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Employer guide

Hire a Teacher Aide in Australia

To hire a teacher aide or education assistant, confirm the working with children check for your state, decide which award or agreement covers the role, and brief the student group, the hours and the school-term pattern. CrossNation recruits teacher aides and education assistants for employers across Australia. The fee is 12% of the annual salary, charged only on a successful placement.

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By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.

  • 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

What you need to know

What should you confirm before a teacher aide starts?

Start with the working with children scheme for the state where the school sits, because the name, fee and rules differ: the Working With Children Check in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, the blue card in Queensland and registration schemes in the other jurisdictions. A volunteer check is generally not valid for paid work, Queensland applies a no card, no start rule in regulated child-related environments, and South Australia publishes the obligations for organisations on its SA Government Working with Children Check pages. Ask for the number, verify it with the scheme and record what you sighted. Then look at the qualification: the national entry course is CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support, which has no entry requirements, so schools set their own standard. CrossNation records what candidates hold against your list, and does not issue or verify checks.

Which award or agreement covers a school support role?

Coverage follows the employer and the industry, not just the title. The Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award [MA000076] covers employers in the school education industry and their employees in the classifications in its Schedule A, which include classroom support services. It does not cover an employee covered by an enterprise instrument, or one covered by a state reference public sector award, and government schools in most states use their own instruments. Under the award, classroom support services grade 1 starts at level 1.3, grade 2 at level 2.1 and grade 3 at level 3.1. Casual employees receive a 25% loading and a minimum engagement of two hours, and a designated first aid officer who holds a current recognised qualification receives a first aid allowance. Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator for current minimums.

How do you brief a teacher aide role so the right people apply?

Say which students the aide will work with, because support for a mainstream classroom, for students with disability and for students learning English as an additional language are different jobs. State the year levels, whether the duties include personal care or giving medication under a health care plan, and who supervises the aide. Then give the hours: full-time ordinary hours are 38 a week, classroom support work falls between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm on Monday to Friday, and a part-time employee agrees a regular pattern in writing, including the number of weeks of the school year they will work. If you want staff only in term weeks, the contract must say so in writing when it provides for leave without pay in non-term weeks.

What helps a new teacher aide settle in?

A new aide works under the direction of a teacher, so name the supervising teacher before the first day and share the plans for the students the aide will support. Walk through your child safety policies, your first aid and medication procedures, the playground and excursion routines, and how the aide should record and report what they see. Agree how feedback works in the first weeks. Aides who understand the student plans and who to ask tend to stay, and a short written induction helps part-time and casual staff who are on site less often.

Before you brief a recruiter: teacher aide checklist

Checklist

  • Confirm the working with children check for your state and record the number
  • Decide the award or agreement and the classification before you make an offer
  • State the student group, year levels and any personal care or medication duties
  • Set the hours, the term pattern and whether the role is permanent, part-time or casual
  • Check first aid and any child safety training the role needs
  • Name the supervising teacher in the brief

Tell us the role, location and start date

The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What qualification should a teacher aide hold?

There is no national licence. CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support is the usual entry qualification and has no entry requirements, but you decide what the role needs. New South Wales lists a certificate as desirable and Queensland lists a certificate III level qualification or equivalent skills among its key capabilities.

Can we employ a teacher aide only during school terms?

The award lets an employer require leave without pay in non-term weeks if the contract of employment says so in writing, and it gives a formula for the annual salary. Confirm the arrangement in the contract, and check whether your agreement or state instrument differs.

Does the schools award cover our teacher aides?

It may, if you are a non-government school in the school education industry and no enterprise agreement covers the employee. Government schools in most states use state instruments, and the award excludes employees covered by an enterprise instrument. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman's tools.

How does CrossNation charge to recruit a teacher aide?

The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds, and placements carry a 90-day placement guarantee. There is no charge to send a brief. CrossNation recruits teacher aides for employers across Australia, and you can send the role, location and start date through the employer enquiry form.

Can I recruit an overseas teacher aide through CrossNation?

CrossNation recruits sponsorship-ready overseas candidates for employers that want them. State working with children checks and the right to work in Australia apply separately from any visa. 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.

What should I verify before I offer a teacher aide the job?

Teacher aides are not registered with Ahpra or a teacher regulator. Schools set their own requirements, and every state has its own working with children scheme. For a teacher aide, the award that commonly applies is the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award (MA000076), but coverage depends on your industry and the person's duties, so confirm it with the Fair Work Ombudsman before you set the offer. Keep a copy of any licence, registration or check you sight for your teacher aide, and confirm their right to work in Australia before they start.

Related

Sources (accessed 6 October 2026)