Life in Australia Guide

To be hired or registered for work in healthcare, childcare, education, aged care, disability support, volunteering and similar fields in Australia, you almost always have to pass a background check. The requirement is the same regardless of your visa type or country of origin.

First, distinguish between the two that are easy to confuse.

• National Police Check (NPC) — a nationwide criminal history check. It is overseen by the ACIC (Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission) and is widely required for general employment, licensing, volunteering and more. It is also called a 'Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check'.
• Working with Children Check (WWCC) — a separate screening for people who want to do child-related work. The issuing body, name, fee and validity period differ from state to state.

If your work involves children directly, you may usually need both. Check first which checks your employer or registering body requires.

You do not apply directly to the ACIC yourself for a National Police Check. Instead you apply through a body accredited by the ACIC (an accredited body) or through your state/territory police. Accredited bodies handle the application on your behalf, online or via a paper form.

• Informed consent is always required. You cannot apply for someone else's check without their consent.
• Processing time: according to the ACIC, about 70% of results come back within minutes, while the remaining 30% require manual checking by police and take longer. It can take longer for common names or where past records need to be matched, and processing times are not guaranteed.
• Fees: ACIC accreditation itself has no separate fee, but each accredited body charges its own service fee. Amounts vary by body, so check directly with the accredited body you choose.

Where you apply for an Australian police check depends on what it is for. There are two main channels.

• An ACIC accredited body or your state police — the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for general employment, volunteering and licensing within Australia. Service fees vary from one accredited body to another, so check with the body before applying.
• Applying directly to the AFP (Australian Federal Police) — you need an AFP National Police Check for Commonwealth purposes: most notably Australian citizenship and permanent residence applications, Commonwealth-related employment, and visa applications for some countries. The fee is $56 ($113 if fingerprints are required), and most checks are completed within 48 hours of receipt (afp.gov.au, as at July 2026).

Always confirm which check your employer or agency requires first — a check obtained through the wrong channel may not be accepted and may have to be redone.

Below is the general application flow. The detailed steps may differ from one accredited body to another.

1. Choose an accredited body — employers often specify a particular body. If none is specified, choose from the list of accredited bodies on the ACIC site or use your state police.
2. Prepare consent + ID — indicate your informed consent on the application form and prepare your proof-of-identity documents (usually 1 primary + 2 secondary).
3. Complete identity verification (linkage) — verify your identity in person or via an online tool such as a webcam.
4. Submit and receive your result — once submitted, the result is sent to you and/or the requesting body when it is ready.

A WWCC screens people who want to work or volunteer in child-related roles (usually involving those under 18). It goes beyond a simple criminal history check to also review matters such as reportable workplace misconduct, and unlike a standard NPC, you are continuously monitored even after you pass.

• Examples: childcare workers, school staff, sports coaches, and medical, religious or volunteer activities involving children.
• You usually must be 18 or over to apply.
• Fees differ depending on whether you are a paid employee or a volunteer (in many states it is free for volunteers).

The core of a background check is verifying your identity. You usually submit 1 primary document + 2 secondary documents, one of which must bear your photo and signature.

• Even without an Australian driver's licence or passport, the combination of a valid foreign passport + an Australian visa is accepted as a primary identity document. In other words, immigrants and temporary visa holders can apply too.
• Other items, such as a government-issued photo ID (a Proof of Age card, etc.), a Medicare card or a bank statement, can be used as secondary documents.
• Documents must be original and current (not expired); copies and expired documents are often not accepted.

The list of accepted documents differs slightly from one body to another, so check the body's 'identity documents' guidance before you go.

What you need for an international police check — one that crosses borders — depends on the direction.

• ① For an Australian visa or citizenship application (time spent in Australia) — if you have spent a cumulative 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years, Home Affairs asks for an AFP National Police Check. For immigration purposes a police certificate is treated as valid for 12 months from the issue date (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, as at July 2026).
• ② Overseas police certificates (for an Australian visa) — if you have spent a cumulative 12 months or more in any one country in the last 10 years since turning 16, you must provide a police (penal clearance) certificate from that country. Follow that country's police or government process (or its embassy or consulate in Australia), and attach a certified translation for any certificate not in English (within Australia, by a NAATI-certified translator).
• ③ Using an Australian police check overseas — if a foreign employer, immigration authority or licensing body asks for an Australian police certificate, you usually get an AFP check ($113 where the destination country requires fingerprints) and, if requested, have it legalised with a DFAT apostille or authentication — $105 per document, with fees rising each 1 January (smartraveller.gov.au, checked July 2026). See the 'Overseas document certification (apostille) guide' below for the detailed steps.