Recruitment / Labour Hire Company FAQ

Due to recent regulatory changes from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), accredited bodies such as Checked Australia can no longer process NCCHC requests on behalf of recruitment agencies, labour hire companies, or contractors placing individuals in third-party organisations.

Why has this change been made?

The change is intended to protect individuals' personal and sensitive information.It ensures that police check results are:

• not shared with third parties without the applicant’s explicit consent or awareness of how their data is stored and used.
• checks are not reused for a different purpose that that listed on the check report.
• checks are requested and used in conjunction with a requesting organisations own policies (ie they arent from 5 years ago)

How can our candidates still complete a police check?

Candidates can request their own police checks directly through:

• Our general website at www.checked.com.au
• Any other NCCHC-accredited provider of their choice

This gives applicants full control over their personal data and check results.

What alternatives do we have as a recruitment or labour hire company?

Two options have been recommended for this industry:

• Apply for ACIC Accreditation

This would allow you to legally request NCCHCs for your candidates or contractors. More information about how to become an ACIC-accredited organisation is available here.

• Use Australian Federal Police (AFP) Checks through Checked Australia

As a broker with the AFP, Checked Australia can continue to provide AFP checks, which return national criminal history results and are commonly accepted in many industries.

Are AFP checks equivalent to NCCHCs?

AFP checks are similar in nature and cover a person's criminal history across all Australian states and territories. However, some employers or roles may specifically require an NCCHC. It’s important to confirm which check is acceptable for your candidates.

What should we do next?

We understand this change may impact your recruitment processes. You may need to:

• Review internal compliance policies
• Consider seeking ACIC accreditation if you require regular background screening
• Update your onboarding workflows to direct candidates to complete checks themselves

Who can we contact for more information?

If you have questions or need help understanding your options, please reach out to our Partnerships team or if you require more information on ACIC accreditation, you can reach out to the ACIC directly.