Augusta 2026 Q1 National Caregiver Recruitment Benchmark Report
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Get the data top home care leaders are using to recruit better caregivers.
Check out the newest edition of the National Caregiver Recruiting Benchmark Report, analyzing 120,000+ caregiver applications from Q1 2026 across home care organizations in North America.
Inside the report, you’ll see what’s working in caregiver recruiting today—and what agencies must change to compete for talent.
Fill out your information to order the 2026 Q1 National Caregiver Recruiting Benchmark Report and it will be sent directly to your inbox
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What You’ll Learn From the Data
Based on 120,000+ caregiver applicants, the report reveals:
- Where do the best caregivers actually come from?
- How speed to interview impacts hiring?
- Are in-person interviews more effective than video interviews?
- Why does applicant proximity to your service area matter?
- What benefits do caregivers actually want?
Built With Leaders Across Home Care
Caregiver recruiting is too important to tackle alone.
This report features insights and contributions from industry leaders:
- Jason Lee, CEO — Home Care Association of America (HCAOA)
- Alison Kate Brum, Jennifer Meredith, Michelle Joy Videña, and Shanila Cortez — Ascension Business Solutions
- Connor Adams, CEO — Homecare Pro
- Becky Reel, Founder — Reel Home Care Consulting
- Kamran Nassar, CEO — AidQuest
- Sarah Barker, Owner & Coach — Senior Care Sales Solution
- Stephen Tweed, CEO — Leading Home Care …a Tweed Jeffries company
- Becky Jacobs, Senior Director of Workforce Development — Pennsylvania Homecare Association
FAQ
What are the biggest caregiver recruiting trends in 2026 Quarter 1?
Some of the biggest recruiting trends highlighted in the report include:
- Indeed continues to generate the majority of caregiver applications.
- Faster interview scheduling leads to significantly more hires.
- Most successful hires live close to the agency's service area.
- Over half of applicants have no professional experience. The opportunity? Agencies that train well win big.
- Flexible scheduling remains the benefit caregivers value most.
These findings help agencies focus their recruiting efforts where they'll have the greatest impact.
How quickly should home care agencies interview caregiver applicants?
Interview within 96 hours.
Speed wins. More than 55% of new hires were interviewed within four days of applying. Caregivers are applying to multiple agencies, so the faster you connect, the more likely you are to hire them.
Which job boards generate the most caregiver applications?
There’s no "best" job board.
A healthy hiring funnel needs both applicant volume and quality—but no single source delivers both. Indeed generated 68% of applications this quarter, while smaller, direct-contact channels like in-person events produced up to 3x higher hire conversion rates.
How far are most hired caregivers willing to travel?
Hire close to home.
Distance matters. 77% of new hires live within 20 miles of their agency's service area, making local recruiting one of the biggest predictors of hiring success.
Do most caregiver applicants already have professional caregiving experience?
No.
More than half of caregiver applicants have no paid professional caregiving experience. Many have only cared for friends or family members.
This means agencies that invest in onboarding, training, and coaching new caregivers can access a much larger talent pool than agencies that only recruit experienced caregivers.
What can home care agencies do to improve caregiver hiring?
The benchmark report recommends several proven strategies:
- Respond to new applicants quickly.
- Schedule interviews within four days.
- Recruit caregivers who live near your service area.
- Diversify applicant sources instead of relying on one job board.
- Consider applicants without professional experience if your agency provides strong training.
- Highlight flexible scheduling and other benefits caregivers value.
Small improvements throughout the hiring funnel can significantly increase hiring success.
How does Augusta collect caregiver recruiting benchmark data?
The benchmark report is based on recruiting data collected through Augusta's caregiver recruitment platform.
Applicants complete structured applications containing approximately 20 recruiting data points, with a completion rate of about 96%. Hiring outcomes are then validated using agency hiring records and integrated systems, allowing Augusta to analyze trends across more than 120,000 caregiver applications.
Is the National Caregiver Recruitment Benchmark Report free?
Yes. Augusta makes the National Caregiver Recruitment Benchmark Report available as a free resource for home care agencies looking to improve caregiver recruiting and hiring using industry benchmark data.
