How to Get Sponsored to Work in Australia as a Care Worker from the Philippines

Last reviewed 21 July 2026. Government fees and rules change; figures below are current at review and worth re-checking on the Department of Home Affairs site before you lodge.

To get sponsored as a care worker, you need a Certificate III in Individual Support or equivalent qualification and experience, an approved Australian employer, and a Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa nomination, most commonly under an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (ACILA). The base 482 application charge is AUD 4,015 from 1 July 2026, and the pathway can lead to permanent residency.

Which visa do care workers use to get sponsored?

Most sponsored care workers enter on the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, nominated by an approved aged care or disability provider. Aged care roles are usually nominated under an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, a Department of Home Affairs agreement built for the sector since 2023. The Subclass 407 Training visa is a separate route for structured workplace training, and the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is the permanent stage that typically follows after about two years with your sponsor.

What qualifications do I need from the Philippines?

• A Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) or an equivalent qualification, or relevant qualifications plus care work experience that an employer and the Department accept.
• The occupation most used is ANZSCO 423111, Aged or Disabled Carer. Related roles include Nursing Support Worker and Personal Care Assistant.
• English test results. Standard 482 English settings apply, and labour agreements can include concessions, so confirm the exact score your employer's agreement requires before booking IELTS, OET or PTE.
• A clean police record and a health examination with a Department approved panel clinic in the Philippines.

How does the sponsorship process work step by step?

• Step 1. An approved Australian provider offers you a role and lodges a nomination for it.
• Step 2. You lodge the 482 visa application through ImmiAccount with your qualifications, English results, employment references and identity documents.
• Step 3. Biometrics at VFS Global in the Philippines, plus health and character checks.
• Step 4. Visa grant, travel, and commencement with your sponsor. After the qualifying period with the same employer, many care workers move to permanent residency through the Subclass 186 pathway.

How much does it cost and what does it pay?

The government base application charge for the 482 is AUD 4,015 from 1 July 2026. Employers pay their own nomination costs and the Skilling Australians Fund levy, and a genuine sponsor never asks you to refund those employer charges. On pay, the general skilled income threshold for new nominations from 1 July 2026 is AUD 79,423, while labour agreement roles in aged care are paid on concessional settings tied to the relevant Award, so your written offer states the real figure.