The Carer visa (subclass 116 or 836) is not a work visa and has no link to the 482: it is a permanent family visa for a relative who cares for an Australian family member with a certified medical condition, while paid care workers need an employer-sponsored visa such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). No employer sponsors a Carer visa, and no job offer, qualification or English test is part of it; the sponsor is the Australian relative, and the gate is a medical assessment of that relative by Bupa Medical Visa Services.
| Checked 24 September 2026 | Carer visa (116/836) | Skills in Demand visa (482), Core Skills stream | Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (482 or 186) |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Permanent family visa | Temporary work visa | An employer's agreement with the Government that opens 482 or 186 visas for aged-care roles |
| Who sponsors | The Australian relative (18 or over) or their partner | An approved employer sponsor | An aged-care provider that holds the agreement |
| Core test | The relative's condition rated 30 or more by Bupa, a need for help of at least 2 years, care not reasonably available | A nominated occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, the right skills and English, at least 1 year of relevant experience | A direct-care occupation, a Certificate III or 12 months' experience, and set English scores |
| How long | Permanent | Up to 4 years | 482 temporary; 186 permanent |
| Queue | Capped and queued: 12-year estimate for a new application | Not in the Other Family cap and queue | Not in the Other Family cap and queue |
| Main applicant charge from 1 July 2026 | A$2,720 + A$2,065 second instalment | A$4,015 | 482: A$4,015; 186: A$6,140 |
| English | No English criterion | Required | Required |
Sources: regulation 1.15AA and clauses 116.212 and 836.213 of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth); the Department of Home Affairs' Skills in Demand Core Skills stream page, industry labour agreements page and current visa pricing.
Is the Carer visa a work visa?
The Carer visa is not a work visa: it is a permanent Other Family visa granted to a relative so they can give substantial and continuing care to an Australian relative, and no employer or job is involved.
The clash is in the word. In the Migration Regulations a "carer" is the family member who gives the care, while "care worker" and "caregiver" in job advertisements mean paid staff. The Carer visa also has no nationality rule, so a relative from the Philippines or anywhere else qualifies in the same way: as a family carer for an Australian relative, never as an employee.
What are care-worker visas?
Care-worker visas are employer-sponsored work visas, and three routes cover most paid care roles in Australia.
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). A temporary visa for which an approved employer nominates a worker for a skilled position. The worker needs the right skills and English, and the Core Skills stream allows a stay of up to 4 years, according to the Department's Skills in Demand visa page.
- Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement. It lets aged-care providers sponsor overseas direct care workers as an Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker or Personal Care Assistant, on a 482 or a 186. Streamlined access depends on an agreement with the relevant industry unions, and disability-sector employers cannot use it; the Department points them to Designated Area Migration Agreements (page updated 23 June 2026).
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186). A permanent employer-sponsored visa. Under the aged-care agreement it needs at least 2 years of Australian work in a relevant direct-care occupation, and the age limit is 45.
This guide covers none of these routes beyond this list.
How is a Carer visa different from a care-worker visa?
A Carer visa differs from a care-worker visa in who sponsors, what is tested and how long it lasts: a relative sponsors a Carer visa on medical grounds and it is permanent, while an employer sponsors a care-worker visa on skills grounds and the 482 is temporary.
The Carer visa's test is about the Australian relative, not the applicant's career. Under regulation 1.15AA a certificate from Bupa Medical Visa Services must rate the relative's impairment at 30 or more under the Impairment Tables, the need for direct help must last at least 2 years, and the care must not be reasonably available from other relatives or from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services. A care-worker visa asks the opposite questions: whether the worker has the skills, the English and the job.
Is a caregiver visa a care-worker visa?
A "caregiver visa" is not a visa type in Australia: the phrase is used both for the family Carer visa and for employer-sponsored care-worker visas, so the answer depends on who pays the carer.
When someone looks after a relative in the family, the visa is the Carer visa (subclass 116 or 836), and the Department's Carer visa pages are what search engines return first for the phrase. When someone is paid by an aged-care or home-care employer, the visa is a work visa from the list above, and the job boards that appear further down those results are advertising those roles.
Is there a new carer visa for aged-care workers?
There is no new Carer visa for aged-care workers: the family Carer visa is still subclass 116 or 836, and the aged-care route often described as new is the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, an employer pathway.
Two things did change for the family Carer visa in 2026. On 1 July 2026 the first instalment rose by 25%, to A$2,720 for the main applicant. On 25 July 2026 Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 as the family processing direction, while capped Carer visa applications are still released in queue-date order under Direction 103. No announcement closing or replacing the Carer visa had been found by 24 September 2026.
Can a Carer visa holder work in aged care?
A Carer visa holder can work in aged care or in any other job after grant, because the Carer visa is a permanent visa with the right to work and study in Australia.
Subclass 836 carries no visa conditions. Subclass 116 may carry conditions 8502 and 8515, which deal with entry and marriage before first entry, but no work condition (clauses 116.611 and 116.612). While an 836 application is queued, work rights come from the conditions of the Bridging visa A, usually those of the last visa held.
Before grant, the application rests on the carer being "willing and able" to give substantial and continuing care (regulation 1.15AA(1)(f)). A carer who also works should be ready to show how the care is still given.
Which visa fits your situation?
The Carer visa fits a person whose Australian relative needs long-term care because of a medical condition, and a care-worker visa fits a person who wants paid care work with an Australian employer.
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews can all be the carer, and the page on who counts as a relative lists every relationship. Unlike the work visas, the Carer visa has no age limit or an English test; the requirements page sets out the three links it does test.
A relative who is needed for a short time rather than for good can read about a visitor visa to care for a sick parent and the other temporary options.
The subclass 116 and 836 overview is on the Carer Visa Australia home page.
A registered professional makes a grant more likely
Families who confuse the two visas sometimes lodge the wrong application or pay for a work-visa package that cannot bring a relative to care for them. A registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner confirms which visa the family's facts support before any charge is paid, which makes a successful application more likely. No adviser can guarantee a grant.
Ask about your caseRead next
Carer visa requirements: check the three links in orderCheck each Carer visa criterion in order, from the relative's condition to the sponsor.
Carer visa for a family member: who counts as a relativeParents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, nieces and step-relatives can be carers; cousins cannot.
Is there a temporary Carer visa in Australia?No temporary Carer visa exists, but visitor and 870 visas cover shorter stays.