Caregiver Migration to Australia 2026–2027: Complete Guide
Direct answer
“Carer visa” and “aged-care worker sponsorship” are two different systems. Carer subclasses 116/836 are family visas for caring for an Australian relative with a long-term medical condition and are capped and queued. The Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement is an employer route for 423111, 423312 and 423313 using subclass 482 and 186.
The NovenAI Data Team separated family Carer visas from aged-care employment sponsorship and checked the relevant occupations and visa subclasses.
Based on official sources: Home Affairs Other Family visa queueFamily Carer visas 116 and 836
These visas are for an applicant who will provide continuing and substantial care or assistance to a relative in Australia, or a member of that relative’s family unit, where the medical and care criteria are met. They are not job visas for anyone employed as a caregiver. Subclass 116 is the offshore form and subclass 836 is the onshore form, with location and other eligibility rules.
Current Carer queue
Other Family visas are capped and queued. At 31 May 2026, Home Affairs had released Carer applications with queue dates up to 31 December 2023 for final processing. It estimated around 12 years for a new Carer visa application. That is a program estimate, not an individual decision date.
Aged-care employment pathway
The Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement lets eligible aged-care providers sponsor Aged or Disabled Carer 423111, Nursing Support Worker 423312 and Personal Care Assistant 423313 through the Skills in Demand visa 482 and Employer Nomination Scheme 186. Disability-sector employers cannot automatically use this aged-care agreement.
Where do you sit in the EOI pool?
Enter your occupation and score to see how many EOIs are ahead of you.
Assessment, qualification and experience
Under the agreement, the occupation requirement can be met with a relevant AQF Certificate III or higher, or 12 months of relevant full-time equivalent experience. Where an overseas qualification or experience in place of a qualification is relied on, Community Work Australia assesses 423111, while ANMAC assesses 423312 and 423313. For 482, the agreement says there is no separate minimum post-qualification experience requirement. For 186, the worker needs at least two years of relevant direct-care work in Australia.
English, salary and age
The standard aged-care agreement English concessions are IELTS 5.0 equivalent for 482 with component floors of 5.0 in speaking/listening and 4.5 in reading/writing, and IELTS 5.5 equivalent for 186 with no component floor, subject to the current agreement. Full-time guaranteed earnings must be at least AUD 51,222 or the Australian Market Salary Rate if higher. The agreement states no age limit for 482 and an age limit of 45 for 186.
How many invitations does your occupation get?
Enter your occupation to see invitations per round and per financial year.
Do not promise points-tested PR
The three direct-care occupations in this labour agreement do not create a generic 189, 190 or 491 entitlement. State programs or other labour agreements must be checked independently. Demand for workers and a job vacancy are not the same as an approved sponsor, labour agreement nomination or visa grant.
Official references: Home Affairs Other Family visa queue; Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement; Carer visa 116; Carer visa 836. Recheck the live source immediately before lodging or paying because rules, fees and published data can change.
Use the verified rules above as the starting point, then test the dates, evidence and points that apply to your profile with NovenAI. A calculator or estimate is not an invitation, nomination or visa decision.