Recruitment and immigration for employers and job seekers.
GRIA is now part of Hire Australia.
GRIA has merged with Hire Australia. Hire Australia now handles recruitment and employer enquiries, working with Australian Immigration Agency (AIA) on immigration.
For employers
Build the brief around your service
Roster gaps, repeated recruitment and reliance on temporary cover can make workforce planning difficult. An international search is one option to discuss alongside the needs of residents, existing staff and your service.
Hire Australia's recruiters now run GRIA's searches and send employers a shortlist. Australian Immigration Agency (AIA) provides immigration advice when a proposed hire needs a visa.
15%one fixed fee: base salary, excluding super, plus GST
$0to pay until two months after your new employee starts
2 monthsreplacement guarantee on every placement
Workforce planning
What to include in your hiring plan
Resident and service needs
Describe the work, care setting, experience and shifts you need to cover. Include your service's care-minute and registered-nurse coverage requirements. Be clear about support and supervision.
Roster and induction
Plan the proposed start, orientation and training with your care team. Ask what must be completed before a new employee joins the roster.
A sustainable hiring budget
Compare recruitment, possible migration work and any onboarding support with your current approach to staffing. Use your own figures rather than sector-wide savings claims.
Roles to discuss
Describe the work before the job title
These are examples of workforce needs to discuss with the recruitment team. They are not a list of occupations confirmed as eligible for sponsorship.
Include the duties, experience and conditions for the specific vacancy. Ask AIA for a current check of any visa questions.
Examples for your brief
- Registered and enrolled nursing roles
- Personal care and support roles
- Residential and community care settings
Checks before the start
Keep qualifications and immigration questions visible
Registration and qualifications
Raise AHPRA nursing registration and qualification questions early. Ask what the candidate has already completed and what still needs assessment. Do not assume registration will be granted.
Sponsorship and agreements
For personal care roles, ask AIA whether an aged-care labour agreement, PALM or another current pathway is relevant. Ask for a current assessment of the actual role and candidate; this page does not confirm access to a visa or programme.
Employer responsibilities
Discuss employment conditions and any sponsorship obligations with AIA. Keep the recruitment plan aligned with what the service can support.
What it takes
The official steps for care roles
Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement
The agreement lets aged care employers sponsor overseas direct care workers as Aged or Disabled Carers, Nursing Support Workers or Personal Care Assistants. Disability-sector employers cannot use it. For Pacific workers, see our Fiji and Pacific Islands guide.
Union agreement first
Streamlined access goes to employers that enter into and maintain a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant industry union or unions. The agreement’s terms are non-negotiable. See our guide to compliance and visa management.
Skills assessment
Under the aged care labour agreement, workers relying on an overseas qualification, or on work experience instead of a relevant qualification, need a positive skills assessment. ANMAC assesses Nursing Support Workers and Personal Care Assistants; Community Work Australia assesses Aged or Disabled Carers. Check the requirements for the occupation and visa.
Nurses register with the NMBA
Registered and enrolled nurses need NMBA registration, which is separate from the visa. The English language skills standard applies to every initial registration. See our healthcare hiring guide.
Regional and remote hiring
Make the location part of the conversation
For regional care services, include location, shift patterns, supervision and accommodation considerations in the brief. Talk openly with candidates about living in the community and the support you can offer.
Plan the practical details
- Work location and roster
- Supervision and induction
- Travel and accommodation responsibilities
- A realistic start date, subject to outstanding checks
The recruitment conversation
Work through the search in stages
Set out the vacancy
Share the role, location, pay, conditions and proposed timing with Hire Australia. Confirm the search priorities.
Meet shortlisted candidates
Review experience and qualifications, interview candidates and discuss any remaining role-specific assessments.
Confirm the next steps
After a job match, AIA checks visa eligibility. Discuss any further migration work, outstanding checks and onboarding arrangements.
Fees and replacement
Know the terms before you hire
One fixed recruitment fee
Recruitment fee: 15% of the candidate's base salary, excluding super, plus GST. One fixed fee. Payment: only after a successful placement, and not until two months after the candidate starts.
Two-month replacement guarantee
If your new employee leaves within the first two months, you won't be invoiced for them and we'll find you a replacement. Full terms are in your recruitment agreement.
Migration quoted separately
Migration (visa) fees are quoted case by case by Australian Immigration Agency (AIA), in writing. Government fees are charged separately by the Australian Government.
Questions
Questions for your hiring plan
Open a question for the answer.
Can you confirm a visa pathway from the role title?
No. Ask AIA for a current check of the actual role, candidate and location. Read what to prepare for an eligibility discussion.
When can the employee start?
Discuss candidate availability and any outstanding registration, licensing, assessment or visa questions before agreeing a start. No fixed completion timeframe is promised.
What information should we read next?
See the international recruitment guide, fee information and the cost calculator.
Official sources
The rules on this page come from these official pages. Requirements change, so check the current version before you act.
- Industry labour agreements Department of Home Affairs
- Skilled migrants Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)
- Immigration and employment in Australia Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
- English language skills (registration standard) Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
Talk through your next hire
Tell Hire Australia about the role, location and skills you need.
