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Care & support work in NZ

Start a career in care — no experience needed.

Caregiver, healthcare assistant, aged care, disability and home support roles across NZ. Most don’t need experience or a qualification — you’re trained on the job. Already hold a first aid certificate, a Level 2 in Health and Wellbeing, or a year of care behind you? That counts here too, and it is worth more than you think. We’ll help you write the CV, rehearse the interview, and know what you should be paid.

Upload CV — free
Hiring carers or support workers? Post your role free →
Your toolkit

3 tools for getting into care work

No experience yet? These do the heavy lifting so your first care application stands out.

Care interview simulator

AI plays the care manager and asks the real questions: why care work, handling a difficult moment with a resident, working in a team, reliability. You get scored out of 100.

Practise now

Care & support CV

No experience? AI builds a CV around what care employers actually want — reliability, patience, people skills, a licence if you have one — even from a blank start.

Write my CV

Care pay check

What caregivers, healthcare assistants and support workers really earn across aged care, disability and home support — and how the pay-equity steps lift your rate.

Check my pay
Ways in

Where to start in care

Entry-level care and support roles you can get with little or no experience — training is provided on the job.

Healthcare Assistants
HCAs & carers · no experience
Aged Care & Caregivers
Rest homes & retirement villages
Disability Support
Support workers · trained on the job
Home & Community Support
Helping people in their own homes

New to care? Read our full Healthcare Assistant guide — pay, CV tips and interview prep.

For NZ care employers

Hiring carers or support workers? Free AI prep before they apply.

Reach people genuinely starting out in care — and see what matters most for entry roles up front: right-to-work, availability, driver licence, and any first-aid or care certificate they already hold. Surfaced on the Hiring Brief so you don't have to ask.

The details that matter, upfront

Right-to-work, availability, driver licence and any care or first-aid certificate self-declared on the application. You see it before opening the CV — no chasing.

One-page rec per applicant

Interview / Maybe / Skip recommendation on every CV. Triage 50 applications in 5 minutes, not 5 hours.

Free to post

$0 standard listing. Applications come straight to your inbox. No contracts.

Post your healthcare role — free →
Pro $29 (30-day featured) · Unlimited $99/mo (all featured)
FAQ

Questions people starting in care ask

Can I get a care job with no experience?
Yes — this is one of the easiest fields to start in. Most rest homes, home-care providers and disability services hire caregivers and support workers with no experience and train you on the job, often working you towards the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing while you're paid. What they look for most is reliability, patience and genuinely caring about people.
What should be on a care CV if I've never done it before?
Lead with the human stuff care employers actually want: reliability, patience, communication, and any experience looking after family, volunteering, hospitality or customer service. Add your availability, whether you have a driver licence and car (big plus for home care), and any first-aid or care certificate. Our CV tool builds this even from a blank start.
How much do caregivers and support workers earn in NZ in 2026?
Caregivers and healthcare assistants usually earn around $24-$30/hr, rising with your NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing level (2-4) under the pay-equity settlement. Home and community support and disability support sit in a similar band. Use our Salary Calculator for a tighter number by role and region.
Do I need a qualification or registration to be a caregiver?
No. Caregiver, healthcare assistant and support-worker roles aren't registered like nursing — you don't need a degree or an APC. You'll usually work towards the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (levels 2-4) on the job. A driver licence, first-aid certificate and a clean police vetting all help.
How do I prepare for a caregiver interview?
Expect questions like why you want to work in care, how you'd handle a resident who's upset or confused, working in a team, and your reliability and availability. Have 2-3 real stories ready (even from family, volunteering or another job). Our Interview Simulator asks exactly these and scores your answers.
I'm a NZ care employer — how does posting a job work?
Two minutes to post: role, location, pay, shifts and why work here. We review listings within 24 hours. Applications come straight to your email, each with a one-page Interview / Maybe / Skip recommendation and the candidate's self-declared availability, driver licence, right-to-work and any care certificate. Free standard listings, Pro at $29 for featured + 30 days, or Unlimited at $99/month for everything featured. No contracts.
From the blog

Starting in care — reads

Getting started

How to get a caregiver job in NZ with no experience

The roles that hire beginners, what employers look for, and how to apply.

Salary

Caregiver & support worker pay in NZ (2026)

What you'll earn, and how the pay-equity steps lift your rate over time.

Interview

Caregiver interview questions (with model answers)

The questions care managers actually ask, and how to answer them well.

Weekly NZ care jobs in your inbox

New caregiver, healthcare assistant and support-worker roles every Monday. Free.