There is no national licence for teachers aides in Australia. Schools usually ask for the working with children check or blue card for their state, and many value a Certificate III in School Based Education Support, which has no entry requirements. Each state also has its own job title, instrument and application steps, such as the school learning support officer in New South Wales and the school services officer in South Australia.
By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.
CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support has no entry requirements, 15 units (10 core and 5 elective) and at least 100 hours of work in a classroom catering to primary or secondary students.
Source: training.gov.au: CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support (release 2) (retrieved 6 October 2026)
Essential: Working With Children Check clearance, mandatory Department training and a willingness to undertake first aid training. Desirable: Certificate I, II or III in Education Support or similar and a First Aid Certificate.
Source: NSW Department of Education: Statement of duties, School Learning Support Officer (10 October 2022) (retrieved 6 October 2026)
The teacher aide role description makes a current blue card from Blue Card Services a mandatory condition and says the teacher aide is required to be formally trained in first aid.
Source: Queensland Department of Education: Teacher Aide (Generic) role description, TAO3 (retrieved 6 October 2026)
Paid workers in regulated child-related environments must have a blue card before they can work with children, and cannot start while the application is being processed.
Source: Queensland Early Childhood: No card, no start (regulated child-related environments) (retrieved 6 October 2026)
A current application on the employable ancillary register, Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect training, a current general Working with Children Check (a volunteer check is not valid for paid work) and an authority to work letter.
Source: SA Department for Education: Ancillary or support staff employment requirements and registration (retrieved 6 October 2026)
The Act allows most people to do child-related work during assessment but lists working in a service regulated under the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) among the exceptions.
Source: Victorian Government: The Working with Children Check application process (retrieved 6 October 2026)
The WWC Check is compulsory for people doing child-related work in Western Australia, as defined in the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004.
Source: Government of Western Australia: Working with Children Check (retrieved 6 October 2026)
Three things come up in every state. First, the right to work in Australia. Second, the working with children scheme for the state where the school is, in the paid-worker form rather than the volunteer one. Third, whatever training the school or the education department sets, which can include child protection training, first aid and a certificate in education support. Beyond those, requirements change with the employer. A government school follows its department's steps, while a Catholic or independent school writes its own position description. Read the role before you spend money on a course, and ask the school what it treats as essential and what it treats as desirable.
The national entry-level qualification is CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support. On training.gov.au, release 2 states that the qualification has no entry requirements, has 15 units made up of 10 core and 5 elective units, and needs at least 100 hours of work in a classroom catering to primary or secondary school students in at least one Australian school. The core units cover working with diverse people, meeting legal and ethical obligations, supporting literacy and numeracy, supporting students with additional needs, health, safety and wellbeing, and responsible student behaviour. A qualification is not always mandatory: the New South Wales statement of duties lists a certificate I, II or III in education support as desirable, while the Queensland role description lists a certificate III level qualification or equivalent skills among the key capabilities.
The table below lists the title, the instrument and the working with children scheme for each state and territory. In New South Wales the Department of Education lists Working With Children Check clearance and mandatory Department training as essential for a school learning support officer. In Queensland the teacher aide role description makes a current blue card a mandatory condition, and Queensland applies a no card, no start rule in regulated child-related environments. In South Australia you need a place on the employable ancillary register, Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect training, a current general Working with Children Check and an authority to work letter before a school can start you. Victoria and Western Australia rely on the Working with Children Check, and the Victorian Government lists exceptions to starting during assessment.
Often, but the rules differ. The Queensland generic teacher aide role description says a teacher aide is required to be formally trained in first aid and to keep the qualification current, with costs met from school funds. The New South Wales statement of duties lists a first aid certificate as desirable and a willingness to undertake first aid training as essential. South Australia says first aid is not a requirement for ancillary employment but suggests HLTAID012, or HLTAID011 with approved anaphylaxis and asthma training, for school-based preschool roles. HLTAID011 Provide first aid includes CPR. If you work in a preschool or outside school hours care program that is regulated under the National Quality Framework, the national child safety training that began on 27 February 2026 also applies to everyone involved.
The same work has many names. New South Wales public schools call it school learning support officer, Queensland teacher aide, Western Australia education assistant and South Australia school services officer. Victoria's Department of Education groups the work into its education support class, and the Victorian Government's career pages call it education aide. Independent and Catholic schools often say teacher aide, teachers assistant or learning support assistant. Government school vacancies are advertised by each department: School Jobs Vic lists Victorian government school vacancies, Queensland entry-level vacancies are on individual school websites, and South Australia uses Edujobs. CrossNation lists a role only when an employer briefs us, so register your profile as well.
You need the right to work in Australia before you can start, and the working with children check is a separate step that you apply for in the state where you will work. Student visa conditions can limit the hours you may work, so check your conditions on VEVO. South Australia asks for proof of your right to work and an authority to work letter. Overseas school support qualifications are not assessed by the pages we read, so ask the employer whether it will accept yours or whether it expects an Australian certificate. CrossNation cannot promise a job, assess a qualification or advise on visas. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Pay depends on who employs you. Non-government schools are generally covered by the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award unless an enterprise agreement applies, and government schools use state instruments. Our teachers aide pay guide shows the award minimums, the levels where classroom support staff start and the date the rates apply from, and it names the state instruments without printing amounts we could not read. Check Fair Work for the latest rates, and ask the employer which instrument covers the role before you accept.
Titles and instruments are from the state education department pages read on 6 October 2026, the scheme from the state screening page, and fees are printed only where the official page published one on the day. Fees change, so check the page before you apply.
| State or territory | Role title used | Government school instrument | Working with children scheme | Fee read on the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | School Learning Support Officer | Crown Employees (School Administrative and Support Staff) Award, as named in the Department handbook | Working With Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian; lasts 5 years | See the Office of the Children's Guardian page |
| Victoria | Education support class (education aide) | Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (a new agreement was in the approval process in August 2026; check the Department) | Working with Children Check through Service Victoria | See the Service Victoria page |
| Queensland | Teacher aide (OO2, OO3, OO4) | General Employees (Queensland Government Departments) and Other Employees Award – State 2015 | Blue card; no card, no start | $108.30 for paid work; no fee for volunteers and students |
| Western Australia | Education assistant | Teachers' Aides' Award 1979, Miscellaneous Government Conditions and Allowances Award 1992 and Education Assistants' (Government) General Agreement 2025 | Working with Children Check, compulsory for child-related work | $87.00 for paid employees; $11.00 for volunteers |
| South Australia | School services officer | South Australian school and preschool education staff enterprise agreement 2024 | Working with Children Check; authority to work letter and employable ancillary register | $145 for employees; $73.50 for tertiary students; free for volunteers |
| Tasmania | Not checked for this guide | Not checked for this guide; ask the employer | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People | $137.20 for employment or volunteer registration from 1 July 2026 |
| Australian Capital Territory | Not checked for this guide | Not checked for this guide; ask the employer | Working with Vulnerable People registration through Access Canberra; lasts 5 years | $163 for paid work |
| Northern Territory | Not checked for this guide | Not checked for this guide; ask the employer | Working with children clearance (Ochre Card) through Safe NT | See the Safe NT page |
A recruiter reviews profiles against roles as employers brief us. Listings are not job offers.
There is no national licence. The usual qualification is CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support, which has no entry requirements, but schools decide what they ask for. Some list a certificate as desirable and some as a key capability.
Sometimes. The New South Wales statement of duties lists a certificate as desirable rather than essential, and the Queensland description accepts skills and knowledge consistent with a certificate III. Expect competition from applicants who hold one.
Yes. Every state has its own scheme, and a volunteer check is not valid for paid work in several states. Apply in the state where you will work, in the paid-worker form.
It depends on the state. The Office of the Children's Guardian says a NSW Check lasts five years, and the ACT registration also lasts five years. Check your state's page for its term.
Often. Queensland says the teacher aide is required to be formally trained in first aid, New South Wales lists a first aid certificate as desirable, and South Australia suggests it for school-based preschool roles.
CHC30221 needs at least 100 hours of work in a classroom catering to primary or secondary school students, in at least one Australian school, applied across the units that include a workplace requirement.
Student visa conditions can limit your work hours, so check VEVO and ask the employer. CrossNation cannot advise on visas. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
Government school roles are advertised by each state's education department. Search live roles on our jobs page, read the sector page for the city guides, and register your profile and CV with CrossNation. A listing is not a job offer.
