Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker delivers culturally appropriate primary and preventive health services to Indigenous communities in Australia, working within community health centres, remote clinics, or outreach settings. They bridge clinical care and community engagement by providing health education, screening, and support for chronic disease management while facilitating access to primary care services and liaising with mainstream health providers. The role is grounded in cultural competence and community trust, recognising Indigenous health determinants and delivering care that respects cultural protocols and knowledge systems.

Conduct health screening and basic clinical assessments such as blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose testing, and weight measurements in accordance with local protocols. Provide health education and behaviour change counselling on chronic disease prevention, nutrition, physical activity, smoking cessation, and sexual health using culturally appropriate communication methods. Support management of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory disease through patient education, medication adherence support, and lifestyle intervention. Collect and record patient health information and vital signs in the medical record system while maintaining confidentiality under relevant privacy legislation. Facilitate access to primary care services by assisting community members to book appointments, navigate referral pathways, and communicate with GPs and specialist providers. Conduct health promotion activities and deliver group education sessions in community settings on topics such as maternal and child health, mental health, and communicable disease prevention. Perform wound care, dressing changes, and first aid within scope of practice under clinical supervision. Organise and participate in community health outreach programmes and mobile clinic visits to remote or isolated communities.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The pay ceiling is real, even experienced workers in this role don't progress far without additional qualifications. You'll also face emotional exhaustion dealing with complex social determinants (poverty, trauma, substance abuse) that health interventions alone can't fix. Remote postings mean isolation and limited career mobility.

In reality, jobs concentrate in remote and regional Australia. Some roles exist in urban Aboriginal health centres, but the bulk of positions require relocation to isolated communities. Remote work is not an option in this field.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 4115, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Acute carecore
• Case Note Documentationcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivitycore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Health Record Administrationcore
• Health Terminology Literacycore
• Inclusive Practicecore
• Participant or Client Advocacycore
• Professional Boundaries Maintenancecore
• Referral Coordinationcore
• Service Navigation and Referralcore
• Trauma-Informed Communicationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Adapt teaching to target group
• Address public health issues
• Adult education
• Advise on mental health
• Advise on safety measures
• Appointment Scheduling
• Community Development
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Incident Reporting
• Interpreter and Accessibility Coordination
• Practice Management Software (e.g., Best Practice, MedicalDirector)
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Risk Identification
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026