Aged Care Jobs in Cairns

Sanctuary Recruitment is currently seeking candidates for aged care jobs in Cairns CBD/metro area
and various locations throughout regional and rural Queensland. We are a specialist aged care recruitment
consultancy with years of industry expertise. We pride ourselves on our long-lasting relationships with
aged care homes and nurses and are committed to strengthening and
maintaining relationships within the aged care sector.

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Express your interest

Send in your resume or register your interest and our industry expert consultants will be in contact.

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Prepare for work

Complete the onboarding process and become fully compliant. Our compliance team can help you through this step by step.

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Being working with Sanctuary

Choose from 100's of roles that suit your needs, values and requirements.

Rewards and Benefits

market leading pay rates

Market leading pay rates

bonuses and incentives

Bonuses and incentives

industry expert consultants

Industry expert consultants

discount programs

Discount programs

Free online education modules

Free online education modules

Referral scheme

Referral scheme

Aged Care Jobs in Cairns FAQs

Aged care workers provide the direct care of residents on a physical, personal and emotional level. An entry level role in this industry would be an Assistant in nursing/Personal care worker, and you can develop your clinical skills to become a registered nurse and beyond.

Our longstanding relationships with over 400 aged care providers across the country, in metro, regional, rural and remote areas of the country.

Alongside Cairns, in Queensland we have roles in:

  • Bribie Island
  • Brisbane
  • Darling Downs
  • Far North Queensland
  • Gold Coast
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Toowoomba
  • Whitsundays
  • Wide Bay

There are a lot of variances when it comes to pay rates, as aged care casual rates depend on your position, experience level and shift times that you work. Our casual pay rates range from:

  • AIN: $38 - $75 per hour
  • EN: $40 - $81 per hour
  • RN: $50 -  $120 per hour

Incentives, allowances and bonuses are applicable for certain areas and contract placements. Reforms in aged care have led to pay rises for aged care workers in recent years, with more developments to come.

We have a scheme where we offer nurses who have less than 6 months experience a trial period within a residential aged care home. If you have less than 6 months experience or have an aged care certificate, please get in contact to see what your options are.

To work as an AIN/PCA you need to hold a Cert III/IV in Ageing Support/Individual Support/Health Services Assistance. To work as an EN you will need a Diploma of Nursing and an AHPRA number, and for RN's you need a Bachelor of Nursing degree and an AHPRA number. 

We are recruiting aged care positions on a clinical and non clinical basis (direct and non direct care), for temporary/casual, contract and permanent assignments. Temporary work, or casual work, is done on an ad-hoc or block booking basis. Contract roles are usually up to 12 weeks long in rural, regional and remote areas of the country and permanent positions are salary based, with you being employed directly by the home.

Absolutely. We offer continuous online training via our Learning Management System (LMS) at no cost to you. This is regularly updated to reflect new legislation and regulations.

Through working on a short term or ad-hoc basis, you can:

  • Structure your work day/week to your lifestyle
  • Through our contract roles, you can explore areas of Australia whilst getting paid for it, with free travel and accommodation included.
  • Set your own work/life balance
  • Receive a higher hourly rate than if you were a permanent employee
Aged Care Blog
Working in Aged Care in Australia

First published: November 2023, revised February 2024 If you’re seeking a career that combines purpose, personal growth, and a sense of accomplishment, working in aged care may be the perfect choice. Becoming an aged care worker is a career choice fit for those who love to help others and give back to their community. Aged…

2024 Flu Vaccination Requirements in Aged Care in Australia

First published: July 2024 The Aged Care Quality Standards states that for the purpose of infection control, aged care providers and relevant organisations should promote the benefits of the influenza and coronavirus vaccinations for both their residents and staff. These vaccinations are to be renewed annually, adapting to each new strain of influenza. Key aims…

How to Become an Aged Care Worker

First published: November 2023, revised April 2024 The aged care industry encompasses the services provided and delivered to care for the elderly population. The Department of Health and Aged Care governs the quality of these services and focuses on continuous improvement and development, with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in charge of government…

12 Aged Care Interview Questions and Answers

First published: October 2023 Are you ready to embark on a fulfilling career in aged care or looking to move beyond your current role? Mastering the art of aged care interview questions is an important step towards becoming an aged care worker, and we’re here to guide you through 12 key questions you are likely…

Once in a Generation Aged Care Reform

First published: September 2024 On the 12th September 2024 the Albanese Government announced their plans to deliver historic aged care reforms, with $5.6 billion being invested into a package that will bring the greatest improvement to aged care in 30 years. It is projected that within the next 40 years, those aged 65 and over…

Steps to Become a Nurse in Australia From Overseas

First published: February 2024 Nursing in Australia is a rewarding career path to choose, with a wealth of opportunities available. The journey of becoming a registered nurse in Australia from overseas will look differently to everyone depending on your qualification and experience level. Within this guide. we’ve listed a summary of the steps and all…

Delivering Impact: How our Partnership with Alphacrucis University College is Changing the Lives of Pacific Islander Aged Care Workers

First published: October 2024 Sanctuary Recruitment and Pulse Staffing Australia, under the global healthcare partner Acacium Group, have secured a bid for this year’s Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme. Aiming to fill labour gaps and alleviate work shortages across the country in a multitude of sectors, the PALM scheme allows for workers from the…

Aged Care Bill Passes Parliament

First published: November 2024 In line with the Once in a Generation aged care reform that was announced in September, on the 25th November 2024, the Albanese government has passed the aged care bill allowing for elderly Australians to have access to better aged care services and delivery. The Royal Commission into Aged Care and…

Aged Care Reform Roadmap Explained

First published: May 2024 The Department of Health and Aged Care have set a three-year roadmap to introduce aged care reforms to improve services delivered to the elderly population. These changes are being implemented with the aim to ensure all resources are of high quality, easily accessible and beneficial to the older people of Australia,…

What is Duty of Care in Aged Care?

First published: November 2024 Duty of care in aged care is the legal and moral obligation and responsibility an aged care worker has, to ensure the physical and emotional safety of residents in their care. Alongside being legally and ethically sound, this encompasses providing a high-quality level of care that meets the clients needs, keeping…