Aged care providers across Australia struggle to fill direct care rosters. The Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement gives them a lawful sponsorship route. So here are its published terms.
Agreement terms checked on 9 October 2026 on the Home Affairs ILA page and in the template agreement. Home Affairs can change them at any time. Therefore, confirm the current terms on the Home Affairs ILA page and in the template agreement before you act.
What the Aged Care ILA is
An industry labour agreement is a template deal with the sector and the unions. As a result, the terms are non-negotiable. The agreement runs for five years, with a nomination ceiling per occupation each year.
For the wider picture, read our pillar guide to labour agreements in Australia. For the regional alternative, see our guide to what a DAMA is.
Who can use it
The agreement covers aged care providers only. Disability sector employers cannot access it and should look at a DAMA instead. Our South Australia Regional DAMA guide shows how one such agreement works.
Access is streamlined for providers that sign and maintain a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant union. Home Affairs names three unions: the ANMF, the HSU and the UWU. Which union applies depends on the occupation, the care setting and the state.
The Aged Care ILA at a glance
| Item | Published position, checked 9 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Visas available | Skills in Demand 482 and Employer Nomination Scheme 186 |
| Occupations | Three, all at ANZSCO skill level 4 |
| Salary rule | AUD51,222 guaranteed annual earnings or the market rate where higher, as published on 9 October 2026 |
| English, 482 | IELTS 5.0 with 5.0 speaking and listening and 4.5 reading and writing; 4.5 with no minimum for CALD providers |
| English, 186 | IELTS 5.5 with no component minimum |
| Age limit | None for the 482; 45 for the 186, with no concession |
| Experience rule | Certificate III or 12 months of work; the 186 needs two years in Australia |
| PR transition | 186 after two years of full time work in Australia |
| Endorsing body and fee | Union MoU with the ANMF, HSU or UWU; no fee published |
The three occupations
Home Affairs lists three occupations, and we counted three on 9 October 2026. Each sits at ANZSCO skill level 4 under the template agreement.
- Nursing Support Worker, ANZSCO 423312, who provides limited patient care under nursing direction.
- Personal Care Assistant, ANZSCO 423313, who provides routine personal care in facilities or at home.
- Aged or Disabled Carer, ANZSCO 423111, who provides household help, support and companionship at home.
Moreover, the usual ANZSCO caveats do not apply. Registered and enrolled nurses sit outside it.
Skills, qualifications and skills assessments
The worker needs a relevant AQF Certificate III or a higher qualification. Alternatively, 12 months of relevant full time work can replace the qualification.
A skills assessment applies where the qualification was gained overseas, or where experience replaces it. ANMAC assesses nursing support workers and personal care assistants. Community Work Australia assesses aged or disabled carers. However, no assessment is needed where the Australian qualification was completed here.
For the 482, no further experience applies. In contrast, the 186 needs at least two years of work in Australia in a relevant direct care occupation.
The English concession
Standard providers face one rule for the 482. The worker needs IELTS 5.0 overall, with 5.0 in speaking and listening and 4.5 in reading and writing.
Culturally and linguistically diverse providers face a lighter rule. Their 482 workers need IELTS 4.5 overall with no component minimum. However, the worker must be fluent in the target community language. For the 186, both provider types use IELTS 5.5 with no component minimum.
The salary rule, and a figure to read carefully
You must employ the worker full time and pay at least the market salary rate. Home Affairs also publishes a floor. On 9 October 2026, the ILA page still said “a minimum of AUD51,222 (guaranteed annual earnings)”. The template calls this the reduced CSIT, and board cannot count towards it.
That figure looks dated. For comparison, the full CSIT is AUD79,423 for nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. So market rates, the award and the current thresholds also apply. Our guide to 482 salary thresholds explains how the market rate is set.
Age, labour market testing and the union MoU
There is no age limit for the 482. For the 186, the worker must be no more than 45 at application.
Establishing and maintaining a union MoU satisfies the testing requirement, while the union raises no concern. Otherwise, the standard rules in our labour market testing guide apply.
On 9 October 2026, neither the ANMF, the HSU nor the UWU published a fee for an MoU. The ANMF and the HSU say they respond within ten business days.
The pathway to permanent residence
The agreement approves a permanent residence pathway through the 186. The worker must first complete two years of full time work in Australia. That work must be in the nominated occupation or a closely related one under the agreement. In addition, the worker must have complied with every visa condition. The 186 role must then be full time for at least two years.
Extra obligations under the agreement
You must pay the worker directly and never charge for nomination or recruitment. You must give workplace rights information within seven days of starting. Furthermore, you must consult the relevant union at least every six months.
What it costs
Commonwealth figures, re-verified on Home Affairs on 9 October 2026:
- There is no cost to request a labour agreement.
- Sponsorship approval costs AUD420. A 482 nomination costs AUD330, and a 186 nomination costs AUD540.
- The SAF levy for the 482 is AUD1,200 per year where turnover is under AUD10 million, otherwise AUD1,800. For the 186, it is AUD3,000 or AUD5,000 one-off.
- The 482 Labour Agreement stream visa starts from AUD4,015. The 186 Labour Agreement stream starts from AUD6,140.
Our guide to 482 sponsorship costs covers what you cannot pass on. Then our pillar on the Skills in Demand visa covers the visa stage.
Frequently asked questions
Which visas does the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement cover?
It covers the Skills in Demand 482 visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme 186 visa. The 494 is not available under this agreement.
Which occupations can an aged care provider sponsor?
Three occupations apply. They are Nursing Support Worker 423312, Personal Care Assistant 423313 and Aged or Disabled Carer 423111. Disability sector employers cannot use this agreement.
What English scores apply under the aged care ILA?
For the 482, standard providers need IELTS 5.0 with 5.0 speaking and listening and 4.5 reading and writing. CALD providers can use IELTS 4.5 with no minimum. For the 186, the score is IELTS 5.5 with no minimum.
What salary must an aged care sponsor pay?
Home Affairs publishes a floor of AUD51,222 guaranteed annual earnings, as read on 9 October 2026. However, the market salary rate applies where higher, and the full CSIT is AUD79,423.
Can a sponsored carer move to permanent residence?
Yes, through the 186. The worker first needs two years of full time work in Australia in the occupation. The age limit of 45 applies with no concession.
Sam Kanjo, Migration Lawyer, Skyline Migration Lawyers, Melbourne.
Talk to us about the Aged Care ILA
We help aged care providers with union MoUs, labour agreement requests and nominations. Call Skyline Migration Lawyers on 03 8108 8748. Or email info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au.
This article is general information only. It is not legal advice and it does not guarantee any outcome. Labour agreement terms change, so please seek advice tailored to your business before you act.
For employers: how we run sponsorship and labour agreement matters
The seven stages, who does what, how documents are collected, privacy, payments, and a working cost estimator. See how we work with employers.
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