About the payment
This payment recognises the integral role of registered nurses in delivering high quality care for our older Australians.
Payments for either 6 months or 12 months of employment will be available to registered nurses who work for the same aged care provider over the eligibility periods, up to a total of $6,000.
Full-time nurses eligible for the 12-month payment will receive up to $3,700 or if eligible for the 6-month payment will receive a half payment.
Part-time and casual nurse payments will be determined on a pro-rata basis.
An additional payment of up to $2,300 will also be available for registered nurses who meet one of 3 criteria set out below – Additional Payment Eligibility.
We encourage employers to use these payments as part of their strategies to attract and retain nurses.
Employers are responsible for applying on behalf of their eligible registered nurses and passing on the full payment as soon as possible after receiving the grant payment.
The following changes have been made for Round 2:
- Applicants (aged care providers) will no longer receive the 5% of the payment to cover administrative costs of applying for the grant.
- Registered Nurses who are employed through agencies/brokers are no longer eligible.
- A tiering system will be used to determine payment amounts for part time workers.
Who is eligible
Only eligible employers can apply on behalf of eligible Registered Nurses.
Applicants must be:
- Australian Government funded:
- Approved Residential Aged Care Providers
- Home Care Package Providers, including Commonwealth Home Support Program and Transitional Care
- Multipurpose Service Providers that offer aged care services
- Providers that offer aged care services under the Commonwealth National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
- Self-employed Nurse Practitioners who work in one or more of the above organisation types. Self-employed Nurse Practitioners will be required to identify the aged care providers to which they are contracted to provide aged care services.
- Eligible aged care providers may only apply on behalf of eligible Registered Nurses who they directly employ. Registered Nurses working for Agencies/Brokers are not eligible for payments under this grant.
The 12-month payment is available to registered nurses who work for the same provider from 1 November 2022 – 31 October 2023.
The 6-month payment is available to registered nurses who work for the same provider from 1 May 2023 – 31 October 2023.
Registered nurses who do not work in a direct care role such as management, administration or training are eligible if they are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Other aged care workers including personal care workers, enrolled nurses, cooks, cleaners and allied health professionals are not eligible for the payment.
Additional payment eligibility
Registered nurses may also be eligible for an additional payment per year of up to $2,300.
To receive this additional payment, registered nurses must meet one of these criteria:
- work in a rural or remote area (classified MMM 3-7)
- hold a relevant formal postgraduate qualification (Graduate Certificate or higher)
- take on additional leadership or training responsibilities in their workplace.
Registered nurses will only receive one additional payment for meeting at least one of these three criteria.
Part-time or casual nurses who meet one of these criteria will receive a pro-rata payment.
How to apply
Round 1
The first round of applications closed on 28 February 2023. Requests for variations closed on 29 September 2023. The department will no longer accept any variation requests.
Round 2
Applications for Round 2 opened on 6 November 2023 and close on 20 December 2023. The Grant Opportunity Guidelines (GO6557) are now available through GrantConnect.
An instructional video and guide are available to assist applicants to complete the staffing profile.
To submit your application, providers must:
- Register through the GrantConnect website for an account.
- Submit your application using the online application and attaching the required staffing profile. These documents can be found via the ‘GO Documents’ button.
- Submit your application.
Once you have submitted your application using the online application form link you will receive an automatic email with your Submission Reference ID and PDF receipt of your application. Please retain this number if you wish to make an enquiry about your application.
Contact
For information about the payment, including eligibility requirements and the grant application process, please contact us:
