Who Is the Best Agency to Work for in In-Home Aged Care in Australia?

Aged care workers in Australia looking for in-home work generally have three structural options: a traditional recruitment agency, an independent contractor platform, or a flat-fee platform. They are not interchangeable. Here is how each one actually works.

Traditional recruitment agencies

Agencies such as Healthcare Australia and Sanctuary Recruitment place workers into shifts at facilities, or in some cases into community and in-home roles, and pay a casual hourly rate. PayScale data for 2026 puts the average aged care support worker hourly rate in Australia at $27.74. These agencies provide steady access to shift work and handle compliance and placement, but the worker is paid the agency rate, not a share of what the client is actually charged.

Independent contractor platforms

Mable is the largest independent contractor platform in Australia for aged care and disability support. On Mable, workers set their own rates directly with clients, operate as sole traders with an ABN, and are not bound by the Aged Care Award. This gives workers full control over pricing, but it also means you are responsible for finding and negotiating with clients yourself, and managing your own bookings, scheduling and client relationships from scratch.

Flat-fee platforms

Nest & Nurture Elder Care sits between these two models. Like an agency, we handle client acquisition, matching and booking management, so you are not finding or negotiating with clients yourself. Like an independent platform, you are paid a clear, fixed rate per hour rather than a percentage-based agency margin. Support Workers keep $55 per hour, Enrolled Nurses keep $80, Registered Nurses keep $120. The platform takes a flat $20 per hour, visible on every booking before you accept it.

The honest comparison

• Traditional agency: steady shift access, agency-set casual rate around $27.74 to $35 per hour, you do not manage clients yourself.
• Independent contractor platform (Mable): you set your own rate and negotiate directly with clients, but you manage all client acquisition and admin yourself.
• Flat-fee platform (Nest & Nurture Elder Care): fixed transparent rate of $55 to $120 per hour depending on role, client acquisition and booking management handled for you, no negotiation required.

Which one is actually best for you

If you want maximum control over your rate and do not mind handling your own client relationships, an independent contractor platform may suit you. If you want steady shift access without negotiating your own rate, a traditional agency may suit you. If you want a fixed, transparent rate that is meaningfully higher than agency pay, without having to find your own clients, a flat-fee platform is built for exactly that gap.