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.

Register with Sanctuary

register with sanctuary

Express your interest

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

register with sanctuary

Prepare for work

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

register with sanctuary

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…

Transitioning into Aged Care

First published: November 2023 A non clinical perspective With the aged care industry being a part of the healthcare space, the common perception is that you need a nursing qualification to be eligible for a role in a residential aged care home. This is true for a large number of job positions, as clinical members…

Aged Care Worker Salary Earnings in Australia in 2025

First published: October 2024, revised January 2025 An aged care worker salary in Australia is increasing with the demand. It was reported that there is a need for at least 110,000 direct aged care workers across the country in the next decade. The aged care industry is made up of many different roles, both clinical and…

A Guide to the 8 Aged Care Quality Standards

First published: July 2024 The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission have formed eight Quality Standards that are set within the aged care industry for the purpose of ensuring services provided to the elderly population of Australia are: Safe High quality Meet the needs and preferences of the people under their care All government funded…

Can I Work in Aged Care Without a Certificate?

First published: June 2024 Aged Care is a fruitful industry, and as leaders in the recruitment of aged care professionals in Australia, we often are posed with the question of if you can work in aged care without a relevant certificate. Working in aged care can look different to each person. As it is a…

Create your Aged Care Resume with Sample

First published: January 2024 The aged care industry is constantly changing and progressing, with new opportunities being planned in the aged care reform roadmap. When looking to land your dream job, standing out from the competition can be done through a high-quality aged care resume. Showing off your invaluable experience and aged care qualifications is…

Journeying Through Care: Insights from a Travel Nurse Exploring Western Australia

In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, travel nursing offers a unique opportunity for nursing professionals to expand their horizons while making a significant impact on patient and resident care across different regions of the country. Our contract team oversees short and long-term assignments in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, identifying individuals ready to…