Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme

Enhancing aged care: the 2024 PALM Aged Care Expansion Program

Quality aged care is vital for ensuring that elderly people live fulfilling, healthy lives with dignity and respect. Aligned with our purpose to improve people’s lives, in conjunction with Pulse Staffing, one of the 26 businesses under the Acacium Group umbrella, have partnered to support the delivery of the 2024 PALM Aged Care Expansion Program.

The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is a key initiative by the Australian government aimed at addressing Australian labour shortages while also supporting economic development in the Pacific Island region and Timor-Leste.

The scheme enables workers from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to take up jobs in Australia. This initiative helps Australian businesses to meet their labour needs and provides economic benefits to the workers and their home countries through remittances and skills development.

Objectives

  • Economic development: By providing employment opportunities, the PALM scheme
    supports the economic development of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
  • Labor shortage solutions: The scheme addresses labour shortages
    in aged care across Australia.
  • Skills and experience: Workers gain valuable skills and experience which they can
    utilize upon their return to their home countries.

Supporting aged care providers

Employers who utilize the PALM scheme experience significant cost savings that increase
with the number of employees and the duration of their employment. A dedicated PALM
workforce is more cost-effective than hiring onshore agency workers or maintaining a
permanent workforce, eliminating expenses typically associated with contract nurses,
such as travel, accommodation, and allowances.

This financial support alleviates the strain of filling last-minute shifts with agency workers,
ensuring a more stable and reliable staffing solution. Above all, the scheme enhances
the quality of care for the elderly by providing a consistent and reliable service,
allowing employers to maintain higher standards of care and better support for their elderly residents.

How the PALM scheme works

Having been carefully selected and recruited by Pulse Staffing, candidates participate in an 18-week full-time study program at Alphacrucis University College, followed by four weeks of on-the-job training in Australia to complete a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing).

The entire training and recruitment process, including visa costs, international and domestic travel, are fully funded. Employees also receive access to pastoral care, a pre-departure briefing, and comprehensive support throughout their training and employment journey.

Key Features

  • Support for workers: The scheme ensures that workers are provided with fair wages, proper working conditions, and adequate support while in Australia.
  • Employer requirements: As approved employers, Pulse and Sanctuary are obligated to ensure a safe and fair working environment for all workers.
  • Community impact: The remittances sent back home by the workers play a significant role in supporting their families and communities.

Find out how the PALM scheme can benefit your organisation

Our journey so far

2024 was an exciting year for Pulse Staffing Australia and Sanctuary as we recruited and trained a cohort of 40 amazing individuals, ready to embark on their 4 year transition to Australia in 2025. The team have undertaken a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) through our Registered Training Partner Alphacrucis University College, and are ready to put their skills and knowledge to use delivering quality aged care services in aged care homes in rural and remote areas of Australia.

We've witnessed our wonderful participants complete their 18 week training course and undergo practical assessments in Hart Nursing Home and Fathers Law Home in Suva, Fiji. They graduated in a ceremony in November 2024, and it's been such an honour to be a part of this life changing journey.

In March 2025, our Class of 2024 arrived in Australia and have begun their aged care work in Regis Aged Care in Mildura, VIC and Port Macquarie, NSW. We are so proud of our team and cannot wait to see them progress in their careers and flourish both inside and outside of the workplace.

You can view photos from the recruitment process, training and education classes, graduation and journey to Australia below.

PALM Scheme: Recruitment interviews and selection

“This is a segment of an aged care expansion initiative, which was initiated following the positive outcomes of a pilot program. The Australian government has committed to increasing the number of funded aged care training positions for PALM participants. The Aged Care Expansion (ACE) program aims to aid both large and small aged care providers in securing qualified, long-term care workers from the Pacific and Timor-Leste regions. Candidate selection involves a rigorous recruitment process in collaboration with DEWR. As an approved employer, we closely collaborate with DEWR and the Labour Sending Unit in-country to complete recruitment applications, facilitate worker mobilization, and support their settlement and employment in Australia. As employers, we prioritize the well-being of these workers and ensure their successful integration into and contribution to the Australian aged care sector.”

Nitesh Nepal, PALM Operations Manager

Interested in joining the PALM Scheme?

Our team have recruited 2024's cohort, and will be initiating the recruitment process again in the second half of 2025.
More information on our cohort for 2025 are to come, so stay tuned!

Aged Care Blog
The Australia Federal Budget 2024 – 25: What it Means for Aged Care

First published: July 2024 Last month, the Federal Budget for 2024 – 25 was released. It is broken down into five main initiatives: Easing cost-of-living pressures Building more homes for Australians Investing in a Future Made in Australia Strengthening Medicare and the care economy Broadening opportunity and advancing equality All of these initiatives are underpinned…

Celebrating International Nurses Day

First published: May 2024 International Nurses Day, celebrated around the world on the 12th May each year, recognises the importance of healthcare professionals, in particular recognising the role that nurses play in our society. This day, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, calls to our attention the unwavering commitment that nurses show everyday across every…

An Interview with an Aged Care AIN

First written: June 2024 We are proud of our incredible nursing team, showing dedication day in and day out to the residents that they care for. Our aged care recruitment services are spread across Australia, providing staffing solutions on an ad-hoc, short term contract/block booking and permanent basis in metro, regional, rural and remote areas…

Care Minutes in Residential Aged Care

As part of the aged care reform roadmap, the Department of Health and Aged Care are making changes to the number of direct care minutes a resident in residential aged care receives each day from a clinical aged care worker. As of 2023, it sat at 200 minutes per day with 40 of these being…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

What Skills Does an Aged Care Worker Need?

First published: November 2024 Aged care workers are essential healthcare professionals that provide daily high-quality care to residents in aged care homes. To become an aged care worker, having the right skills and traits is just as important as obtaining the correct aged care certifications. Mastering both will lead you on the path to success. To…