How to Sponsor Aged Care Workers from the Philippines to Australia in 2026

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 sponsor Filipino care workers you need standard business sponsorship or an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, a genuine role paying to your agreement's settings, and a Subclass 482 nomination per worker. From 1 July 2026 the worker's visa charge is AUD 4,015, employer nomination costs and the Skilling Australians Fund levy sit with you, and the Philippines adds a DMW ethical recruitment layer most providers underestimate.

What agreement do I need to sponsor care workers?

Direct care roles such as ANZSCO 423111 Aged or Disabled Carer are nominated under an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, the standing sector agreement available to approved providers since 2023. Providers already holding standard business sponsorship still need the agreement for these occupations. The agreement sets your English and salary concessions, and access to the Subclass 186 permanent stage for retained workers after the qualifying period.

What does sponsorship cost an employer in 2026?

• Nomination charges per position, plus the Skilling Australians Fund levy, indicatively AUD 1,200 per year of visa for smaller businesses and AUD 1,800 for larger ones. These are employer costs by law and cannot be passed to the worker.
• The worker's own 482 application charge is AUD 4,015 from 1 July 2026, and who pays professional fees is set in your engagement terms, within the cost transfer rules.
• Budget for panel medicals, police clearances and Philippine exit processing timelines when planning start dates.

What does recruiting from the Philippines involve on the ground?

• Philippine deployment runs through the Department of Migrant Workers framework, with ethical recruitment rules on worker charging. A pipeline that ignores this stalls at the airport, not at the visa stage.
• Candidate quality is the real differentiator: Certificate III in Individual Support equivalence, verified experience, English coaching to your agreement's settings, and values screening for aged care.
• Connect Beyond runs offices in Arncliffe, New South Wales and Lipa City, Batangas, screening candidates at source and preparing them for Australian aged care rosters before they fly.

How long does it take to get workers on the floor?

Plan the pipeline in months, not weeks: candidate selection and English results, nomination, visa application, biometrics at VFS Manila or Cebu, medicals, grant and Philippine exit clearance. Providers who brief roles early and keep documents decision ready consistently land staff fastest, which is exactly the pipeline discipline a specialist Philippine partner exists to run.