Changes to minimum pay rates in the Nurses Award
Published 21 January 2025 | Updated 3 March 2025
Find out about the changes to minimum pay rates for aged care employees under the Nurses Award.
On this page:
What's changed
The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) made changes to the Nurses Award (the Award) as part of the Work Value Case – Nurses and midwives.
These changes took effect at different times. The changes apply for:
- Nursing assistants from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 January 2025
- Registered and enrolled nurses from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 March 2025.
These changes may also affect the minimum pay rates for nurses working in aged care.
Nursing assistants
From 1 January 2025, the Nurses Award no longer covers nursing assistants who provide care services to older people in either residential aged care or home care settings.
These employees are covered by the Aged Care Award and Social and Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award instead.
For more information, visit Award coverage for nursing assistants in aged care.
Registered nurses
From 1 March 2025, the minimum pay rates within the ‘registered nurse – aged care employees’ stream were simplified by removing:
- annual progression through pay points for levels 1, 2 and 3
- grades for levels 4 and 5.
Increments apply to employees classified as Registered nurse - aged care Levels 1 and 2 instead. For information on how much experience is required for each level, read the final determination.
Newly qualified registered nurses working in aged care start at the same level. Previously, these employees started at different minimum pay rates based on their qualifications.
Access the full table of classifications in the final determination.
Enrolled nurses
From 1 March 2025, enrolled nurses working in aged care are paid a single higher minimum pay rate.
The pay points that previously applied have been removed.
Enrolled nurses in aged care may be required to supervise other direct care employees.
Translation arrangements
A new Schedule F - Translation Arrangement applies from 1 March 2025.
This schedule outlines what classification existing employees will be after the changes.
It also maintains previous pay rates for employees if they were being paid a higher minimum pay rate on 28 February 2025.
Access the full table of translations in the Nurses Award.
Example: Employees under the Nurses Award
Tim and Sarah are registered nurses working in aged care under the Nurses Award.
Prior to the changes, Tim was a Registered nurse level 2 at pay point 3. Sarah was a Registered nurse level 4 at grade 3.
After the changes, Tim and Sarah check their new classifications.
Tim is still a Registered nurse level 2. As he was previously at pay point 3, he will now be at the ‘First 3 years of employment classified at this level’ increment.
Sarah is still a Registered nurse level 4, with no pay points, grades or increments applying to her level.
As Sarah was a Registered nurse level 4 at grade 3 on 28 February 2025, her previous minimum pay rate was higher than the new minimum pay rate. This means Sarah continues to be paid at the higher rate.
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Related information
- Commission's decision
- Commission's final determination
- Nurses Award
- Nurses Award summary
- Aged Care Work Value Case: Changes to awards
