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.

“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
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…

A guide to the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) and AN-ACC

For those receiving aged care services in residential aged care homes, the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) was used by the Australian Government to allocate subsidy amounts of residential aged care providers. Payments were based on the ongoing needs of residents and included a variety of factors such as activities of daily living, behaviour and…

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…

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…

Ideas for Engaging Aged Care Activities

First published: September 2024 An important part of an aged care resident’s health and wellbeing includes lifestyle and leisure activities that call to their needs, interests and desires. The 13th recommendation in the Royal Commission into Quality and Safety report was ‘Embedding high quality aged care’, which includes supporting the resident to engage in recreational…

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…

Establishing and Maintaining Work Role Boundaries in Aged Care

First published: November 2024 Working in the aged care industry gives you opportunity to develop close relationships with the residents in your care. The superheroes that are healthcare professionals understand their patients and residents on a deeper level, especially in aged care as nurses can be interacting with the same residents for years. Work role…

What is Aged Care?

First published: January 2025 Aged care is a collection of services delivered to older people (usually aged 65 and over), both inside and outside of their home, that allows them to live a full, normal life. Aged care is provided on a variety of different levels, depending on the needs of the client. In Australia,…

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…