Regional Queensland
Regional recruitment specialist for Queensland employers, from Cairns to Toowoomba and Mount Isa. See how hard each region is to hire in, and how we help.
Social worker recruitment for regional employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help hospitals, community services organisations, family and child services, NDIS and aged-care providers and mental health services across regional Australia hire social workers, from graduates to senior practitioners and team leaders. We settle the qualification, the checks and the right award with you before the search starts.
Social work hiring at a glance
Social Worker is not rated in shortage nationally for 2026, but social work has a larger share of its job ads outside the major cities than jobs overall, so regional employers compete for the same people.1,2
- national rating for Social Worker (ANZSCO 272511) in 2026
- Not in shortage
- Rated NS (no shortage). In shortage would mean rated S (shortage) or R (regional shortage).1
- online job ads a month for social workers
- 1,286
- Three-month average to September 2026, down 8% from 1,393 a year earlier.3
- of those ads were for regional areas
- 38%
- 486 of 1,270 ads placed in a major city or regional area, against 29% for all jobs.2
What does a social worker do, and what qualification do they hold?
Social workers assess the social needs of individuals, families and groups and help people build the skills and use the resources to resolve their problems. The work includes case interviews, referral to community services, mediation, monitoring clients' progress and keeping case records and reports.4
No Australian state or territory registers social workers. Entry to the profession is through a Bachelor or Master of Social Work accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers, so ask for an accredited qualification.7 South Australia passed a law in 2021 to register social workers, but in June 2026 the state government decided not to proceed with the scheme.8,9
Which registration and checks does a social worker need in each state?
With no registration in any state, the check for work with children carries more weight. Queensland's exemption for registered health practitioners doesn't apply, and a blue card is needed for counselling or support services to children.10
Registration position and each jurisdiction's check for work with children, as published on 1 November 2026.
| State or territory | Registration | Check for work with children |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | None; AASW-accredited degree expected7 | Working with Children Check, Office of the Children's Guardian11 |
| Victoria | None | Working with Children Clearance12 |
| Queensland | None | Blue card needed for counselling or support services to children10 |
| Western Australia | None | Working with Children Check, Department of Communities13 |
| South Australia | None; the planned registration scheme did not proceed (June 2026)8 | Working with Children Check, Department of Human Services14 |
| Tasmania | None | Registration to Work with Vulnerable People15 |
| Northern Territory | None | Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card)16 |
| Australian Capital Territory | None | Working with Vulnerable People registration17 |
What does a social worker earn?
Two awards commonly apply. In the health industry, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award lists social work at AQF level 7, 8 or 9, depending on the qualification held. From 1 October 2026 a first-year social worker's minimum runs from $1,308.80 a week at AQF level 7 to $1,444.90 at AQF level 9. Employees under a state public sector award are outside it.18
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award covers the social and community services sector, which it defines to include social work. A graduate with a three-year degree starts no lower than level 3, pay point 3, at $1,616.71 a week including the equal remuneration order, and a four-year degree at pay point 4.5,6 Where both awards could apply, the classification most appropriate to the work and its setting applies.18 Social workers' median full-time earnings were $2,172 a week, or $57 an hour, in May 2025, nationally.4
Full-time minimums for a graduate social worker: HPSS from 1 October 2026; SCHADS level 3, with the equal remuneration order, from 1 July 2026 and current on 1 November 2026 (first full pay period on or after each date).5,6,18
Where are social workers in demand?
Victoria has the most social work ads, ahead of New South Wales and Queensland. New South Wales fell furthest over the year, from 350 to 293 a month, while Tasmania rose from 39 to 45.3
Regional areas accounted for 38% of social work ads with a location, well above the 29% share for all jobs, even though regional ads eased from 521 to 486 a month.2
Online job ads for social workers by state and territory, three-month average to September 2026 and a year earlier.3
| State or territory | Job ads a month, September 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 3683 | 394 |
| New South Wales | 293 | 350 |
| Queensland | 270 | 290 |
| Western Australia | 134 | 132 |
| South Australia | 104 | 102 |
| Tasmania | 45 | 39 |
| Northern Territory | 38 | 52 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 34 | 35 |
Which social work roles do we recruit?
Open a setting for the work, the checks and what to put in your brief.
Hospitals and health services
Social workers for wards, emergency departments, rehabilitation and community health.
- The work
- Case interviews to identify the nature of a patient's problems, assessing resources for health, housing and other services, and referral to community agencies.4
- Award position
- Private hospitals and health services usually fall under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, at AQF level 7, 8 or 9 by qualification.18
- Qualification
- AASW-accredited Bachelor or Master of Social Work.7
- What to tell us
- Wards or programs, discharge planning and family meetings, after-hours cover, and the supervision on offer.
Family, child and community services
Social workers for family support, out-of-home care, child and family programs and community organisations.
- The work
- Mediating, providing information and referral, monitoring clients' progress and compiling case records and reports.4
- Award position
- Community organisations usually fall under the SCHADS Award, which names social work in its sector definition.5
- Checks
- Every state's check for work with children applies; Queensland needs a blue card for counselling or support services to children.10
- What to tell us
- The program and funding, caseload size, court or statutory work, home visits and travel, and any driver licence requirement.
Disability, aged care and mental health
Social workers for NDIS providers, aged-care services and community mental health teams.
- The work
- Acting between clients and community services, assessing their needs and resources, and working with agencies to improve services.4
- Award position
- Disability services sit within the SCHADS Award's sector definition; health-industry employers usually use the Health Professionals and Support Services Award.5,18
- Shortage
- Social Worker is not rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1
- What to tell us
- Client group, support coordination or clinical work, report writing for funding bodies, and travel between sites.
How we help you hire a social worker
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Caseloads, supervision and relocation for regional roles
Tell us whether the role combines a town base with outreach and home visits, whether the social worker will be the only one on site, and how professional supervision, the caseload and travel time are handled. We put those in the brief.
We search first among social workers who already live in or have ties to your region, then among those planning a move. Relocation help and housing support matter most in that second group. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for a social work role in the regions?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us your qualification, the client groups and settings you have worked with, and where you would like to work. Graduate and experienced social workers are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next social work hire
Tell us the role, the program, the location and your start date.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Do social workers need to be registered in Australia?
No state or territory registers social workers. South Australia legislated a scheme in 2021, but in June 2026 the state government decided not to proceed with it.8,9 Employers usually look for an AASW-accredited social work degree.7 Hire Australia builds the qualification and checks into the brief and asks each candidate about them; you confirm them before an offer.
Which award covers a social worker?
It depends on the employer. Health-industry employers usually use the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, starting at $1,308.80 a week at AQF level 7.18 Community organisations usually use the SCHADS Award, where a three-year degree graduate starts at $1,616.71.5 Hire Australia works with the award and pay structure you already use.
Are social workers hard to find in regional Australia?
Social Worker is not rated in shortage nationally for 2026.1 Even so, 38% of social work job ads with a location were for regional areas in the three months to September 2026, above the share for all jobs.2 Hire Australia starts each regional search with social workers who have ties to your area.
Does a social worker need a blue card in Queensland?
Usually, if the role works with children. Queensland requires a blue card for counselling and support services to children, and its exemption for registered health practitioners doesn't cover social workers, who aren't registered.10 Hire Australia raises the right check for work with children in your state with each candidate.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. The same terms apply to every social work role Hire Australia recruits, from graduates to team leaders.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.
Sources (18)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO 2022 sheet). National ratings for 6-digit ANZSCO 2022 occupations, October 2026. S shortage, R regional shortage, NS no shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by remoteness (major cities and regional), September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026; SA4 regions grouped as major city or regional. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026 (released 21 October 2026), rounded. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026 (occupation descriptions, earnings and employment). Median full-time earnings: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, national; 4-digit occupation groups. Employment: February 2026, trend. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100], clause 15. Level 3 rates including the equal remuneration order; wages from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 (PR799380), current on 1 November 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay guide, Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 [MA000100], published 31 August 2026. Edition of 31 August 2026; the social and community services wages shown commenced 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Association of Social Workers, Studying Social Work (accredited qualifications). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Association of Social Workers, AASW responds to SA Government decision on Social Workers Registration Scheme (20 June 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Monash University, Monash Lens, Protecting our most vulnerable: does Australia need a social worker registration scheme? (6 August 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Blue Card Services, Queensland Government, Blue cards for health, counselling and support services (last updated 19 August 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Office of the Children's Guardian, Working with Children Check. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Working with Children Check Victoria, Victorian Government, Working with Children Check (Working with Children Clearance). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Communities, Government of Western Australia, Department of Communities (WA), Working with Children Check (last updated 22 September 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Human Services, South Australia, SA.GOV.AU, Screening checks (Working with Children Check; last updated 29 June 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Justice, Tasmania, Department of Justice (Tasmania), Registration to Work with Vulnerable People. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- SAFE NT, Northern Territory Government, NT.GOV.AU, Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card): apply and renew. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Access Canberra, ACT Government, Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) scheme. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 [MA000027], clause 17 and Schedule B. Rates from 1 October 2026 (PR814029), as in the pay guide of 22 October 2026. Coverage: clause 4; state public sector awards excluded. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑