Aged Care Pay Rates 2024: Pay Rate Viewer and Classification Guide

Use our Pay Rate Viewer to check current pay rates for all Aged Care classifications. We also include a brief summary of all Aged Care Award classifications and highlight key updates for 2024.

Pay Rate Viewer

Employee Classification

Select which classification from the Aged Care Award the employee is.

Stream

Level

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 1

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 2

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 3

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 4

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 5

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 6

Aged Care Employee (General) Level 7

Pay Details

Select the correct characteristics of the individual employee to get the pay rates.

Employment Type

Ensure Fair Pay and Compliance in Your Workplace

Pay Rates

The visible pay rates are the latest minimum rates for the Aged Care Award.

Rates are sourced from the latest (July 2024) Fair Work Commission Modern Award Pay Database

Aged Care Award: Quick Classification Guide

The Aged Care Award (Aged Care Award 2010) sets out the minimum legal entitlements for employees in the aged care industry. These entitlements include minimum pay rates, allowances, and conditions of employment. Failure to correctly give employees their minimum entitlements can result in significant penalties for employers, so it is essential that your business gets it right.

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Award Matcher makes it simple for Australian businesses to match employees to award classifications.

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Who is covered by the Aged Care Award?

If your business operates in any of the following industries, it is likely covered by the Aged Care Award:

nursing homes
aged care facilities
retirement villages
aged care services apartments

What are the different classifications?

The Aged Care Award has two classification streams, Aged Care Employee General and Aged Care Employee Direct Care. Below we will provide a quick description of each stream and classification.

Aged Care Employee—General

Aged care employees in this stream handle a variety of tasks, including cleaning, food services, administrative duties and maintenance. The roles vary from entry-level positions that require no experience to senior roles with more responsibilities, often needing specific skills, training, or qualifications.

Aged Care Employee—General—Level 1 - This is a starting role for someone with less than three months' experience doing basic tasks like cleaning, food service, or administration under close supervision. No prior training is needed.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 2 - At this level, employees can handle tasks within a set routine with some training, working under limited supervision. They may be responsible for cleaning, gardening, basic maintenance, driving small vehicles, or assisting with food service.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 3 - Employees at this level work independently or with minimal supervision, effectively prioritizing tasks. Some training and experience are required. Tasks may include cooking, driving, reception duties, or clerical work.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 4 - At this stage employees handle tasks on their own, following guidelines and taking on responsibilities with some oversight. Strong communication skills and possibly specific training or qualifications are needed. Duties may involve administrative tasks, cooking, driving, or gardening.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 5 - This role involves working quite independently, managing tasks and being responsible for your work. You may supervise others, require good knowledge of medical terms and health insurance, use computers frequently and have strong administrative and communication skills.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 6 - Employees in this role work mostly independently, handling important tasks and decisions. Advanced skills and possibly formal qualifications are needed and computer use is frequent. They can perform various jobs from admin work to being a senior chef or advanced gardener.
Aged Care Employee—General—Level 7 - This employee works largely on their own, managing significant responsibilities and may supervise others. Excellent administrative, problem-solving and communication skills are required along with routine use of computers and possibly formal qualifications. Tasks may include admin work, food services, supervising clerical tasks and gardening.

Aged Care Employee—Direct Care

Direct care employees offer personal assistance to elderly individuals, starting from basic support roles with little experience and progressing to more responsible positions that may require supervision and formal qualifications.

Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 1 - This entry-level position in aged care is for those with less than three months' experience, performing simple tasks under close supervision. No prior training or experience is necessary.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 2 - In this role employees handle basic personal care tasks, primarily focusing on routine duties with minimal supervision. Some job-specific training is required.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 3 - This position involves carrying out personal care tasks independently with little oversight. Good communication skills are needed, along with any relevant training or experience.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 4 - Level 4 employees work with some autonomy, prioritizing tasks effectively and using strong communication skills. Special training or a relevant Certificate 3 qualification may be necessary.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 5 - This role involves working either independently or as part of a team, taking on significant responsibilities. Employees may undergo formal training and be competent in personal care tasks. Supervising others will often be part of your duties.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 6 - In this position, you’ll work independently, take on important duties and frequently use computers. Strong administrative, communication and problem-solving skills are essential, along with formal qualifications or experience.
Aged Care Employee—Direct Care—Level 7 - This advanced role is for someone who can work independently, manage a team and handle substantial responsibilities. You'll need excellent administrative, problem-solving and communication skills, along with potential formal qualifications. Frequent supervision tasks and computer usage are expected.

Key Changes to Aged Care 2024 Pay Rates

Updated Hourly Rates for Aged Care Employees

As of 1 July 2024, the Aged Care Award pay rates have increased by 3.75%. This means that all employees covered are entitled to a pay rise. You can find the updated pay rates in the pay rate viewer. Make sure to update your payroll systems to reflect these changes, to avoid underpayment.

Updated Allowances in the Aged Care Award

Allowances have also gone up this year, either by a percentage or a fixed amount, usually based on inflation. See the pay rate viewers allowances section for the current rates (coming soon).

How to Use the Aged Care 2024 Pay Rates Viewer

Our Aged Care 2024 Pay Rates Viewer is an essential tool for quickly finding correct and up to date pay rates for your staff.

Select the classification stream: Choose the classification stream relevent to the employee.
Select the Classification Level: Select what level the employee is currently.
Select the employment type: Select what type of employment you are interested in e.g full-time, part-time, casual...
Select the pay point: Select the pay point the employee is on.
View rates: View the up to date pay rates for the employee.

Not sure which classification applies?

If you're unsure which Aged Care classification applies to your employee, let Award Matcher help. Our tool simplifies the process of finding the right classification and provides evidence of why a specific classification was selected.

All you have to do is upload your job description. Award Matcher then analyses the role against all modern awards and classifications. Once the analysis is complete you will receive a detailed report on how your position matches each classification and which classification is likely to be the best fit.

Find your classification with Award Matcher

Frequently asked questions

Have a different question and can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Where do you source the pay rates?: We get our pay rates from the Fair Work Commission's Modern Award Pay Database. You can also check out the latest info on the Aged Care Award over at the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) website.
When were the pay rates last updated?: We keep our pay rates up-to-date with changes from the Fair Work Commission. The latest update was on July 1, 2024.
I’m not sure whether my business falls under Aged Care or another modern award?: This is a common problem because Aged Care covers a wide range of services. To see if you're covered, check the coverage section of the relevant awards on the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) website. If there's any overlap between awards, the Coverage section usually clarifies which one to use. You can also use our Award Matcher tool to help you figure it out.
Not sure which classification your employee falls under?: No worries! Figuring out the right Aged Care classification level can be tough. We made our product Award Matcher to help businesses like yours.
My business has a EBA why should i care about award pay rates?: Even with an EBA, you might still need to pay award rates. Awards set the legal minimums, so your employees get whichever is higher—Award or EBA. Just make sure your EBA always meets or beats those standards to stay compliant.
How are the Aged Care Award pay rates set?: The Fair Work Commission sets and reviews the Aged Care Award pay rates every year, looking at things like economic conditions, inflation, and what the sector needs.
Can pay rates change during the year?: Yes, while annual reviews are standard, pay rates can also change due to special rulings. Our tool always has the latest rates.
How do I use the pay rate tool?: It’s simple! Just select the stream, level, employment type, and pay point for your employee. The pay rates will show up in the table on the right.