Aged Care Worker Migration to Australia: VETASSESS, DAMA and the 482 Visa
Can this occupation lead to Australian migration?
It can, but you need to understand the conditions clearly. The Aged Care Worker occupation (Aged Care Worker, ANZSCO 423111) sits among the occupations in serious shortage in Australia and has more than one migration pathway. The occupation is eligible for the subclass 482 visa (employer-sponsored) through a Labour Agreement or DAMA — not through the standard Core Skills stream, because 423111 is not on the CSOL. The 190 and 491 visas (state/territory nomination) may be feasible through a DAMA or a state with its own list. The 189 visa (Skilled Independent) does not apply to this occupation, and the direct permanent residence pathway via 186 must go through the 482 step first.
ANZSCO and the CSOL: position on the occupation list
The Aged Care Worker occupation is classified under ANZSCO code 423111, which sits at Skill Level 4. At this level, the minimum requirement is typically an AQF Certificate II or III combined with relevant practical experience. The occupation description includes supporting older people with daily activities, personal care, basic health monitoring and coordinating with the care team — mainly in residential aged care facilities or home care services.
Occupation 423111 is NOT on the standard Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) — an important difference from most occupations that have a page on Australia Hub. Not being on the CSOL means you cannot access the 482 Core Skills stream or the usual state nomination process (190/491) via the standard points-based EOI route. The practical pathways for aged care are Labour Agreements, DAMA, and certain state nomination programs with their own specific lists — see the sections that follow for detail.
Skills assessing authority: VETASSESS or ACWA
The two authorities competent to assess skills for ANZSCO 423111 are VETASSESS and ACWA (Aged Care Workforce Australia). VETASSESS is a multi-industry skills assessing body, while ACWA specialises in aged care and community services. Applicants should confirm which authority suits their specific file, as each has its own process and document requirements.
With VETASSESS, the assessment process usually includes assessing your qualification (comparing it to Australian standards), reviewing relevant work experience (generally a minimum of one to two years within the last five years), and in some cases possibly requiring an interview or additional documents. The VETASSESS standard application fee varies (current fee — check the assessing authority’s official website) depending on the type of assessment, and processing time is typically two to three months, though it can take longer if the file is missing documents or needs further verification.
The mandatory baseline requirement is a Certificate III in Individual Support (or a Certificate III in Aged Care, Home and Community Care — equivalent older certificates), or a recognised equivalent overseas qualification. People with a nursing or assistant nursing qualification (enrolled nurse, personal care worker) may be assessed under a different ANZSCO code — check carefully before lodging.
Suitable visas: an overview
ANZSCO 423111 is eligible for several visa streams: the 482 visa (Temporary Skill Shortage) under both the Core Skills stream and the Labour Agreement stream, the 190 visa (Skilled Nominated — permanent), the 491 visa (Skilled Work Regional — provisional, which can lead to permanent residence), and the 186 visa (Employer Nomination Scheme — permanent, but mainly via the Temporary Residence Transition stream after holding a 482). In addition, many regions of Australia have their own DAMA for aged care, allowing lower thresholds compared to the standard stream.
The 482 visa — employer-sponsored
The 482 Core Skills stream is the most common pathway for aged care because it does not require an EOI score and does not depend on state nomination. The applicant needs an approved Australian employer that is a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS), the employer nominating a specific position, and the applicant being formally nominated by the employer. The occupation is eligible Yes under the Core Skills stream. The proposed salary must meet the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), current rate (check the rate at homeaffairs.gov.au before applying), or the market salary rate (Annual Market Salary Rate — AMSR) if higher. Note that many aged care positions pay below the TSMIT, so this is a genuine bottleneck to negotiate clearly with the employer before lodging.
The 482 Labour Agreement (LAE) dedicated to aged care is an important option. Through a special labour agreement between the employer and the Department of Home Affairs, the LAE allows certain conditions to be relaxed compared to the Core Skills stream — including the ability to apply a salary below the standard TSMIT in some cases and adjusted English requirements. Not every employer has an LAE — applicants need to ask prospective employers directly whether they operate under a labour agreement.
The pathway from 482 to permanent residence
After working at least two years as a full-time employee (or part-time equivalent) on a 482 visa, the applicant becomes eligible to lodge a 186 visa under the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream. This is the direct permanent residence pathway from the 482, requiring no EOI or skills points. Conditions include: nomination by the same employer, the position being at a salary that meets the TSMIT at the time of lodging the 186, and no breach of visa conditions. If the applicant arrived via the 482 LAE, the pathway to permanent residence is the 186 LAE stream — a separate stream within the Employer Nomination Scheme. The occupation is eligible No under the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
The applicant may also consider moving to state nomination (190) while holding the 482 if they have enough points and the state opens invitations — but note the constraints on work location and the commitment to the employer. Changing employers or work region while holding the 482 must be done carefully and may affect the 186 TRT pathway.
The 190 and 491 visas — state nomination
The 190 visa (Skilled Nominated) and 491 visa (Skilled Work Regional) both require the applicant to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect and wait for a state or territory to send a nomination invitation. For ANZSCO 423111, many states and territories include the occupation on their nomination lists due to aged care workforce shortages — especially in regions outside the major cities. States such as South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory frequently add this occupation to their nomination lists, although these lists change from year to year and need to be checked directly on the state migration authority’s website.
The 491 visa is for applicants willing to settle and work in a regional area for at least three years. After meeting the residence and work requirements in the region, the applicant becomes eligible to lodge a 191 visa to move to permanent residence. The 491 visa adds 15 points to the applicant’s total EOI score compared to the 190, an advantage for those whose overall score is not yet high enough to receive a 190 invitation.
English requirements
English requirements vary by visa stream and specific program. For the 482 Core Skills stream, the applicant needs Competent English — equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or above in each of the four skills (with no band below 6.0), or an equivalent score on PTE, TOEFL iBT or OET. For the 190 and 491 visas, the minimum is also Competent English, but to achieve a higher EOI score and improve the chance of an invitation, applicants often need to reach Proficient English (IELTS overall 7.0, each skill 7.0 or above) or Superior English.
With the 482 LAE or DAMA, English requirements may be adjusted — some DAMAs accept below Competent English for aged care depending on the specific terms of the agreement. Whichever stream you take, the English test result must be no more than three years old from the test date to the visa lodgement date. People who are citizens of, or hold qualifications from, English-speaking countries (the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland) are usually exempt from English testing — this does not apply to applicants from Vietnam.
Reference salary
The figures below are reference points, not guaranteed pay. Actual pay depends on the city/region, level and experience, type of employer, full-time/part-time/casual status, award classification level, shift/weekend penalty rates, mandatory superannuation (super), and the visa/sponsorship context.
Labour market benchmark (official): According to the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile (figures from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours), the median weekly earnings for the Aged and Disabled Carers occupation group (ANZSCO 4231) is 1,761 AUD/week — equivalent to roughly 7,630 AUD/month or 91,600 AUD/year on a simple 52-weeks-per-year conversion (before tax, a reference point only, not guaranteed pay). This is the median for full-time, non-managerial, adult-rate, before-tax workers — neither the minimum nor the maximum; many care workers work part-time/casual, so take-home pay may differ.
Salary range from job ads (market): Sites such as SEEK Salary Insights publish salary ranges based on job advertisements. At the time of this update, AustraliaHub has not verified the salary range from SEEK; you should look it up directly and compare it with the median benchmark above.
Legal floor (legal minimum): Aged care applies the Aged Care Award (MA000018) or the SCHADS Award (MA000100) depending on the work context. This is the legal minimum floor, distinct from the market rate; the specific rate depends on the classification level. Check using the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/).
Official sources (checked 12/06/2026):
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Aged and Disabled Carers occupation profile (ANZSCO 4231): https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/4231-aged-and-disabled-carers
- Fair Work Ombudsman: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/
The pathway to permanent residence: summary
The most common pathway for applicants in aged care is: complete a skills assessment through VETASSESS or ACWA, be sponsored by an Australian employer for a 482 visa (Core Skills or LAE), work for two years, then be nominated by the employer to lodge a 186 TRT visa and move to permanent residence. For those willing to work in a region, the 491 adds EOI points and creates a separate pathway via the 191 after three years. Whichever route you take, careful preparation of English, a Certificate III qualification, and documented work experience is an indispensable foundation.
Common mistakes
- Overlooking the gap between actual pay and the TSMIT: Many applicants assume that simply having an employer willing to sponsor is enough, but if the position pays below the minimum income threshold for the 482 (Core Skills Income Threshold — check the current rate at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au), the employer cannot lodge a valid Core Skills file unless they raise the salary or use an LAE/DAMA.
- Not checking whether the employer is a Standard Business Sponsor: Not every aged care facility is approved as an SBS. The SBS registration process takes additional time and cost — applicants should ask directly before accepting a job with the expectation of sponsorship.
- Lodging a 190/491 EOI without checking the current state nomination list: State-nominated occupation lists change each quarter. ANZSCO 423111 may be open or closed depending on the state — do not rely on old information or unofficial forums.
- Confusing a Certificate III in other fields with the Certificate III in Individual Support: A Certificate III in another field (for example, hospitality or childcare) cannot substitute. A skills assessment file will be refused if the qualification is not in the correct discipline.
- Not keeping documentary evidence of overseas work experience: VETASSESS and ACWA require specific evidence of experience (employer reference letters, pay slips, employment contracts). Work experience without full documentation will not be counted — a common error for applicants from Vietnam due to incomplete employment record-keeping habits.