What the check is?
A criminal history check that identifies whether a person has any disclosable court outcomes or pending charges at a federal level. Often required for immigration, employment or licensing.
What the value is?
Confirms if a candidate has a criminal history, supporting safe and compliant hiring.
What does it check?
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) database for disclosable criminal convictions.
Why do you do it?
To verify a person’s criminal history and assess suitability for roles where trust, safety or legal compliance is essential, especially in regulated environments.
How often does it need to be checked?
Renewal practices vary: many employers renew annually or every 2–3 years; some industries require more frequent checks.
Is this industry specific? If yes, what industries?
Aged care; healthcare; childcare and education; immigration and citizenship; aviation and transport security; government and defence.
Risk of not doing it?
You risk hiring someone with a criminal record relevant to the role, creating safety, compliance and reputational risks.