with the nominated occupation.

A positive skills assessment may be required where an overseas qualification is relied on. It may also be required where work experience is used instead of a formal qualification.

Which authority assesses the role?

The correct authority depends on the occupation code.

For Aged or Disabled Carer: ANZSCO 423111, the relevant assessing authority is Community Work Australia, or CWA. CWA was formerly known as ACWA.

For Nursing Support Worker: ANZSCO 423312, the relevant authority is ANMAC, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council.

For Personal Care Assistant: ANZSCO 423313, ANMAC is also the relevant authority for the applicable direct care assessment.

Do not choose an authority based only on your job title.

Choose it after confirming the occupation and duties.

Our skills assessment guide explains why the correct authority matters.

Assessment is not work registration

A skills assessment supports migration.

It does not automatically authorise you to work in Australia.

Disability support workers may need NDIS worker screening. Employers may also require police checks, reference checks, vaccination evidence, training and other onboarding documents.

Aged care roles may involve additional registration, screening or provider requirements. These can depend on the role, employer, state or territory and work setting.

Keep the two questions separate:

Does the role support a migration pathway?
Can you legally and practically perform the work?

You may need a positive skills assessment and separate workplace screening.

The wider occupation setting

The Support Worker occupation has also been added to the Core Skills Occupation List in current settings referred to for this service page. There is also a specific pathway for aged care workers.

This does not mean every support worker automatically qualifies.

The exact occupation code, employer, visa stream, salary requirement, work experience, English evidence and nomination setting still matter.

ACILA remains the main sponsored route for the direct care occupations listed above. Other settings may apply in specific cases.

Check the current position before relying on the Core Skills Occupation List or any aged care pathway.

Australia: visa pathways

The most realistic Australian pathway for many aged care and disability support workers is:

Eligible employer → ACILA access → subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa → possible subclass 186 pathway

The subclass 186 pathway under ACILA generally requires two years of full-time work in Australia in the nominated occupation. The work must meet the applicable requirements. The sponsoring employer and nomination arrangements also matter.

This is not automatic.

The worker must continue to meet the visa and nomination rules. The employer must remain able and willing to support the process. The position must remain genuine and compliant.

Other settings may be relevant.

Support Worker and other employer-sponsored settings

The Support Worker occupation appearing on the Core Skills Occupation List may create another possible setting for some cases.

However, the list alone does not guarantee access to a visa.

The occupation must match the role. The employer must meet sponsorship requirements. The applicant must meet the relevant visa criteria.

ACILA is still the central route to examine for the direct aged care occupations listed earlier.

Regional and state pathways

Subclass 491 and subclass 494 regional routes are generally less central for this group.

They may be relevant in specific circumstances. The occupation must be on the relevant list or covered by an agreement. The state, territory or regional authority may also apply additional criteria.

Do not assume that a care role qualifies for:

An SA 190 nomination.
An SA 491 pathway.
A subclass 190 visa.
A subclass 491 visa.
A skilled work regional visa 491.
State nomination generally.

State and territory settings change.

South Australia skilled migration criteria may differ from another state. A State Nomination Occupation List may apply. The state may also impose work, residence, employment, English or invitation requirements.

Check the current position with the relevant authority, including SA Skilled Migration, before relying on a nomination strategy.

DAMA pathways

A Designated Area Migration Agreement may be relevant where the occupation is listed and an eligible employer is located in the designated area.

A DAMA is employer-led.

It is not a worker application made independently from the employer.

Possible visa options may include employer-sponsored temporary, regional or permanent pathways. The available option depends on the relevant agreement and current settings.

If an employer is considering sponsorship, see our Employer Sponsorship Adelaide service.

Need help mapping your role? Book a consultation with Skillage Nimbus before accepting a sponsorship plan.

New Zealand: registration and pathways

Care and support work is not automatically Green List work.

That shortcut causes problems.

The main residence pathway for eligible care workers is the Care Workforce Work to Residence pathway. It forms part of New Zealand’s care workforce and transport sector residence settings.

The pathway generally requires:

A qualifying care workforce role.
Work for an approved or accredited New Zealand employer.
A valid employment position.
A period of qualifying work in New Zealand.
Approximately 24 months of qualifying work within the relevant 30-month period.
Pay or remuneration that meets the applicable threshold.
Health, character, English and other residence requirements.

Do not rely on an old threshold.

The required remuneration can change. Check the current figure directly with Immigration New Zealand.

A Level 4 qualification is not strictly required for the residence pathway in every case. However, qualifications may affect how the role is assessed for a work visa. The job, duties, skill level and employer process still matter.

The AEWV is usually the first step

The Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV, is usually the temporary entry route for care roles.

The employer-side sequence is important:

Employer accreditation.
Job Check.
Worker’s AEWV application.

The worker normally applies after the employer completes the required stages.

For lower-skilled roles, engagement with Work and Income may form part of the Job Check process. The employer may need to advertise locally and show that the recruitment process meets current requirements.

The worker should not assume that a job offer is enough.

Review:

The employer’s accreditation.
The Job Check position.
The occupation and duties.
The employment agreement.
Hours of work.
Pay and remuneration.
Contract length.
Immigration New Zealand requirements.
Any screening or registration requirements.

Our care sector comparison provides further context on Australia and New Zealand pathways.

Real requirements, not job titles

Care migration has several common traps.

Assuming the role qualifies for points-tested migration

A care job does not automatically support Australian skilled migration.

Check the occupation list, visa stream and agreement.

Treating a qualification and experience as interchangeable

An AQF Certificate III or equivalent and 12 months of relevant full-time experience are different evidence pathways.

Your documents must support the option you rely on.

Using the wrong assessing authority

CWA is relevant to Aged or Disabled Carer, ANZSCO 423111.

ANMAC is relevant to Nursing Support Worker and Personal Care Assistant in the applicable direct care assessment settings.

Wrong authority. Wrong process. Frustrating result.

Confusing screening with migration assessment

NDIS worker screening supports work eligibility.

It does not replace a migration skills assessment.

Underestimating the ACILA work requirement

A later subclass 186 pathway generally requires two years of full-time work in Australia in the nominated occupation.

Plan for the whole pathway.

Missing the New Zealand residence conditions

The New Zealand pathway involves a qualifying work period, usually around 24 months within 30 months, and a remuneration threshold.

Both matter.

Ignoring Work and Income engagement

For some lower-skilled New Zealand care roles, the employer may need to engage with Work and Income as part of the Job Check.

Ask the employer for a clear process.

Consultation CTA 1

Not sure whether your role is Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker or Personal Care Assistant?

Do not lodge based on the job title alone.

Book a consultation with Skillage Nimbus for occupation mapping, evidence planning and pathway advice.

Australia or New Zealand?

Australia may suit a worker with an eligible employer prepared to use ACILA or another applicable agreement.

New Zealand may suit a worker who can secure an eligible care role, obtain an AEWV and complete the required qualifying work period.

Australia commonly centres on employer sponsorship and a possible subclass 186 pathway.

New Zealand commonly centres on the AEWV followed by Care Workforce Work to Residence.

Neither country is automatically better.

Neither pathway guarantees sponsorship, residence or permanent residency Australia.

Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and is assessed case by case.

Check current guidance with the Australian Department of Home Affairs, Immigration New Zealand, the relevant state or territory authority and the relevant assessing authority.

How Skillage Nimbus helps

Skillage Nimbus supports care workers, employers and families with practical pathway planning.

We can help with:

Occupation mapping based on duties.
ANZSCO code review.
ACILA eligibility planning.
Employer sponsorship coordination.
CWA assessment planning for ANZSCO 423111.
ANMAC assessment planning for ANZSCO 423312 and 423313.
Qualification and experience evidence.
NDIS and aged care screening considerations.
Australia visa pathway review.
New Zealand Care Workforce Work to Residence planning.
AEWV support.
Employer accreditation and Job Check sequencing.
Regional and DAMA pathway review.
Family and travel planning.
Administrative Review Tribunal, or ART, representation where appropriate.

We can also help employers understand the sequence before making an offer.

A migration agent Adelaide applicants can access locally may help identify issues early. We also support clients seeking a migration agent Australia-wide. Where a matter requires a different legal service, we will explain that clearly. An immigration lawyer Adelaide applicants may need can be considered where appropriate.

No outcome is guaranteed.

No sponsorship, nomination, visa grant or residence outcome is guaranteed.

See our Migration Services hub or Registered Migration Agent Adelaide service to understand how we work.

Credentials

Australian Registered Migration Agent MARN 2217972
New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser IAA 202503676
Founder Ashish Thapa (legal name Asi Thapa) admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia
QEAC, CCG and ITAC certifications
Employment Agent Licence issued by the Government of South Australia
Member of Business Australia and Migration Alliance
Core values: Honesty, Reliability and Accuracy

Adelaide office

Skillage Nimbus
Suite 11, Floor 2
12 Pirie Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Strictly by appointment only.

Office hours

Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Emergency appointment support may be available within one hour, subject to availability.

Learn More

Care-sector migration involves more than finding a job title on a list.

You need the correct occupation.

You need the correct evidence.

You need the correct employer process.

You need a pathway that matches your circumstances.

Book your consultation with Skillage Nimbus.

You can also call the 24/7 direct line on +61 8 9131 6011.

General information disclaimer

This page provides general information only. It is not migration advice, legal advice or a guarantee of a positive assessment, sponsorship, nomination, visa grant, residence outcome or permanent residency Australia outcome.

The information is based on public guidance from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement materials, Immigration New Zealand, relevant state and territory authorities, Community Work Australia and ANMAC. The specific operation of ACILA, the current Core Skills Occupation List position for Support Worker, aged care pathway settings, occupation eligibility, employer requirements, New Zealand remuneration thresholds, Work and Income requirements and assessment criteria must be confirmed before relying on this page.

Verify the current position directly on the Department of Home Affairs website, Immigration New Zealand, the relevant state or territory authority and the relevant assessing authority before accepting employment, resigning, travelling or lodging an application.

Frequently asked questions

Are aged care and disability support roles eligible for Australian points-tested skilled migration?

Usually, these roles are not primarily points-tested occupations. The main pathway is often employer sponsorship through ACILA or another applicable agreement. State nomination, regional pathways and other settings may apply in specific cases. Check the current occupation and visa requirements before relying on a subclass 190 visa, subclass 491 visa or skilled work regional visa 491 strategy.

Which authority assesses Aged or Disabled Carer?

Community Work Australia, formerly ACWA, assesses Aged or Disabled Carer under ANZSCO 423111 in the relevant assessment settings. The occupation, duties and evidence must be confirmed before applying.

Which authority assesses Nursing Support Worker and Personal Care Assistant?

ANMAC assesses Nursing Support Worker, ANZSCO 423312, and Personal Care Assistant, ANZSCO 423313, under the applicable direct care assessment settings. The assessment is separate from any registration, screening or employer requirements.

What evidence is relevant for ACILA?

The worker will generally need an AQF Certificate III or equivalent, or at least 12 months of relevant full-time work experience. A positive skills assessment may be required where an overseas qualification is relied on or where experience substitutes for formal qualifications.

Does ACILA provide a pathway to permanent residence?

ACILA may provide a pathway from subclass 482 Skills in Demand sponsorship to subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme. The permanent residence pathway generally requires two years of full-time work in Australia in the nominated occupation, plus satisfaction of the current requirements. No outcome is guaranteed.

Is care work automatically on the New Zealand Green List?

No. Care and support work is not automatically Green List work. The main residence option is generally the Care Workforce Work to Residence pathway, subject to the role, employer, qualifying New Zealand work period, remuneration threshold and other requirements.

What is the usual New Zealand employer process for a care worker?

The usual sequence is employer accreditation, Job Check and then the worker’s AEWV application. For some lower-skilled roles, Work and Income engagement may form part of the Job Check process. The employer and worker must confirm the current Immigration New Zealand requirements.