Hire childcare educators who already have the right to work in Australia
CrossNation recruits childcare educators who are already in Australia with work rights, so you can hire without sponsorship. Before an educator starts, check their qualification against ACECQA's approved list, their working with children check in your state, and their work rights in VEVO. Our fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, no placement, no fee, with a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement.
Updated . See our terms
12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive.
Fees are charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST. Charged only when a placement succeeds. No placement, no fee.
Christmas offer: sign our agreement by 11:59pm AEDT, Friday 27 November 2026 and pay 12% on every role. See offer terms.
90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement
See our terms.
Who in Australia can usually work as a childcare educator?
Two checks come before work rights. The first is the qualification: ACECQA publishes the lists of approved qualifications for regulated education and care services and assesses other qualifications for equivalence. The second is the child-related check, which each state and territory runs under its own name and rules.
An educator already in Australia often holds both already. Ask for the qualification and the check number in the first conversation, then confirm them with the issuing body in your state.
What should you check before an educator starts?
These are the statements we read on the official pages on the day. For Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the official pages could not be read that day, so use your own state or territory's page.
| Check | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Approved qualifications (ACECQA) | "Check the lists of approved qualifications to see if your qualifications are recognised under the NQF and if you are qualified to work in a regulated Australian education and care service." ACECQA "determines if qualifications are equivalent to the approved educator qualifications" under the National Quality Framework. | ACECQA: Qualifications (read 31 October 2026) |
| New South Wales | "If you are in paid work, you must apply for a paid WWCC and pay the fee." "Checks last for 5 years and then you need to renew." | Office of the Children's Guardian (NSW): Working with Children Check (read 31 October 2026) |
| Victoria | "A person who passes the WWC Check is given a WWC Clearance." | Victorian Government: Working with Children Check (read 31 October 2026) |
| Queensland | "Blue Card Services administers the blue card system—Queensland's Working with Children Check." | Queensland Government: Blue Card Services (read 31 October 2026) |
| South Australia | "Screening checks contribute to creating safe environments for children and other vulnerable people. They are a requirement to work or volunteer in some industries." | Government of South Australia: Screening checks (read 31 October 2026) |
| Tasmania | "Employers and organisations are responsible for working out if a worker or volunteer needs a RWVP. They must verify the individual's RWVP status before they can work or volunteer in a regulated activity." | Tasmanian Government: Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (read 31 October 2026) |
| Australian Capital Territory | "Not all paid and volunteer positions working with vulnerable people require registration." Access Canberra asks people to check if they need a Working with Vulnerable People registration before applying. | Access Canberra: Working with Vulnerable People (read 31 October 2026) |
| VEVO | Home Affairs: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) "allows visa holders, employers, education providers and other organisations to check visa details and conditions." | Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO) (read 31 October 2026) |
Which visa rules name childcare?
Home Affairs names childcare in one work rule for Working Holiday Makers. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
| Rule | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday Makers in childcare | Childcare is a critical sector for the 6-month exemption. Home Affairs lists nursery or creche workers, family day care workers, nannies and au pairs, out of school hours and vacation care workers, and child protective and welfare workers. | Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas) (read 31 October 2026) |
| No work conditions | Home Affairs: "Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens holding Special Category (subclass 444) visas have no conditions placed on working in Australia." | Home Affairs: Work restrictions (read 31 October 2026) |
What are the award minimum rates for childcare educators?
Under the Children's Services Award 2010, a Level 3 Qualified Educator earns at least $1,233.90 a week ($32.47 an hour) and a Level 1 Introductory Educator at least $1,094.80 a week ($28.81 an hour), from 1 July 2026. Superannuation is paid on top at 12%.
Award figures were read from the Fair Work site on 27 October 2026 and checked again on 31 October 2026. They are minimums; check the award for your classification before you make an offer.
Children's Services Award: educator minimum rates (adults)
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1—Introductory Educator | $1,094.80 | $28.81 |
| Level 2—Educator | $1,128.40 | $29.69 |
| Level 3—Qualified Educator | $1,233.90 | $32.47 |
| Level 4—Experienced Educator | $1,316.70 | $34.65 |
| Level 5—Advanced Educator | $1,389.50 | $36.57 |
| Level 6—Room Leader | $1,453.50 | $38.25 |
| Level 7—Assistant Director | $1,519.90 | $40.00 |
| Level 8—Director | $1,752.70 | $46.12 |
About $56,930 a year for Level 1—Introductory Educator (the weekly award rate x 52, before tax and super; our calculation, not an award figure).
Children's Services Award 2010 [MA000120], clause 14.1(b), in effect from 1 July 2026. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman.
More on childcare recruitment
Childcare roles CrossNation is recruiting for
How to choose a childcare recruitment agency in Australia
These checks work for any agency. Each one is something you can ask for or verify before you send a brief.
Fee basis in writing
Ask for the percentage, what it is charged on and the event that makes the fee payable, in writing, before you send a brief.
CrossNation: CrossNation's fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds.
Guarantee terms in writing
Ask for the guarantee period and how it applies in the agreement you sign, not only on the agency's website.
CrossNation: CrossNation placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. See our terms.
How candidates are screened
Ask what the agency checks before it shortlists a candidate, and what record it keeps, such as qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights, so you can verify each one yourself.
CrossNation: CrossNation records each candidate's qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights so employers can verify them.
Migration agent involvement
If you are considering an overseas hire, ask who gives visa advice. Only a registered migration agent can give migration advice, and the register of migration agents is public (https://www.mara.gov.au/). This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
CrossNation: CrossNation is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent. The employer holds or obtains its own approval.
References
Ask for referee details for a candidate you are shortlisting, call the referees yourself, and ask the agency how it checks references and what it passes on to you.
Questions about hiring childcare educators in Australia
How do I check a childcare educator's qualification?
Compare it with ACECQA's lists of approved qualifications for regulated education and care services. ACECQA says it determines whether other qualifications are equivalent to the approved educator qualifications under the National Quality Framework, so a qualification that is not on the list may still be assessed.
Which working with children check does an educator need?
The one for the state or territory where they will work. New South Wales runs the Working with Children Check, Victoria the WWC Check, Queensland the blue card, Tasmania the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People and the ACT the Working with Vulnerable People registration. In New South Wales, a check lasts 5 years and paid workers need a paid check.
Can a working holiday maker work in childcare for more than 6 months with one employer?
Yes. On the Home Affairs page read on 31 October 2026, childcare is a critical sector where a Working Holiday Maker can work for the same employer for more than 6 months without asking permission. Home Affairs lists roles such as family day care workers and out of school hours and vacation care workers. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
What is the minimum pay for a qualified childcare educator?
Under the Children's Services Award 2010, a Level 3 Qualified Educator earns at least $1,233.90 a week ($32.47 an hour) from 1 July 2026. Room leaders, assistant directors and directors are paid at higher levels.
Do I need to sponsor an educator who is already in Australia?
Not if their work rights cover the role. Check their conditions in VEVO, and for a student visa holder the hours limit while their course is in session. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
What does childcare recruitment cost with CrossNation?
CrossNation's fee for childcare recruitment is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds. If no placement is made, there is no fee. Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. Wages, superannuation and other employment costs stay with the employer.
How long does it take to recruit childcare educators through CrossNation?
It depends on the candidate and on bodies CrossNation does not control, such as registration boards, licensing regulators and the Department of Home Affairs, so CrossNation does not give a timeline. For childcare, those steps can include qualification assessment by ACECQA. Many employers ask for both onshore and overseas candidates so an urgent vacancy is not held up.
What happens if a childcare educator placed through CrossNation leaves?
Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. How it applies is set out in the agreement between CrossNation and the employer, so ask for the guarantee terms in writing before you sign. See our terms at https://crossnation.com.au/terms. The guarantee is not a promise of any offer, visa or migration outcome.
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Sources (accessed 31 October 2026)
- ACECQA: Qualifications
- Office of the Children's Guardian (NSW): Working with Children Check
- Victorian Government: Working with Children Check
- Queensland Government: Blue Card Services
- Government of South Australia: Screening checks
- Tasmanian Government: Registration to Work with Vulnerable People
- Access Canberra: Working with Vulnerable People
- Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO)
- Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas)
- Home Affairs: Work restrictions
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Children's Services Award 2010 [MA000120]
- Australian Taxation Office: Super guarantee