If you are a child care worker, or aspiring to become one, then you know that it takes a certain type of person to work in this profession. Someone with a passion to care for those who can’t care for themselves. Someone with true love, patience, and understanding of such young minds.
However, not every place you live in necessarily sees the value in what you do, and the pay reflects that. Some places have more child care workers than others, so it may be more difficult to land a job. So, if you are in search of a place where your skills are needed and that will provide higher pay, you should probably head to Australia.
Childcare Responsibilities
A child care worker is someone who attends to the basic needs of young children. Their responsibilities include dressing them, feeding, and supervising them whenever they play. Moreover, a childcare worker helps children prepare for early education in kindergarten, and may even assist them with homework. A childcare worker, also known as a child caregiver typically works in child care centers. The work that they do may include:
- Supervising and monitoring the safety of children
- Preparing and sorting mealtimes and food for children
- Help children maintain good hygiene
- Ensure the diapers are changed of infants and toddlers
- Structure activities and execute a curriculum for children that will allow them to learn and explore the world, as well as focus on their interests
- Expand and organize schedules as well as routines to make sure that the children engage in physical activities, playtimes, and rest.
- Look out for signs of problems both in emotional and developmental aspects and inform parents or guardians of these potential problems
- Keep track of records of the progress of the children, as well as routine and interests
Childcare Workers in Australia
Childcare workers in Australia are in high demand. You can easily go online and see the dozens upon dozens of opportunities all over Australia (check out seek.com/child-care-jobs). In fact, as it currently stands, there are over 150,000 Australians employed.
The childcare industry in general grew by 17% (!) in the last 5 years. Or, in other words, more than 30,000 new job openings were created by the Australian government for child care workers in recent years.
There are many reasons why there is rising demand for childcare workers in Australia; whether because Australia is healing from Covid-19 and people are returning to work, or because of parents returning from maternity leave… The most important thing is that if you want to work as a childcare worker in Australia, or become a childcare worker in Australia, now is as good a time as any.
You will often find employment opportunities in child care centers. As a childcare worker you will can be hired by parents to look after their children. This career has flexible working hours, with over half of its workers being part-timers.
With the demand for a child caregiver, it’s crucial that you take this opportunity for a brighter future. Now, let’s break down the various requirements and qualifications needed, including the available immigration pathways you can take, such as getting a child care sponsorship visa or getting a regular working visa.
Childcare Worker Requirements
In order to become a child care worker in Australia, you will need to secure:
- A certificate III in the aspect of Early Childhood Education and Care
- A certificate IV in school-age education and care
OR, - A diploma in early childhood education and care.
- A “Working with Children Check”
- For good measure, you should have knowledge of first aid as well.
However, if you still do not have these, you can also obtain an Australian student visa and apply for a course in Australia as an international student. If you want to be a childcare worker, the course can take up to 39 to 45 weeks and costs $AU 7,000 in the estimate.
Nevertheless, the average salary for a child caregiver in Australia is over $50,000 per year. It is also important to note that the percentage of getting a job placement after finishing a course in childcare is very high, with 90% of degree-holders finding employment immediately after the study.
If you want to study the course in the country, a work visa, a student visa, or a working holiday visa are eligible for your stay. Furthermore, you will need to attain an IELTS score of at least 5.5 over 6.5.
Some soft skills in the field will also be required too, such as:
- Ability to work in a team
- Love and patience for kids and their parents
- Initiative and positive attitude in looking after the children
- Ability to take and hold responsibility as well as patience in caring for the children
Childcare Worker Qualifications
The qualifications and requirements for a child care worker in Australia oftentimes overlap. However, if you are applying for a job in the country, these qualifications are inherently demanded. A career for a child caregiver includes a minimum qualification of a Childcare Worker Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, also known as CHC30113. Moreover, a Working with Children License will be asked for qualifications.
If you don’t have a license yet for working with children, you can apply online. It is mandatory for anyone who wants to work in the field of childcare or anyone under the age of 18. To be precise, the following documents or degrees are eligible:
- Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30113)
- Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care (CHC40113)
- Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50113)
- First Aid certificate including CPR, Anaphylaxis, and training for Asthma Awareness
Immigration Pathways
As an international worker, you will, of course, need to go through some immigration pathways. Some of the most popular ones are the child care sponsorship visa and PR.
Childcare Sponsorship Visa
A child caregiver looking for a visa may go through the Designated Area Migration Agreements or DAMA. It is a specialized TSS Employer-sponsored Visa under subclass 482. To be eligible for this, you will have to find an established employer who is willing to sponsor you in getting a working visa in a particular area or region in Australia. If you want to get ahold of a child care sponsorship visa, you will also need to supply the different requirements for such, which varies for each DAMA region.
You will have to go through a nomination process by an employer. This employer, in turn, should be given a labor agreement through the specific DAMA region in which they are a part of. Additionally, since Australia is an English-speaking country, you must have a score of 5.0 overall in the IELTS, and no lower than 4.5.
However, before thinking of migrating to the country, a child care sponsorship visa is only offered to those who are under 45 years of age. More importantly, a childcare worker should be offered an employment contract first, with the starting salary meeting the standard TSMIT mandated by the government. In a sense, the applicant must be paid a minimum salary of $48,510 every year, in accordance with the Australian Market.
Applicants who want a child care sponsorship visa must have at least 2 years of post-qualification work experience, which is gained after certificate III has been completed in Early Childhood Education and Care. A diploma in the same field is also acceptable. However, the experience that is gained from working in the child care industry under the graduate work visa or bridging visa is also suitable.
Lastly, a skill assessment will also be required; the applicant must participate in a skills assessment that will be conducted by the Skills Assessing Authority that is relevant to this field.
Permanent Residency
For child care workers who have hopes of obtaining permanent residency, here are other available programs that can help you in that endeavor: you can study in a region or area that is in the scope of the DAMA, you can apply for the General Skilled Migration Program, or apply for PR after working in the child care services field for 3 years, through the Employer Nomination Scheme or ENS subclass 186 visa.
Apply as a Child Care Worker with UIS Australia!
Applying for a job as a childcare worker in Australia may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. It’s all about finding the best course of action for you and your family.
At UIS Australia, we help you apply for your visa with ease and comfort. We handle all your documents and transactions so you can have a smooth migration process to get into Australia.
Want to work as a child care employee in Australia but you’re not sure how to apply? Contact UIS Australia now! We offer our services to anyone who wants to experience the wonders of Australia.
Interesting Related Article: “Why are Childcare and Early Childhood Education Important?“