Aged or Disabled Carer

The ACILA is an initiative of the Australian Government to address current workforce shortages in the aged care industry. The ACILA streamlines the recruitment of skilled direct care workers from overseas to work in Australia where appropriately qualified Australians are not available.

You can learn more about the ACILA via the Department of Home Affairs’ website.

Skills assessment applications for this occupation are assessed against the following criteria:

1. Relevant qualification or relevant work experience
2. Currency

Community Work Australia will not assess English language competency as part of skills assessments for this occupation. However, to meet the requirements of the ACILA, potential migrants will need to provide evidence of their English language competency in their visa application to the Department of Home Affairs.

Please note: This assessment does not get you a job in Australia. It also does not guarantee you migration to Australia. You will need to find work with an employer who has signed an Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement with the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.

A relevant qualification obtained overseas which is equivalent to a minimum AQF Certificate III or higher, and includes a relevant vocational placement/practical training.

If you do not have a relevant qualification, 12 months of relevant full-time work experience, or part-time equivalent, in Australia or overseas working as an Aged or Disabled Carer.

Please note: You do not need a skills assessment if you obtained your qualification in Australia.
If you completed a qualification overseas from an Australian registered training organisation (RTO) you will require a skills assessment. Please provide details of where you completed your qualification in your application form.

You can demonstrate criterion 1 in one of two ways:

A) Relevant qualification (AQF Level 3 or higher): A relevant AQF Certificate III or higher-level qualification obtained overseas, or overseas equivalent, which includes a relevant vocational placement/practical training. Refer to details below.

or

B) Relevant work experience: If you do not have a relevant AQF Certificate III minimum qualification, at least 12 months of relevant work experience can substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. Refer to details below.

What is a relevant qualification?

Relevant qualifications include those in aged care, ageing support, geriatric care, disability care/support, individual support, home and community care, and nursing.

A relevant qualification will typically cover the following:

• provide individualised support and person-centred service responses;
• support independence and wellbeing;
• facilitate community participation and social inclusion;
• work with diverse people;
• work legally and ethically;
• follow safe work practices;
• meet personal support needs;
• support relationships with families and friends;
• work with people with mental health issues and dementia.

We will not assess qualifications that are unduly short (less than 6 months in duration). This includes free online certificate/diploma qualifications, professional development courses (CPD), or other short courses that are not formally recognised and approved by a relevant regulatory authority.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

If your relevant qualification was awarded on the basis of RPL, a case-by-case assessment will be conducted. You may be required to submit evidence of relevant work experience in lieu of, or to support the assessment of, your qualification.

What is meant by vocational placement/internship?

In order for your qualification to be assessed as relevant, you must provide evidence that you have completed a relevant vocational placement in:

• aged, individual support, disability or health care settings; and
• performed at the required skill level (see glossary of terms).

 Relevant work experience

If you do not have a relevant qualification, you must demonstrate relevant work experience as an Aged or Disabled Carer.

Relevant work experience is defined as employment that:

• involves the provision of direct service to aged clients or clients with a disability, or working with clients in a similar healthcare setting;
• is paid work, full-time work (or part-time equivalent)*;
• is performed for a minimum of 12 months;
• meets the currency requirement of 12 months in the last 5 years, as outlined in Criterion 2 – Currency.

Self-employment

Skills assessments are evidence-based, therefore claims of self-employment need to be substantiated with strong and compelling evidence which can be verified through official sources. The standard employment evidence (letter from employer and official position description) can be substituted by the following documents:

• business registration details
• signed and dated letter from a registered accountant, or legal representative, on official letterhead confirming your self-employment status, dates of self-employment, and nature of your work
• statutory declaration listing main duties
• payment evidence (invoices, bank statements, official taxation records
• client testimonials
• contract with employment agency, if applicable

All claims of self-employment will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please note that informal employment arrangements, such as caring for friends or family members, will not meet the industry experience requirement for skills assessment purposes.

Whether you have a relevant qualification or relevant work experience, you must demonstrate industry currency.

You can do this in one of two ways:

• Your relevant qualification was completed within the past 4 years; or
• You have at least 12 months of relevant employment in the last 5 years.

Vocational placement/practical training

This is a formal work experience arrangement that is part of an education or training course which provides students the opportunity to apply the theory and skills they learned while studying in a professional workplace.

Industry experience

Paid employment which involves the provision of direct service to clients who require support due to ageing or disability. It is paid work and must be at the required skill level.

Full-time work

Full-time work is defined as paid employment of 30 hours or more per week. For part-time or casual employment, hours of work will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, therefore the minimum duration of 12 months may be extended to longer, depending on hours worked.

Skill level

The level or amount of formal education or training required to competently perform the range of tasks required in a particular occupation.