Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers provide culturally safe primary health care and practical support to their communities, often as the main link between clients and the health system.
- Median salary
- $75,900
3.5%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 1,200
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +20.2%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 41/wk
+1h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Most work in Aboriginal community controlled health services, with others in mainstream clinics, hospitals and public health programs. A health worker is not a registered practitioner: the role sits alongside the registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, who has a wider clinical scope after further study and registration. Clients often come back to the same health worker for years, which means cultural knowledge and community connection count as much as clinical tasks.
How much do aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers earn?
The median full-time salary for an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker is $75,900 per annum, before tax, up $16,200 since 2018.
Pay follows the agreement you are employed under, which in an Aboriginal community controlled health service is usually a sector enterprise agreement with classification steps set by your certificate level and years in the role. State health services pay under their own awards, and remote and very remote postings normally attract additional loadings and travel provisions. Shift work, on-call duties and a higher qualification are the other things that move the figure.
What does an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Checking blood pressure, blood sugar and other vital signs in the clinic or on a home visit
- Running screening days and chronic disease health checks, then following up with the people who did not come in
- Explaining a care plan or a medication to a client in language they use, so they know what happens next
- Sitting in on consultations with doctors and nurses and speaking up for the client when something is not clear
- Keeping client records current in Communicare or the practice system and booking the referrals that follow
What skills do aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers need?
Employers look for patient care and support, clinical assessment and treatment, health education and advice, backed by Communicare fluency and strong empathy and interpersonal care.
Specialist skills
- Patient care and support
- Clinical assessment and treatment
- Health education and advice
- Community engagement
- Care planning and coordination
- Casework and client support
Software and tools
- Communicare
- My Health Record
- MedicalDirector
- Best Practice
- Pen CS CAT4
General skills
- Empathy and interpersonal care
- Written communication
Is the job growing?
About 1,200 people work as aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 20.2% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.
How do you become an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker?
Here's the path most aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers take, step by step.
- 1Start with a Certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care
TAFE and Aboriginal community controlled health services both deliver it, and many students study part-time while working. It covers primary health care, cultural safety and client support, and it is the minimum most employers ask for.
- 2Get in through a traineeship if you can
Health services often take on school leavers and career changers as trainees, so you earn while you complete the certificate and learn the clinic's records, referral and recall systems on the job.
- 3Add a Certificate IV
The Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care (Practice) covers chronic disease management, clinical assessment and health promotion. It opens up more independent work with clients and is required for many health worker positions.
- 4Consider the registered practitioner pathway later
To assess, treat and prescribe independently you need an approved qualification and registration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia through Ahpra. It is a longer study path and a different role from health worker.
Ready to apply as an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker?
Whether you're working toward becoming an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker move to?
Moving into Disability Support Worker typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $15,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disability Support Worker Person-centred care and community knowledge carry across; disability support worker needs specialised support planning and behaviour support skills.Known move | +$15,700 | 44% | reskill |
| Health Promotion Officer Health worker brings community health and cultural safety; health promotion officer requires a degree in public health, so requalification is needed.Known move | +$15,100 | 23% | requalify |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner Same culturally safe primary health focus; the health practitioner role requires registration and expanded clinical scope, so further study is needed. | +$4,700 | 62% | reskill |
| Community Development Officer Health worker brings cultural knowledge and community trust; community development officer requires broader planning and community engagement skills.Known move | −$900 | 13% | reskill |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Worker Health worker brings cultural safety and community engagement; education worker needs school learning support skills to work with students.Known move | −$21,300 | 28% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker?
The typical aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker is 55 years old; 72% are women, 91% work full-time, and full-timers average 41 hours a week.
- 55
- Median age
- 72%
- Female share
- 91%
- Full-time
- +1h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker?
The rhythm follows the clinic and the community: appointments and screening days during the week, follow-up calls and home visits in between, and long drives when clients live out of town. Much of the pressure comes from being known to the people you care for, because a health worker is often also a family member, a neighbour or a cousin. It suits someone who wants clinical work with a strong practical and cultural side, and who is comfortable being the person others turn to.
What people like
- Clients tell you the real story. People often say what is actually going on once they are speaking with someone from their own community, which is what makes a care plan work rather than sit in a file.
- You see what a follow-up changes. A client who has missed appointments for months comes in, gets checked and starts treatment because you kept calling and sorted out the ride.
- Clinical, cultural and practical work in one job. A week can hold a chronic disease check, a school health visit and an hour helping a family understand a specialist's letter.
- Your team expects your input. In community controlled services, health workers sit in case meetings with nurses and GPs rather than being asked to interpret afterwards.
What people find hard
- You are on call in your own community. Being known means questions at the shop and requests from relatives, and there is rarely a clean line between the job and home.
- The systems around clients move slowly. Sorting a specialist appointment, transport or housing can take weeks of phone calls that nobody else is making on the client's behalf.
- Records and reporting take real time. Funding and accreditation require detailed notes on contacts and activities, which eats into the hours you would rather spend with clients.
- Some of the work is heavy. Chronic illness, funerals and sorry business are part of the job, and grief in a small community affects the people you work with as well as the clients.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers?
Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers, followed by Other Services.
Top employing industries
- 1Health Care and Social Assistance
- 2Other Services
- 3Public Administration and Safety
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 37.4% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 22.6% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 21% | |
| Bachelor degree | 8.2% | |
| Postgraduate | 4.7% |
Will AI replace aboriginal and torres strait islander health workers?
The role has low exposure to AI and automation. Most of it happens in a room, a home or a car with a client who may be wary of the health system, and the trust and cultural knowledge that make the visit work do not transfer to software. Clinical systems such as Communicare and CAT4 already do part of the admin by flagging who is overdue for a check, which changes the paperwork rather than the relationship.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Screening and client careTaking blood pressure, explaining a care plan and noticing when someone is not well enough to wait for their next appointment is hands-on work done in person.35%low
- Cultural brokerage and advocacySitting in on a consultation to make sure a specialist's advice is understood, and that the client's wishes are heard, depends entirely on the person in the room.25%low
- Client records and recall listsCommunicare and CAT4 can generate the list of clients overdue for a check, but someone still has to ring them, find them and bring them in.25%moderate
- Health education and community programsAI can help draft a poster or a session outline, though the delivery, the language and the reading of the room stay with the health worker.15%moderate
Common questions about becoming an aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker earn?
Full-time health workers earn a median of $75,900 per annum, before tax. The figure moves with your certificate level, the agreement you are employed under, and whether the posting is remote or includes shift and on-call work, so treat it as a guide rather than a set rate.
How do I become an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker?
Most people start with a Certificate III or IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, often through a paid traineeship with an Aboriginal community controlled health service. A driver's licence and experience working with community members help, because the job is built on trust as much as on clinical skills.
Are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers in demand?
They are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 20.2% over the decade to 2035. For someone weighing up the qualification, that combination means openings in both community controlled and mainstream health services, and the certificate is also a route into related community roles.
Will AI replace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers?
No, this role has low exposure. Clinical software such as Communicare and Pen CS CAT4 can flag clients who are overdue for a check, but the visits, the explanations and the advocacy happen face to face and depend on cultural knowledge and trust. AI touches the recall lists and the paperwork, not the care.
What jobs can an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker move into?
Becoming an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner pays $4,700 more and needs further study plus registration with Ahpra, because the registered scope covers assessment and treatment the health worker role does not. Health promotion officer pays $15,100 more and suits people who want to work on community programs rather than one-to-one care, though it requires a public health degree. Disability support worker pays $15,700 more, and the person-centred care and support skills carry straight across.
Related roles
- Health Promotion Officer
- Community Development Officer
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Worker
- Disability Support Worker
- Community Development Officer
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