Has your labour hire provider applied for a licence?

Published on August 8, 2019

Victorian growers are encouraged to check with their labour hire providers that they have applied for a licence to provide workers for hire under the new Labour Licensing Scheme.

From 30 October, 2019, growers must only use licensed labour hire providers, or providers that have applied for a licence and it has not been refused, or face penalties of up to $120,000 for individuals or $500,000 for companies for using unlicensed providers.

Applications lodged can be checked via the Labour Hire Authority’s home page :

Go to the top right where a list of options appear under the words “I want to..”
Select the option Find applications made
Scroll through the list to find your provider.

Providers whose licence application has been approved can also be searched (by name, licence number or post code if known) in the same location under the option Find Registered Providers

If you cannot locate your provider in either list, confirm with your provider that they have applied for a licence.

Labour hire providers now have just three months remaining in which to obtain or apply for a licence. From 30 October unlicensed providers are prohibited from providing workers and also face substantial fines for operating without a licence.

To obtain a licence, labour hire providers will be required to pass a “fit and proper person test” and show compliance with workplace laws, labour hire laws, and minimum accommodation standards. They will also need to report annually on their activities.

The Labour Hire Authority is continuing to run information sessions regarding the scheme and its operation. Check the Events section of their website for a session near you.