Free tool
Labour hire licence check
Australia has no national labour hire licensing scheme — it is state-based. Separate schemes operate in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, with none in NSW, WA, Tasmania or the NT. Select the states where labour is supplied and your role to see where a licence is required, where you must use only licensed providers, and which regulator applies.
Reference tool — not professional advice. Labour hire licensing obligations depend on the specific definition of labour hire services in each state and the facts of your arrangement. Confirm the current position with the relevant state regulator or an employment lawyer before relying on this result.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is there a national labour hire licensing scheme in Australia?
- No. There is no national labour hire licensing scheme. Licensing is state-based, with separate schemes operating in Victoria (Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018), Queensland (Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017), South Australia (Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017) and the ACT (Labour Hire Licensing Act 2020). NSW, WA, Tasmania and the NT have no general scheme as at 2026.
- Do I need a licence as a provider or as a host?
- In each scheme state, a person who provides labour hire services must hold a licence, while a host (a business that uses labour hire workers) must engage only licensed providers. Both providers and hosts face penalties for breach, so hosts should verify a provider's licence with the relevant regulator before engaging them.
- Can one arrangement trigger more than one state's scheme?
- Yes. A cross-border arrangement — for example, a provider based in one state supplying workers into another — can trigger licensing obligations in more than one state at once. You need to assess each state where the labour is actually supplied, and a separate licence is generally required in each scheme state.
- What counts as "labour hire services"?
- The definition varies by state. Victoria's definition is notably broad and can capture some contractor, group-training and recruitment or placement arrangements that other states exclude. Because the scope differs, check the specific definition in each state where you operate rather than assuming a single national rule.
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