Out of School Hours Care Worker Visa Pathway to Australia: Complete 2026 Guide
Updated: 16 June 2026
Australia classifies Out of School Hours Care Worker under ANZSCO 421114. ACECQA conducts the skills assessment. The occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List, which unlocks employer-sponsored subclasses 482 and 186. Typical 2026 salaries range AUD $58,000-$78,000. The role shows up on the shortage list mainly as a regional shortage, which shapes where sponsorship is realistic.
Quick Facts: Out of School Hours Care Worker Migration Pathway
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO Code | 421114 (Out of School Hours Care Worker) |
| Skill Level | 3 (AQF Certificate III with two years on-the-job training, or Certificate IV, or three years relevant experience) |
| Skills Assessment | ACECQA (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority) |
| Occupation List | CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List) |
| Visa Options | 482 (Skills in Demand), 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) |
| Demand Level | Moderate to high — flagged as a regional shortage across several states |
| Salary Range | AUD $58,000-$78,000 (SEEK, 2026) |
| Typical 189 Score | Not applicable — no points-tested pathway (employer sponsorship only) |
| Key Challenge | Meeting the 482 salary threshold in a sector that pays below it for entry roles |
What an Out of School Hours Care Worker Does in Australia
An Out of School Hours Care Worker supervises and runs activities for school-age children before school, after school, and during vacation care. The work covers planning recreational programs, supervising play and homework time, supporting children's social development, and keeping them safe between the school day and parent pick-up. These services operate under the same National Quality Framework that governs long day care, so qualification and ratio rules apply.
Demand follows the rhythm of working families. As more parents work full time, before-and-after-school care has become a core service rather than an optional extra, and schools and community providers have expanded capacity faster than they can staff it. Jobs and Skills Australia data lists the occupation as a regional shortage across several states rather than a uniform national shortage. That pattern matters for migrants: sponsorship is most realistic with providers in regional and outer-metropolitan areas where local staff are hardest to find.
The pay sits at the lower end of the skilled range, and many roles are part-time or split-shift by nature. For the 482 visa, the sponsoring employer must still pay at least the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD $76,515 or the market rate, whichever is higher. That threshold, set against a sector with modest pay, is the central challenge of this pathway.
ANZSCO Code 421114 Explained
ANZSCO 421114 covers workers who care for and supervise school-age children outside normal school hours. The official description includes planning and conducting recreational activities, supervising children's behaviour and safety, and supporting their wellbeing during before-school, after-school, and vacation care sessions. The occupation sits within the same minor group as Child Care Worker but is distinct in its school-age focus and its session-based hours.
If your day-to-day work is split between long day care of pre-school children and out-of-hours care of school-age children, choose the code that genuinely describes most of your duties. A role centred on toddlers and pre-schoolers maps to Child Care Worker (ANZSCO 421111); a role centred on before-and-after-school programs for school-age children maps to 421114. The ANZSCO code finder sets out the full definitions so you can match your references to the right code.
Skills Assessment with ACECQA
ACECQA is the assessing authority for children's education and care occupations, including Out of School Hours Care Worker. The assessment is documentary, comparing your qualification and paid employment against Australian standards for the regulated sector.
ACECQA (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority)
- Canonical site: acecqa.gov.au
- Qualification requirement: a recognised education and care qualification at the level ACECQA specifies for the occupation. Because the sector is regulated under the National Quality Framework, qualifications must come from an approved or recognised program.
- Experience requirement: relevant paid employment in a regulated education and care service, performing duties consistent with the occupation.
- Assessment cost: ACECQA's migration skills assessment fee is AUD $1,100 (inclusive of GST, 2025).
- Processing time: ACECQA targets 60 to 80 days from a complete application, though current application volumes have pushed real timeframes longer.
- Common rejection reasons: qualifications not recognised by ACECQA; experience gained outside a regulated education and care setting; reference letters that do not establish the school-age, out-of-hours focus of the role.
Confirm your specific qualification and experience requirements directly with ACECQA before lodging, because the rules differ between the occupations ACECQA assesses. Do not assume the Child Care Worker criteria apply unchanged to 421114.
Visa Pathways for Out of School Hours Care Workers
The occupation is on the Core Skills Occupation List and not on the points-tested lists, so subclasses 189, 190, and 491 are not available. Both realistic pathways are employer-sponsored.
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand Visa
The primary route. An approved employer sponsors you into a nominated out-of-hours care role.
- Visa fee: from AUD $3,210 (primary applicant, Core Skills stream).
- Salary constraint: the role must pay at least the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD $76,515 or the market rate, whichever is higher.
- Experience: at least one year of relevant full-time equivalent work in the last five years.
- Quirk: many out-of-hours roles are advertised as part-time or split-shift. The salary threshold applies to the full-time equivalent rate, so a genuinely part-time role can struggle to meet it. Aim for providers offering combined or full-time positions.
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
The permanent residency pathway, usually reached after time on a 482.
- Visa fee: from AUD $4,910 (primary applicant).
- Streams: Temporary Residence Transition (after qualifying time with the sponsoring employer) or Direct Entry.
- Quirk: the Direct Entry stream requires three years of relevant experience, so most workers transition through a 482 before applying for permanent residency.
State and Regional Nomination
Out of School Hours Care Worker is not on the points-tested lists, so the usual subclass 190 and 491 state nomination programs do not apply. The relevant lever is the Designated Area Migration Agreement system. Because the occupation is flagged as a regional shortage, several regional DAMAs include early childhood and out-of-hours care roles, sometimes with salary or experience concessions. If your sponsoring employer operates in a DAMA region, confirm the current occupation list and any concession with the designated area representative before relying on it.
Salary and Employment Outlook
| Role | Typical Salary Range |
|---|---|
| OOSH Educator (entry) | AUD $55,000-$62,000 |
| OOSH Care Worker | AUD $58,000-$72,000 |
| OOSH Coordinator / Lead | AUD $70,000-$85,000 |
| OOSH Service Manager | AUD $85,000-$110,000 |
Source: SEEK, 2026, drawing on childcare and out-of-school-hours care benchmarks. Figures vary by provider, state, and whether the role is full-time or session-based. Superannuation of 11.5 per cent applies on top of base pay. Coordinator and manager roles clear the 482 salary threshold more comfortably than frontline educator positions.
The outlook is steady. Working-family demand keeps before-and-after-school care growing, and the regional shortage pattern means providers outside the major cities are the most likely to sponsor. For migrants, the most viable strategy combines a coordinator-level role with a regional or outer-metropolitan employer.
Tips for a Successful Application
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Match your references to the school-age focus. ACECQA needs to see that your experience is genuinely in out-of-hours care of school-age children, not general childcare. Ask referees to describe before-school, after-school, and vacation care duties explicitly.
-
Verify your qualification with ACECQA first. The sector is regulated, so only recognised qualifications count. Check yours against ACECQA's lists before paying the assessment fee.
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Target full-time or combined roles. The salary threshold is based on the full-time equivalent rate. A part-time or split-shift role can fail to meet it, so look for providers offering combined positions or coordinator duties.
-
Lean into the regional shortage. Because the occupation is flagged regionally, providers in regional and outer-metropolitan areas are far more likely to sponsor. A DAMA region may also offer salary concessions.
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Plan the 482 to 186 sequence. Direct Entry to the 186 needs three years of experience. Most applicants build that on a 482 with the sponsoring employer, then transition to permanent residency.
Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap
- Confirm your role maps to ANZSCO 421114 rather than to Child Care Worker.
- Check the occupation remains on the Core Skills Occupation List.
- Verify your qualification against ACECQA's recognised lists.
- Gather reference letters establishing out-of-hours care of school-age children.
- Lodge the ACECQA skills assessment (AUD $1,100) and allow for extended processing.
- Sit an English test that meets the 482 requirement.
- Find a sponsoring employer who can pay at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold, ideally in a regional area.
- Have the employer lodge the nomination for the role.
- Lodge the subclass 482 visa application.
- Work in the sponsored role and build toward the three-year experience mark.
- Apply for subclass 186 through the Temporary Residence Transition or Direct Entry stream.
- Complete health and character checks and receive the grant.
For the full list of assessing authorities, see the skills assessment bodies list, and for how employer-sponsored routes sit alongside the points system, see the SkillSelect EOI overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Out of School Hours Care Worker different from Child Care Worker for migration?
Yes. They are separate ANZSCO codes — 421114 for out-of-hours care of school-age children, and 421111 for Child Care Worker. Both are assessed by ACECQA and both are on the CSOL, but the qualification and experience criteria differ. Choose the code that matches the majority of your actual duties, and make sure your references support that choice.
Can I get permanent residency as an out of school hours care worker?
Yes, through subclass 186. The occupation is not on the points-tested lists, so subclasses 189 and 190 are unavailable, but the Employer Nomination Scheme leads to permanent residency. Most applicants work on a 482 first and then transition once they meet the experience requirement.
Why is this occupation mostly a regional shortage?
Jobs and Skills Australia data flags Out of School Hours Care Worker as a shortage in several regions rather than uniformly across the country. Major cities have deeper local labour pools, while regional and outer-metropolitan providers struggle to staff before-and-after-school programs. For migrants, that means sponsorship is most realistic outside the largest cities.
What is the salary threshold problem for this occupation?
The 482 requires the nominated role to pay at least AUD $76,515 or the market rate, whichever is higher, measured at the full-time equivalent rate. Many out-of-hours roles are part-time or session-based and pay below that. Coordinator-level and full-time positions, or DAMA salary concessions, are usually needed to clear the threshold.
What qualification do I need for the ACECQA assessment?
ACECQA requires a recognised education and care qualification at the level it specifies for the occupation. Because the sector is regulated under the National Quality Framework, only approved or recognised qualifications are accepted. Confirm your specific qualification with ACECQA before lodging, as requirements vary between the occupations it assesses.
