Not For Profit retirement living, home care and aged care operator IRT recently had 46 workers arrive from the Philippines under the Government’s new Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement program.

All are now working in IRT’s Aged Care homes in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla regions, about 200km south of Sydney. 

IRT Chief Executive Officer Patrick Reid told The SOURCE, the employees did some of their training in the Philippines before they moved to Australia under a seven-month Training Visa. 

“During this period, they will be able to obtain their Certificate III Individual Support and complete their on-job placement,” he said.

When their Cert III is completed, IRT plans to help these staff transition from a Training Visa to a Temporary Skill Shortage Visa, which will allow them to continue their employment for four years.

By the end of the year, IRT hopes to bring in another 50 employees from the Philippines.

CONCURRENT PALM SCHEME

At the same time, IRT is recruiting 16 employees from Fiji under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. 

“Our application for this is approved and we are working with the Labour Service Unit and the Pacific Labour Facility Mobilisation team on the process to bring 16 qualified care workers to Australia,”

Patrick told The SOURCE, noting they don’t yet know when these workers will arrive. They will enter Australia on an International Relations Visa approved for a four-year stay.

“Finding aged care staff is a challenge,” Patrick told The SOURCE.

The SOURCE: Recruitment remains a significant challenge for the sector, consuming precious time and scarce resources.