Aged Care Nursing is a rewarding yet challenging career. Despite the vital role that aged care nurses play, critics argue they have been underpaid and undervalued for too long. The federal government is aiming to address that, pledging $2.6 billion to fund a pay rise for 60,000 aged care nurses.

The government hopes the wage increase will give aged care nurses the recognition they deserve and make aged care nursing a more attractive career proposition.

So, what changes are being made, and what impact will they have?

What will this mean for aged care nurses?

The new pay rise will increase the average wage of registered and enrolled aged care nurses by 12 per cent. The government claims this move will result in the average aged care registered nurse earning $430 more per week since they took office. Meanwhile, the government states that the average aged care enrolled nurse will be $370 a week better off over the same period.

The increases will be provided in instalments, with the first increase this week, the second in October 2025, and the final increase in August 2026.

According to Federal Aged Care Minister Anika Wells, the wage increase is a long-overdue recognition of the invaluable contribution aged care nurses make to Australian society.

“Aged-care nurses are experts in their field and they deserve to be rewarded for the crucial role they play in delivering safe and quality care to older people in Australia,” Ms Wells said.

According to the government, the new wage rises bring their total investment in wage increases for aged care workers to $17.7 billion.

Why is a pay rise for aged care nurses critical?

Experts argue the new pay increase is critical for several reasons. It:
• Follows wage increases for other aged care workers: The move brings nurses into line with other aged care workers including personal care assistants and nursing assistants who received a pay rise last year. In March last year, a Fair Work Australia ruling saw direct care workers receive between a 3 and 13 per cent pay rise. Home care workers saw an increase of between 4 and 11 per cent.
• Helps address the gender pay gap: The government also hopes the pay rise will help address the gender pay gap, with the aged care industry dominated by women.
• Helps address staffing shortages: Advocates have long been campaigning for wage rises for aged care nurses. Currently, they earn less than nurses working in hospitals. Together with Australia’s aging population, this has contributed to severe staff shortages. Competing with other healthcare providers, many aged care facilities, especially those in regional areas, struggle to attract and retain quality nursing staff. Experts estimate an extra 5,000 aged care nurses are needed to meet current demand. This trend is only expected to worsen, with an extra 13,000 nurses required by 2030.
• Helps lift the standard of care: By helping reduce staff shortages, it is hoped the new wage increase will help lift the standard of aged care services in Australia. Making aged care nursing a more attractive career pathway will attract quality staff to the industry.

It is hoped that this wage increase will make aged care nursing a more attractive career proposition.

If you have ever considered a career as an aged care nurse, now could be the time to make a move with endless opportunities available.
Are you looking for a new career? Aged Care Resumes can help. We are pleased to offer various services including our aged care selection criteria and LinkedIn profile writing service.

Article References

Lunn, S (15 March 2024) ‘$3.5bn wage boost for 350,000 aged care workers’, The Australian, accessed 4 March 2025.

Yim, N (3 March 2025) ‘Labor limbers up for poll with $2.6bn more for aged-care nurses’, The Australian, accessed 4 March 2025.