Aged Care Work Value Case: Changes to awards

The Fair Work Commission’s Aged Care Work Value Case introduced major award changes from January 2025 to better recognise the value of aged care work. Key updates include significant pay increases of 15–28.5% for direct care workers such as personal care assistants and nursing assistants, depending on their qualifications and duties. The changes also shift nursing assistants from the Nurses Award to the Aged Care or SCHADS Award and introduce updated classification structures with clearer role definitions. Some pay increases are being phased in, with further changes scheduled for October 2025, aiming to improve workforce attraction, retention, and job quality.