There is no single national licence for disability support workers. Providers usually ask for an NDIS Worker Screening clearance for risk assessed roles, a Certificate III in Individual Support with the disability specialisation, a first aid certificate, a driver licence for some roles, and the right to work in Australia. Each provider sets its own list, so read the position description.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.
15 units: nine core and six elective. Electives can be packaged as an Ageing, Disability, or Ageing and Disability specialisation. At least 120 hours of work are required.
Source: training.gov.au: CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support (retrieved 6 October 2026)
All providers, registered or unregistered, must adhere to the NDIS Code of Conduct.
Source: NDIS: What is a provider? (retrieved 6 October 2026)
A clearance is valid for five years across Australia unless surrendered or revoked, and must be renewed every five years.
Source: Victorian Government: NDIS Worker Screening Check (retrieved 6 October 2026)
HLTAID011 Provide first aid is listed by the Queensland Government as a first aid course that includes CPR.
Source: Queensland Government: Provide first aid (HLTAID011), includes CPR (retrieved 6 October 2026)
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award covers employers in the social and community services and home care sectors.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award [MA000100] (retrieved 6 October 2026)
The law applies to the provider and to certain roles rather than to the job title. Registered NDIS providers must make sure workers in risk assessed roles hold an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, and the NDIS site says all providers, registered or unregistered, must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. The NDIS Commission also offers a free online worker orientation module called Quality, safety and you, which explains a worker's obligations under the Code of Conduct; ask your provider which training it requires before you start. Child-related work can trigger a separate state scheme such as a Working with Children Check or a blue card. There is no national register for support workers, and the Certificate III is not a legal requirement in every role. Think of it in two groups: checks the law or the provider's registration requires, and qualifications the provider prefers.
The qualification most often listed is the Certificate III in Individual Support, code CHC33021 on training.gov.au. It has 15 units, nine core and six elective, and the training package says the candidate must have completed at least 120 hours of work as set out in the units' assessment requirements. The electives can be packaged into an Ageing specialisation, a Disability specialisation or both. The disability group includes units on community participation and social inclusion and on working effectively in disability support. Some providers accept experience or a part-finished course, and will train the right person, so apply even if you are close rather than complete.
Apply for it when a provider confirms your role is risk assessed, because in most places you need an NDIS employer to verify the application. A clearance is valid for five years across Australia. Our NDIS Worker Screening Check guide covers each state, and the fee where the official page published one. In Victoria and Queensland the clearance must be in place before you start a risk assessed role, while Western Australia allows work on application in listed circumstances. Keep the clearance number, the issuing state and the expiry date in the same place as your CV.
Providers commonly list a current first aid certificate, and the HLTAID011 Provide first aid unit includes CPR according to the Queensland Government first aid pages. It is not a national legal rule for every role, so check the position description. A driver licence and a reliable car are usually listed for community access and in-home roles, because participants may live in different suburbs and need transport. Shared home roles based at one address may not need either. If you have a licence, say what class, how long you have held it, and whether you have a clean driving record, because insurance can affect who may drive participants.
You need the right to work in Australia before any provider can roster you, and student visa holders have a limit on the hours they may work, so check your conditions on VEVO before accepting a roster. An overseas qualification does not replace the local one automatically, because the Certificate III covers local practice and documentation, and a provider may still ask you to complete Australian training. CrossNation cannot promise a job, a visa or a start date. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Put a short requirements section near the top: your Certificate III or units completed, your first aid date, your licence class, your NDIS clearance or application status with the issuing state, and your work rights. Then describe your support experience in plain terms: the setting, how many participants, the shifts, and any skills such as manual handling, communication support or behaviour support. Volunteering counts. Register with CrossNation and upload your CV so a recruiter can consider you when a provider briefs us. A listing is not a job offer.
What providers usually ask for, and where to check the rule.
| Requirement | Usually asked for | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| NDIS Worker Screening clearance | Workers in risk assessed roles for registered NDIS providers | Your state or territory screening unit |
| Working with Children Check or blue card | Roles that involve children | The state scheme, for example Service Victoria or Blue Card Services |
| Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) | Common in position descriptions; not required in every role | training.gov.au, code CHC33021 |
| First aid including CPR | Often listed | HLTAID011 Provide first aid |
| Driver licence | Community access and in-home roles | Your state licensing authority |
| Right to work in Australia | Every role | VEVO and the Department of Home Affairs |
| NDIS Code of Conduct | All providers and their workers | The NDIS website |
A recruiter reviews profiles against roles as employers brief us. Listings are not job offers.
Not by law in every role, but many providers list the Certificate III in Individual Support with a disability specialisation. Some accept experience and train the right person.
Usually you apply after a provider confirms your role is risk assessed, because an NDIS employer verifies the application. Say on your CV that you are ready to apply.
Many providers list a current first aid and CPR certificate, but it is a provider requirement rather than a national rule for every role. Check the position description.
For community access and in-home roles often yes. Roles based in a shared home may not need one.
Student visa conditions limit work hours, so check your conditions on VEVO before accepting a roster. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Pay is set by the award or an enterprise agreement, and the minimums are on our disability support worker pay guide. Check Fair Work for the latest rates.
Search live roles on the jobs page, read the city guides linked from the disability support sector page, and register your profile and CV with CrossNation.
