The demand for registered nurses has skyrocketed due to new care time mandates. In regional areas, a limited local supply of qualified individuals means the only way for aged care providers to fill staffing gaps is with agency staff. However, this comes at three times the standard hourly pay rate, and this is pushing budgets to breaking point.
Huon Regional Care has been supporting older Australians since 1969. With three residential care homes in Franklin, on the Tasman Peninsula and in Dover, as well as a home care program serving over 600 clients, the company plays a vital role in one of the most remote parts of the country.
Like many rural providers, they have struggled with a persistent and costly workforce challenge: sourcing and retaining skilled care workers, nurses and RNs.
The Challenge: Unsustainable staffing costs and unstable teams
When Huon Regional Care’s current CEO, David Brennan, joined in 2023, the organisation was spending over $1 million annually on agency nurses. On public holidays, rates soared to $260 per hour, compared to the standard $50 they might pay a staff nurse. At times, up to eight agency nurses were working at once to provide necessary cover of shifts.
A new approach to fill staffing gaps
Recognising the need for long-term staffing solutions, the Huon Regional Care team began exploring international talent programs. They connected with The Migration Agency (TMA) and saw how the relationship was a natural fit because TMA offered access to qualified, APHRA-registered candidates with qualifications and skills that made them eligible for migration, while also facilitating the employer sponsored visa application and deployment process.
TMA’s transparent, informative and practical approach built trust and helped the board of Huon Regional Care feel confident to move forward with a six-figure investment in talent acquisition and migration support.
Strategic hiring and smart integration
Huon Regional Care welcomed nine nurses; four from India, five from the Philippines and one occupational therapist from Sri Lanka. The decision was made to source from a range of different countries to create diversity and in order to avoid dependence on a single region.
All candidates were interviewed via video conference by Huon Regional Care’s Executive Manager for People and Culture, and care was taken to select individuals who were not only skilled but also ready to integrate into a rural community in Tasmania.
The first nurse, Reshma, arrived in late August 2023, with others arriving progressively through to January 2024. Reshma’s early arrival gave Huon Regional Care the opportunity to test its onboarding process, which included a five-week training and shadowing period, support with setting up local essentials, and a gradual ramp-up to independent practice.
To house the new staff, Huon refurbished a disused building on its Franklin site to create accommodation for 12 people. Many of the new staff have now moved into their own rental properties, supported by the organisation.
Simi’s Story
Simi, one of the registered nurses recruited from India to work with Huon Regional Care, arrived with a clear determination to succeed. Before her husband joined her in Tasmania, she focused on settling in, completing her onboarding and learning to drive. With HRC’s support, her husband later found work at a local aquaculture company, and the couple are now fully embedded in the Franklin community.
This reflects Huon Regional Care’s belief that whole-family settlement is essential to long-term retention. By investing in personal welcome, cultural support and community connections, the company has made it easier for international staff like Simi to stay, thrive and contribute.
Whole-family settlement and community connection
Drawing on personal experience as a former expat who has lived in the Philippines and the Middle East, Huon Regional Care’s CEO, David Brennan, was involved in welcoming new arrivals, even collecting some from the airport and gifting them with welcome hampers. Beyond logistics, they offered real community integration, helping family members secure jobs, enrol children in school and access driving lessons.
This whole-person approach strengthened the new relationships. From welcoming messages to childcare placements and job referrals, to the fact that David himself makes a point of greeting many of the new team members by name whenever he sees them, the company’s efforts have helped build trust and a sense of belonging.
Outcomes: Financial relief and operational stability
In the first year, Huon Regional Care transformed its workforce profile.
Agency staff now accounts for less than 8% of total salary costs, well below its previous peak. Stable teams have led to better continuity of care, stronger staff morale and a more consistent model of service delivery.
Although upfront costs were significant, including recruitment and migration costs, relocation assistance for candidates, plus accommodation investment, the organisation expects to see meaningful financial returns in the 2025–26 financial year.
A sustainable solution
David strongly recommends international recruitment as a sustainable solution to aged care workforce shortage, and he credits The Migration Agency’s deep knowledge and transparency as instrumental in Huon Regional Care’s success.
A year into the process of replacing agency staff with permanent international staff members, David suggests other aged care providers
“Start by getting informed and gathering information. Then you can start to map your talent needs and understand your visa options. Most importantly, don’t wait too long to act.”
For Huon Regional Care, the decision to invest in international recruitment wasn’t only about cost – it was about care. The additional benefit is an enriched and more culturally diverse community, and continuity of care for residents, thanks to a more stable and engaged team.
