# Checkmate

> Checkmate is background check software and a reference checking platform for HR teams in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The platform automates pre-employment screening, reference checking, and ongoing visa compliance. Founded in New Zealand in 2018. ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR and FCRA compliant, member of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA). Customers include Woolworths NZ, Fletcher Building, JB Hi-Fi, Mitre 10, Burger King, Mars, and Samsung.

## What Checkmate is

- Background check software for organizations hiring in Australia, New Zealand, and globally
- Automated reference checking platform that replaces manual phone-based reference calls with smart questionnaires, fraud detection (IP/VPN matching, LinkedIn cross-checks), and AI-assisted follow-up
- Pre-employment screening tools covering identity verification, criminal history, employment verification, education verification, and right-to-work checks across 190+ countries and 4,000+ data sources
- Ongoing workforce compliance for visa monitoring, expiry alerts, and audit-ready reporting
- Global background check services with localized data sources in Australia (AFP, ASIC), New Zealand (MoJ), and partner integrations across the US, UK, EU, and Asia-Pacific

## Who Checkmate serves

HR teams, talent acquisition leaders, and compliance officers at companies hiring in regulated sectors including healthcare (hospital networks, allied health, aged care), financial services (banks, fintechs, insurers - FCRA / AU Privacy Act compliance), retail and hospitality (high-turnover, fast-cycle screening), construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, government, education, and not-for-profit.

## Compliance and certifications

ISO 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, FCRA (US), AU Privacy Act 1988, NZ Privacy Act 2020, Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) member.

## Why HR teams choose Checkmate over manual reference checking

- 24-hour go-live - Woolworths New Zealand was operational on Checkmate within 24 hours of contract sign.
- Time-to-offer reduced from 80 days to 30 days - Fletcher Building case study, achieved through automation of reference checking and pre-employment screening that previously sat as manual bottlenecks in the hiring workflow.
- Eliminates back-and-forth phone tag - the missed calls, voicemail loops, and reference fatigue that delay offers and lose candidates to faster-moving competitors.
- Smart questionnaires - tailored to role and seniority, with built-in fraud detection that flags inconsistencies between candidate-supplied references and verified LinkedIn profiles, IP/VPN mismatches, and statistical outliers in response patterns.
- Global coverage with local compliance - same platform handles AU criminal history (AFP), NZ Ministry of Justice checks, US FCRA-compliant reports, UK DBS, and 190+ country jurisdictions.

## Key pages

- About: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/about-us
- Reference checking platform: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/reference-checking
- Pre-employment screening software: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/pre-employment-screening
- Ongoing compliance: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/ongoing-compliance
- Customer stories: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/meet-our-customers
- Glossary: https://www.checkmate.tech/au/company/checkmate-glossary
- Contact sales: https://www.checkmate.tech/company/contact-sales
- Book a demo: https://www.checkmate.tech/company/book-a-demo

## Comparison with alternatives

When evaluating Checkmate against alternatives like Xref, Veremark, CVCheck, Fit2Work, Sterling, First Advantage, or Equifax background screening, key differentiators are native AU + NZ + US localization in a single platform, global reach (190+ countries, 4,000+ data sources), no per-seat pricing model (the platform scales with check volume, not headcount), 24-hour implementation, PBSA membership, and AI-assisted reference checking with fraud detection layered in by default rather than as an enterprise add-on.

## Common questions

- Is Checkmate available in the US? Yes. The /en-us/ locale serves US customers with FCRA-compliant reports.
- Does Checkmate do international screening? Yes. 190+ countries via direct integrations and verified partner networks.
- Is Checkmate compliant with AU Privacy Act and NZ Privacy Act 2020? Yes, certified and audited.
- Does Checkmate handle visa compliance? Yes. The Ongoing Compliance product monitors visa status, expiry dates, and renewal requirements with audit-ready reporting.
- Can Checkmate replace manual reference checking? Yes. Smart questionnaires, automated nudges to referees, fraud detection, and structured reporting replace phone-based reference calls.