Labour hire licensing: check your employer before you start

Who hires you and who hosts the work?

A labour hire provider supplies workers to another business. The farm, packing shed or hotel can be the host while another legal entity employs and pays you. Get both names, the employing ABN, the worksite address and a written description of the arrangement.

A business name on a van or social-media account may differ from the legal employer. Match the contract and payslip details. An ABN’s valid checksum checks its number format; it is not proof that a provider holds a current labour hire licence.

Sources: Queensland · labour hire licensing and public register · Victoria · labour hire provider obligations and 2026 changes

Use the relevant public register

Check the current status and conditions, not just a photo of a licence. Save the register result with your contract. Different jurisdictions have different definitions and exemptions; this table is not a declaration that every other state has identical rules.

Sources: Queensland · labour hire licensing and public register · Victoria · labour hire provider obligations and 2026 changes · South Australia · 2026 labour hire licensing reforms · WorkSafe ACT · labour hire licensing and public register

Two important 2026 changes

Victoria broadened the definition of labour hire from 1 October 2026, following changes to suitability requirements from 1 June. Providers and hosts should use the current regulator guidance rather than relying on an old horticulture summary.

South Australia extended its scheme across industries from 29 January 2026, with a transition deadline of 29 July for newly covered providers. CBS also lists temporary exemptions for certain timely paid applications still being finalised. Check both licence status and any applicable published exemption instead of treating “application pending” as a universal right to operate.

Sources: Victoria · labour hire provider obligations and 2026 changes · South Australia · 2026 labour hire licensing reforms

Read the work and cost arrangements

Confirm who handles payroll, payslips, super, safety induction and worker concerns. Ask whether the provider or host supplies accommodation and transport, how charges are calculated and what happens if the assignment ends. Get a supervisor and payroll contact you can reach directly.

The licence is one useful check, not a guarantee of a particular roster or future conduct. Continue recording hours and pay after you start. Job-board approval is also separate from regulatory licensing.

Sources: Queensland · labour hire licensing and public register · Victoria · labour hire provider obligations and 2026 changes · Fair Work · deductions from pay

What to do if the details do not match

If the legal name, licence number or current status differs from what you were told, contact the relevant regulator using its official website. Ask the provider to explain the discrepancy before you travel. Keep the advertisement, contract, messages and register result.

Do not pay an upfront fee to secure a placement through this board. Use Report a listing for suspicious advertisements, and contact Fair Work for pay and workplace-entitlement issues. A licensing complaint and an underpayment complaint may need different regulators.

Sources: Queensland · labour hire licensing and public register · Victoria · labour hire provider obligations and 2026 changes · South Australia · 2026 labour hire licensing reforms · WorkSafe ACT · labour hire licensing and public register · Scamwatch · jobs and employment scams

Common questions

Keep exploring