Registered Nurse Jobs in Cairns

Sanctuary Recruitment is recruiting registered nurses in Cairns city and surroundings, with opportunities available in more rural and remote regions of Queensland. We are a specialist aged care recruitment consultancy that provides aged care professionals with placements that suit their needs and values across Australia. We are hiring aged care workers for permanent, temporary, and contract assignments.

We are committed to assisting you in making your next aged care career role, so if you are a registered nurse in Cairns, or looking to move interstate/from overseas, get in touch with us today.

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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.

Registered Nurse Jobs in Cairns FAQ

Registered nurses in aged care homes are responsible for providing high quality care to residents on a holistic level. To enter into the industry, a fantastic way is to pursue a relevant qualification for an Assistant in nursing/personal care worker role, and through upskilling you can step into the position of a registered nurse.

We have longstanding relationships with over 400 aged care homes across Australia, in metro, regional, rural and remote areas of the country.

As well as Cairns, in Queensland we have positions in:

  • Brisbane
  • Bribie Island
  • Bundaberg
  • Darling Downs
  • Gold Coast
  • Far North QLD
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville
  • 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. The average registered nurse casual pay rates are in-between $50 - $120 per hour

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

As a rule of thumb, you need 1 year of Australian aged care experience to work on our casual registered nurse pool. If you haven't reached this yet, get in contact as we do have opportunity for new/recent graduates to work in a few of our homes

For registered nurses, you would need a Bachelor of Nursing which is a three year university degree. This is made up of theoretical and practical assessments. If you are a qualified overseas nurse, you can get your qualification converted in line with AHPRA regulations, and obtain a sponsorship if you meet the eligibility requirements.

We are recruiting registered nurses for temporary/casual and contract assignments. Casual work, or shift filling, is done on an ad-hoc or block booking basis. Contract roles range from 4 weeks - 3 months in rural, regional and remote areas of the country.

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

Through working on a casual basis, you can:

  • Structure your work day/week to your schedule
  • Through our contract roles, you can explore areas of the country 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

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 Blog
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An Interview with our Nursing Team

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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…

The Tier One Relationship Between Arcare and Sanctuary

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Fast tracked AHPRA conversion for overseas nurses

Published February 2025 From April 2025, internationally qualified nurses from six countries will be able to receive their AHPRA registration using a more effective, less timely process. Nurses from the United Kingdom, Ireland. the United States, Singapore, Spain and parts of Canada (British Columbia and Ontario) will be able to register as a healthcare practitioner…

On the Road to Remote Care: My Journey as a Travel Nurse in Western Australia

Travel nurses experience the unique thrill of packing their bags and spontaneously setting off on a new adventure. When the destination is Western Australia—home to stunning coastlines, vast outback, and a diverse healthcare landscape—the experience becomes something truly unforgettable. At Sanctuary, our contract team specialise in the placement of experienced and skilled nurses in aged…

Duties and Responsibilities of an Aged Care Worker

First published: July 2024 Aged care workers working in the Australian aged care industry are responsible for more than just fundamental duties and responsibilities. They are expected to provide personal, emotional, and holistic support to their residents, playing a key part in a resident’s twilight years. Working in aged care is an admirable profession, one…

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…