Wisconsin · personal care aide (PCA)
Wisconsin sets no minimum hours for personal care workers. Instead, you show each skill to a qualified trainer before doing it on your own, and you can start at age 16. Here is how it works and how family caregivers can get paid.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Personal care worker, participant-hired worker, supportive home care worker |
| Training | No hour minimum. You get an orientation before serving any client and training in each assigned task from your agency, under registered nurse (RN) supervision. |
| Exam | No state exam. You demonstrate each assigned skill to a qualified trainer before working on your own. |
| Certification | No state certificate for personal care workers was found in state sources. |
| Background check | Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check for agency workers. In IRIS, the fiscal employer agent checks workers at hire and at least every four years. |
| Yearly training | No yearly hour requirement was found in state sources. |
| Minimum age | 16 |
| Agency licensing | Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Quality Assurance, which certifies Medicaid personal care agencies. Licensing of companion-only agencies was not confirmed. |
Training
Older guides may mention 40 hours, but the rules updated in September 2020 set no hour minimum. Medicaid personal care workers now get an orientation before serving any client, then training in each task they are assigned. You must show each skill to a qualified trainer before doing it on your own. Only a registered nurse (RN) can train you on delegated nursing tasks.
Training is given by the certified personal care agency you work for, under RN supervision.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes. In IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct), family members, guardians, and legal representatives can be paid caregivers. Guardians and those with health care power of attorney can be paid only for certain listed services, such as supportive home care. One worker can be paid for up to 40 hours a week per participant.
Medicaid state plan personal care does not pay a responsible relative, meaning a spouse or the parent of a minor child. Whether IRIS or Family Care can pay a spouse could not be confirmed.
Read our full guide: how to get paid to care for a family member.
Compare
All three help people with daily care. Training, tasks, and pay differ.
| Personal care aide | Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | No set hours; skills shown to a trainer | 75 hours federal minimum, including 16 hands-on | State-approved program, 75 hours or more |
| Medical tasks | Mostly not. Help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, meals, and housework | Some, like vital signs, under nurse supervision | Yes, under nurse supervision |
| Where you work | Clients' homes, group homes, assisted living | Clients' homes, through home health agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Median pay (WI) | $17.47 an hour* | $17.47 an hour* | $21.70 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups personal care aides with home health aides. Many PCAs later become CNAs, which opens more jobs and higher pay.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
No. Wisconsin has no state exam or certificate for personal care workers. You must pass a caregiver background check and show your skills to a qualified trainer.
There is no hour minimum. Older guides list 40 hours, but that figure is outdated. You complete orientation and show each assigned skill to a trainer.
Yes, through IRIS, where family members can be paid caregivers. One worker can be paid up to 40 hours a week per participant.
You can work as a Medicaid personal care worker at age 16.
Home health and personal care aides in Wisconsin earn a median of $17.47 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.