Modern awards
The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the list of modern awards, with coverage rules for each.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: List of awards (retrieved 6 October 2026)
Employer guide
Hire staff by role in Australia
These guides help you brief a recruiter for a specific role: which licence, registration or check to verify, which award is likely to apply, what to put in the position description and what to plan for on rosters and sites. CrossNation recruits across Australia in all major sectors. The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only on a successful placement.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.
1,200+
Successful Placements
92%
Placement Success Rate
10+
Years of Recruitment Experience
80+
Employer Partners
12% of annual salary
Charged only when a placement succeeds. No placement, no fee.
90-day placement guarantee
See our terms.
Official data
Key facts from official sources
Minimum rates
The Fair Work Pay Calculator shows the current minimum rate for an award, classification and shift.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: Pay Calculator (retrieved 6 October 2026)
Record-keeping
Employers must keep time and wages records for 7 years.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: Record-keeping (retrieved 6 October 2026)
About the role guides
What does each role guide cover?
Every guide is written for the employer, not the candidate. It names the regulator or official source that confirms a licence or registration, the award or agreement that usually applies, the checks to run before the person starts, and the details a recruiter needs in a brief, such as setting, shift pattern, equipment and roster. Each one ends with a checklist and answers to questions employers ask about that role. Pay figures are deliberately left out of the role pages because they change each year and depend on the award, classification and hours. The guides point to the Fair Work tools that show current minimum rates.
How do licences and registrations differ by role?
They differ a great deal. Nurses must be registered on the national register before they practise, and electricians and plumbers need a licence from the state or territory where they work. Disability support workers in risk assessed roles need an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, childcare educators need a working with children check for their state, and forklift operators need a high risk work licence. Chefs, cooks, cleaners, carpenters and many other roles have no national licence, so your own checks and site tickets set the standard. Each role guide explains which applies and where to verify it.
Why does the award matter before you write the offer?
A modern award or enterprise agreement sets minimum pay and conditions, and coverage follows the employer's industry and the worker's classification, not just the job title. Setting the classification first avoids underpayment risk and makes offers easier to compare. The guides name the award that commonly applies to each role, with its code, and show how to check coverage using the Fair Work Ombudsman's tools. If you offer an annual salary, the contract should say which award entitlements it is meant to cover. Our modern awards guide and the award pay rates calculator explain how to do this.
How does CrossNation work with employers on these roles?
Send the role, location and start date through the employer enquiry form. CrossNation recruits permanent and contract placements in all major sectors and roles across Australia, including sponsorship-ready overseas candidates for employers that want them. The employer holds or obtains its own approval, and CrossNation cannot promise a visa, an approval or a job. The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds, and placements carry a 90-day placement guarantee.
Hire by role
- Hire a registered nurseHiring a registered nurse? Check Ahpra registration, award cover and shifts. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire an enrolled nurseHiring an enrolled nurse? Diploma-qualified nurses: registration, scope and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire an aged care workerHiring an aged care worker? Hiring care workers: Cert III, checks and the Aged Care Award. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a personal care assistantHiring a personal care assistant? Hiring PCAs: duties, checks and the right award. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a disability support workerHiring a disability support worker? NDIS worker screening, training and award cover for providers. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a childcare educatorHiring a childcare educator? Childcare educators: qualifications, checks, ratios and the new award levels. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire an early childhood teacherHiring an early childhood teacher? Degree, state registration and teacher hours. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a teacher aideHiring a teacher aide? Checks, award cover and school-term rosters for teacher aides. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a chefHiring a chef? Kitchen brigade levels, food safety and award cover for chefs. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a cookHiring a cook? Cook roles: award cover, food safety and clear duties. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a kitchen handHiring a kitchen hand? Kitchen hands: training, hours and award cover for employers. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a restaurant managerHiring a restaurant manager? Restaurant managers: licences, awards and salary terms. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire an electricianHiring an electrician? Licensed electricians: state licence checks and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a farm workerHiring a farm worker? Farm workers: award cover, piece rates and deductions to get right. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a plumberHiring a plumber? Plumbers: state licence class checks, white card and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a carpenterHiring a carpenter? Carpenters: white card, licences for contractors and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a welder and fabricatorHiring a welder and fabricator? Welders and fabricators: weld tests, tickets and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a boilermakerHiring a boilermaker? Boilermakers: fabrication scope, tickets and shutdown terms. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a diesel mechanicHiring a diesel mechanic? Diesel mechanics: licences for road testing, tickets and awards. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a civil labourerHiring a civil labourer? Civil labourers: white card, tickets, site conditions and awards. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a heavy vehicle driverHiring a heavy vehicle driver? Truck drivers: licence class, fatigue rules and award cover. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a forklift operatorHiring a forklift operator? Forklift operators: high risk work licence checks and awards. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a mining operatorHiring a mining operator? Mining operators: site medicals, inductions, rosters and awards. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a drill and blast operatorHiring a drill and blast operator? Drill and blast crews: explosives licences, checks and rosters. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a cleanerHiring a cleaner? Cleaners: checks, award cover and contractor pitfalls. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire a software engineerHiring a software engineer? Software engineers: stacks, contracts, awards and clearances. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
- Hire an accountantHiring an accountant? Accountants: tax agent rules, memberships and pay terms. 12% fee, charged only when a placement succeeds.
Tell us the role, location and start date
The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which role guide should I read first?
Start with the role you are hiring. Each guide stands alone, and the related links take you to the position description template, the modern awards guide and the award pay rates calculator.
Do the guides show what the role pays?
No. Pay depends on the award or agreement, the classification and the hours, and it changes each year. Each guide links to the Fair Work tools that show current minimum rates.
Are the licence and registration details legal advice?
No. They are general information that points to the regulator for each role. Always confirm requirements with the regulator in the state where the work takes place.
Can CrossNation recruit roles that are not listed?
Yes. CrossNation recruits across Australia in all major sectors and roles. Send the role through the employer enquiry form even if there is no guide for it yet.
What does it cost to recruit through CrossNation?
The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds. Placements carry a 90-day placement guarantee.
Can you recruit overseas candidates for these roles?
CrossNation recruits sponsorship-ready overseas candidates for employers that want them. The employer holds or obtains its own approval, and CrossNation cannot promise a visa, an approval or a job. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.